The flame which will be used for the London 2012 torch relay and Olympic Games has been lit during a ceremony in Olympia, Greece.

The flame was kindled by a "high priestess" who captured the morning sun's rays in a parabolic mirror.

The ceremony came amid political and economic turmoil in the home of the Ancient Olympics, where a week-long leg of the relay will be held.

The flame flies to Britain on 18 May for a 70-day relay around the UK.

The lighting ceremony took place in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera, next to the ancient stadium.

Actresses playing Olympic priestesses danced and men dressed as heralds put on a display symbolising athletic strength.

Mods - are we getting a special Olympic forum for pics and discussion?

No only important events get such a thing. Like e.g. the new Big Brother season.

You are a naughty boy. What's your punishment for impersonating a moderator?

A good spanking from you would do.

But yeah @topic need to look for a clip for that, sounds like it was a great spectacle.

Do we know if there's any footage of that? It sounds interesting to me.

I mean the ceremony, not Astron being punished!

A big part of me hopes it goes out before it gets here.

Flame ceremony highlights (BBC News)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18016224

That looks really nice.

We'll have an olympic forum if I can figure out how to do it without Seb Coe sueing me to death.

Jeez what is it with people not letting us have forums.
Even without them we still don't go to their shitty pages.

You're just not allowed to call it the Olympic forum or use any of the logos. Just call it "that sporting event thing forum".

Quite looking forward to going and seeing the flame when it's by my house.

But we seem to have one for the World Cup/Euros, etc. I'm not arguing, just saying...

(UNless you can get an Official Olympics licences. )

The BBC News page has been updated with a clip showing the moment when the flame WENT OUT! That is an ominous start to our Olympics. I never even noticed when it was live.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18002760

Yes... My dark powers are returning.

I had done a logo with 'official wanking partner of London 2012' but the lawyers advised against using it

I like historical traditions like this.
Now if they would just get the men to do their sports naked then it will be a lot more historically accurate.
(in ancient Greece women were not allowed to spectate)

Yes, I was expecting the heralds at least to be shirtless.

Apparently, the women had their own athletic games in a different city whereby they participated with one breast showing, indicating fertility. I wouldn't mind that at the modern games either!

Let's hope the plane doesn't catch fire.

Let's hope it does.

Seriously, though, I would strongly doubt that would ever happen. This has been 'done' enough times - only complete stupidity would result in a fire on the Olympic flight.

I've seen the flame twice. Once in '84 and again in '96. It was pretty cool both times.

It'll be cooler over here.
It's been pissing it down for a month.

Like I said, let's hope the plane doesn't catch fire.

I know. But they are meant to have designed/road-tested it for these conditions. No-one wants a Montréal experience.
Apparently, the first British fella to carry the torch is of Greek descent. Pretty tasty looking, too.


You seem to fear the worst. Let's face it, the staff of some of Britain's top tourist attractions would be extremely gutted if the relay had to be cancelled...

I wouldn't be surprised if they make a video of part of the relay, with Wenlock & Mandeville 'helping out'. Now there's a thought. Is the torch relay being shown on BBC HD. Or how many of the pre-Games events?? I've not been able to find any pages breaking it down.

Just discovered, the relay will not always pick up next day in the same town it ended in, the night before.

For instance, in Norther Ireland, it stops near Ballymena, but starts the next day in Stranraer, in Scotland. In the Lake District, it stops for the night in Bowness, but begins next morning in Kendal. Hmmmmm. What sort of a relay is that??
I bet it wasn't as big, or in HD, though. Wasn't the 84 Olympics one with heaps of new World Records - because there were no Eastern EUropean countries taking part??

Seeing it in person is totally different.

And yes, aside from from Romania the Eastern Bloc didn't participate in the '84 Games and many world records were set. The 1996 Olympics were the first Games that all invited countries participated.

As this is the good old United Kingdom, the question should be how many dickheads will jump the barriers and try to nick it or throw water on it?

Umm ladies, it's Eurovision first.

As it's the good old United Kingdom, what happens if it's pissing rain?

It gets taken in a 4-wheel drive by a mum with her schoolkids in the back?

Would've been bloody cheaper to organise a fleet of them to drive it around the country...