The North Pole leg of the Olympic Torch Relay began on October 15, 2013 from Murmansk. Pitney and Heininen travel to the North Pole aboard a Russian icebreaker with other representatives of the scientific communities of the Arctic nations.
In addition to promoting the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, the North Pole torch run leg is being conducted to highlight the Arctic and cooperation among the eight Arctic nations.
Read the full story at Sochi 2014 Torch Relay website
UArctic representation in Olympic Torch Relay
Wed, Oct 16, 2013
Two UArctic figures are travelling with the Olympic Torch to the North Pole. Pat Pitney, Vice-President Finance and the head of the UArctic Finance Office, and Lassi Heininen, the leader of the Geopolitics and Security Thematic Network, are part of the delegation of Arctic representatives selected to carry the torch during its 35,000-mile, 123-day journey across Russia.