Olympic Tickets--The Big, Big Chill

More than 6,000 people braved long lines and frigid 14-below-zero temperature Monday to purchase tickets for prime Olympic events.

More than 30,000 tickets, returned from travel agents abroad, were put on sale on a first-come first-served basis to Calgary residents.

The returned tickets included medal-round hockey games, opening and closing ceremonies and figure skating finals, events which organizers had declared “sold out” months ago. Some hockey games were sold out in less than half an hour, and the 200 opening ceremony tickets lasted barely an hour.

About 350,000 tickets are still available, after Monday’s rush, to less popular events at the XV Olympic Winter Games, including cross-country skiing, biathlon, and some preliminary hockey games.