Schuss
| Schuss | |
|---|---|
| Mascot of the 1968 Winter Olympics (Grenoble) | |
| Creator | Aline Lafargue |
| Significance | Abstract figure on skis with the colors of the flag of France |
Schuss ([ʃʊs], German for 'shot') was the first (then unofficial) mascot of the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, featuring a stylized cartoon character wearing skis. Schuss was seen on pins and small toys. Afterwards, every Olympic Games has had a mascot (excluding the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, which only had an unofficial mascot named Takuchan).
In alpine skiing, a schuss or schussboom is a straight downhill run at high speed, contrasting with a slalom, mogul, or ski jumping.
Schuss was designed by Aline Lafargue, who had only one night to prepare her submission. The mascot was designed in an abstract form and painted in the colors of France: blue, red and, white. An initial mascot design was Dof, the skiing dolphin.
Schuss is now recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a mascot, though at the time, the Organizing Committee referred to Schuss as a "character".