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Organizers unveil 'River of Lightning'
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A 14-kilometer (8.5-mile) river of lightning linking the Olympic stadium and the Sydney Harbor Bridge will trigger a fireworks spectacular to mark the end of the 2000 Games, organizers said Friday. The final seconds of a fireworks display at the closing ceremonies at the Olympic stadium will start the long fuse, dubbed the "river of lightning" by organizers. Two million spectators are expected to cram the harbor shores to watch the display, while 16 giant screens will broadcast the event to city and regional centers in Australia. Olympic ceremonies artistic director David Atkins said the fuse will take about 2 1-2 minutes to trigger the fireworks on the bridge. Ignatius Jones, artistic director of the closing night festivities, said it was the first time the closing ceremony was taken out of the stadium to the people. Eight city buildings on both sides of the harbor will also shoot fireworks and a row of boats under the bridge will also unleash giant Roman candles. "It's been an enormous challenge given the harbor has been a platform for some of the world's most extraordinary fireworks displays," Atkins said. "The challenge was how do we do something on the harbor pyrotechnically that would exceed what's happened previously and at the same time, be symbolic with the message of Olympism." Pyrotechnists from the five continents, representing the Olympic rings, are taking part in the spectacular. Each of the international participants will create a three-minute display to be fired from four harbor locations. The companies are Haga Fireworks Company in Miyagi, Japan; Pyro Spectacular in Johannesburg, South Africa; Pirotecnia Ricarda Caballer in Valencia, Spain; Alonzo Fireworks Display Inc., in New York and Foti International Fireworks from Sydney. The shells will be set off every six seconds and last for 30 seconds and fired every 500 meters along the Parramatta River.
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