OLYMPIA, Greece (Reuters) - Organisers were forced to use a back-up flame in the torch-lighting ceremony for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics on an overcast Sunday.

Greek sun god Apollo did not hear the prayers of high priestess Theodora Siarkou, an actress, who had to light the torch from a replica ancient pot which contained the flame from Saturday's dress rehearsal, instead of using the concave steel mirror to focus the sun's rays.

The high priestess, played by Greek actress Theodora Siarkou, carries the Olympic flame in a replica of an ancient Greek pot during a ceremony in front of the Temple of Hera in ancient Olympia November 27, 2005. Organisers were forced to use a back-up flame in the torch-lighting ceremony for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics on an overcast Sunday. The ceremony in the temple of Hera, a few metres away from the stadium that hosted the ancient Olympics 25 centuries ago, marked the start of the torch relay that will pass through Greece and Italy before lighting the Games cauldron in Turin on February 10. (REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis)

The ceremony in the temple of Hera, a few metres away from the stadium that hosted the ancient Olympics 25 centuries ago, marked the start of the torch relay that will pass through Greece and Italy before lighting the Games cauldron in Turin on February 10.

Organisers of the Winter Olympics, to be held between February 10 and 26, hope the torch relay will improve sluggish ticket sales and trigger a last-minute rush once Italians see the flame making its way across the country.

Only about 60 percent of tickets have been sold against a target of 82 percent.

"The 20th Olympic Winter Games of Turin celebrate passion, a characteristic for which Italians are well known and now it's reaching its climax in Turin," Games chief organiser Valentino Castellani said.

"The torch relay will raise the thermometer further, increasing the passionate attitude and creating a warm Olympic atmosphere."

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said in a written statement: "The journey of the flame is what brings the Games closer to society and allows society to take part in the Games."

TORCH TOUR

Siarkou, accompanied by 17 priestesses, theatrically emerged from an olive grove and lit the official Turin Games torch.

In front of a small crowd of officials in the cypress-ringed site where the heart of the modern Games founder Pierre De Coubertin is buried, Greek polevaulter Costas Filippidis lifted the torch and an olive branch and started his short run as the first of the 534 runners who will cover 2,006 km across Greece.

The flame will pass through most of the country's skiing resorts before being handed over to Italians on December 6 in Athens.

On December 8, the flame will leave Rome on a cross-country tour that will include rides on gondolas and in a Ferrari car. The torch will be carried by 10,001 bearers before lighting the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony.

Castellani said the torch would also briefly travel to Slovenia, Switzerland, France and Austria.

By Karolos Grohmann
Reuters, Sun Nov 27, 2005