I have become a pin-maniac!



The "pin mania" is a common disease caught at the Olympics... or at least it's what happend to all my friends and me! Yes, most of us liked to buy one souvenir pin from the competitions we attended, but that was enough. At Olys instead, everyone was looking for pins - from traders, sponsor and skaters! So I'll start with the pins I got in Torino.. then there are those I already got before...
.
.
.
.

 
,
2006 Winter Olympics
   
 
   
       
Volunteers' pins
 
 
 
we received this after
about a week of shifts...
 
The one on the right is the older version of the Noi 2006 pin, which I received from Christine a lot before being involved with Toroc... in autumn 2003. The red and white one is the later, official pin - Ingrid and I retrieved a couple of these during Euros 2005
 
I received Neve (red) on my first shift, and Glitz (blue)
on my last one
.
Strictly Torino 2006
.
 
.
.
.
As you will see further down, I received this one in Dortmund, but still...
 
I bought this one to wear on my jacket when I was working at Toroc in 2005
 
Ingrid gave me this pin at the Volunteer training day in September 2005
 
The skater, the "Look of the Games" colours... a sought-after pin
.
 
 
 
The pin celebrating the 10th day of the games represented skating... on the day f the ice dancing final
.
 
I was really proud to be living in the Village... so I immediately bought the pin celebrating i!
.
 
The two mascots, skating.. how cute!
.
 
I bought this one in Milan, before the Olys... I liked the mascots, and I didn't know about the cuter pin here on the side
.
 
 
I exchanged one of my extra pin from Torino 2005 for this one - which I really love, and I am really happy of - my best trade!
 
,
The Nations
 
 
 
I had bought some of these before leaving home, in case I needed something to exchange...
.
 
This was given to me by Albena Denkova, in the dressing rooms during the gala... I adore sweet Albena!
.
 
I received this by a member of the Hungarian team, shortly after witnessing our driver get in a fight... weird memory.
.
 
I bought this one at Casa Italia, as we had asked our skaters, but they didn't seem to have any!
.
 
 
 
I got this one from a Chinese doctor, who put it in my hand without saying a word, without me asking for it....
.
 
This one came from a man of the Russian team, acting as team photographer...another very sought after pin!
.
 
Lovely granny Joan Slater gave me this one while I was explaining her about the shuttles time schedules...
.
 
The chef de mission of Luxenbourg gave me this one while we were chattingon a shuttle.
 
 
 
A Canadian volunteer gave me this one...
Another Canadian lady had an extra one of these, and handed it to me.. so, when I got one myself at the Canadian house, I passed it to Silvia
.
I confess: I begged this one from the Canadian team leader. I was ashamed, but it is sooo nice, it was worth it!
Another Canadian volunteer gave me this sparkly golden one...
,
The Sponsors
 
 
 
The lovely Samsung one - I couldn't find one at the Samsung stand, but I got this one in exchange for yet another of my extra To2005 pins...
I bought this one at the Coca Cola truck.. it is actually prestty big, but fun.
I got this done at the Coca Cola truck again.. as all my friends! It's silly, but it was fun!
Everyone was doing pins... we got this one at a restaurant...
,
The Media
.
 
 
 
While I was chatting with an NBC technician trying to establish some rules and some cooperation, she gave me this pin
.
 
This one I got when I purchased something (two t-shirts in my case) at the Canadian House
.
 
This one comes from Olympic champion and Eurosport reporter Gwendal Peizerat...
.
 
From the Eurosport stand, a pin of one of their programs... the girls were said to be in Torino, but I can't confirm...
.
,
Miscellaneous
.
 
 
 
I exchanged a pin I didn't like too much for this one I thought was cute... it celebrates the day when the XX Olys were assigned to Torino!
.
 
After unsuccessfully to find the time to go and ask ice master Denny Allen for one of these pins, I exchanged yet another To2005 pin for this one
.
 
Some kind of religious group was preacing in Piazza San Carlo, and they gave me this one
.
 
I was seriously envied for this one.. one of the security guys following the american team gave me the last one of this kind he had... in exchange, I brought him a short track one he desired...
.

BACK TO THE PAST

 
 
 
Euros 98 in Milan
my frist big live event,
I bought the pin, the
poster, the t-shirt.. EVERYTHING!!
.
 
Euros 98 in Milan
AGAIN!
But this pin was
given to me years
later by a friend!
.
 
Euros 2001
in Bratislava

after a pause, I met Babi and Mauri and lots of new friends... and immediately booked the train tickets!
.
 
Euros 2002
in Lausanne

No way I could
go to Salt Lake -
But I went here!
.
 
 
 
2002 Olys
No no, of course I was not there.. but I liked
this pin I found in the Olympic museum in Lausanne!
 
The five rings
More shopping
done at the Olympic museum in Lausanne!

.
 

Spring Cup 2002
Because my rink organizes this synchro competition every year
!
.

 
Spring Cup 2003
I didn't go to Euros, but helped out here!
.
 
 
 
Euros 2004
in Budapest

The best championships for me... I had so much fun! And the city is magnificent!
.
 
Spring Cup 2004
Bi now it was a tradition, for me to help here.

.
 
World Challenge Cup for Juniors 2004
We had two synchro events this year...
I helped again
.
 
Worlds 2004
in Dortmund

My first Worlds!
They cost me A LOT, but it was worth it!
.
 
 
 
TORINO 2006
ButI got this pin at a press conference I attended in Dortmund, as a To2006 journalist
.
 
Random skating cat
I bought this one in Dortmund... just because it was cute.
.
 
SkateFair
There was a lot of polemics going on at the time...
.
 
SkateFair
The back of the pin
.
.

.

.
Since my job in Torino2005 was organizing our volunteers, I always proudly wore the silver pin of the volunteer program
.
I got a pin of the federation at a presentation of Torino Ice 2005 that was held in Milan...
.
When I wanted to look serious, I added this pin to my jacket...
.
I spent the championships handing this out to lots of volunteers, and I still had lots of them at Olys!.
A lady from the Andorran federation gave me this
.
From the French delegation, the Olympic bid of Paris for the 2012 summer Olys... but London won!
.
A Canadian friend handed me this one...
.

    .        
   
   
 
Cup of Russia's sponsor
Actually, Anna brought me this one.. I' ve never been to Russia!
.
Worlds 2005
in Moscow

Again, I was not there.. but Anna brought me this pin, and Silvia bought me the t-shirt...