INNSBRUCK 1976
- 4–15 February 1976
- 37 official medal events.
- 1,129 competitors from 37 countries.
- Finnish team: 50 athletes (47 participated in official events).
The Olympic Winter Games of 1976 had been originally awarded to Denver. Innsbruck was chosen as the replacement host when Denver had to relinquish its right after voters in the state of Colorado turned down additional public funding for the Games. Finnish cross-country skiing won its first Olympic gold medals since the Games were last held in Innsbruck 12 years earlier. Helena Takalo fought with Raisa Smetanina of the USSR for supremacy in the women’s events, winning gold in 5 kilometres and silver in 10 kilometres. The Finnish men’s team won gold in the relay race for the first time since 1960. Finnish biathlon celebrated its best ever Olympic success, but the performance of ski jumpers was poorest since the World War. In ice hockey the Finnish Lions were expected to win their first ever medal, as neither Canada nor Sweden participated in the Olympic tournament. Instead, Finland finished fourth having lost the bronze to Federal Republic of Germany by tie-breaking calculations over goal ratios.
