'ROCKY' START FOR TORCH RELAY OLYMPIC FLAME TO GO FROM VENICE TO DODGER STADIUM.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Sylvester Stallone will be the first runner Wednesday morning as the tradition of the Olympic torch relay continues in anticipation of this year's Summer Games in Athens.

An opening-day celebration of local dignitaries and stars will launch him on his way shortly after 9 a.m. from Venice Beach in a run across the city that will take the Olympic flame on its way in four U.S. cities before heading on toward Athens and the start of the Games on Aug. 13.

Los Angeles' Olympic history and diversity make it an appropriate place for the Olympic torch to begin its journey through the United States before the 2004 Athens Games,'' Mayor James Hahn said.

Los Angeles served as host city for what are considered the two most successful Olympic Games in history in 1932 and 1984.

``This will be a great day and a great way to kick off the Olympic Games this year,'' Councilman Tom LaBonge said at a City Hall news conference.

``This shows Los Angeles cares as much about the Games today as it did when it hosted the Olympics in 1984.''

Stallone is one of 3,600 U.S. runners who include such local Olympians as Rafer Johnson and Anita DeFrantz.

It was in Los Angeles that the traditional Olympic torch relay received a new wrinkle before the Summer Games of 1984, a time when the Games were at a low point in terms of public and financial support.

Los Angeles organizers introduced the concept of paying for the right to carry the torch a kilometer, often through commercial sponsorships, as a way to build support across the country and raise money for youth athletics. The event became a highlight in cities as it passed through.

The International Olympic Committee has since embraced the concept but, because of the time constraints, also has limited the run.

In the United States, Los Angeles is among four cities that will host torch relays. The others are St. Louis, Atlanta and New York City.

The runners were selected by the Olympic committees of each country. In all, officials estimate there will be 10,000 torch bearers participating in the event.

The route for the local relay is all in the Los Angeles Basin, running from Venice, up through Santa Monica across through Westwood, Hollywood, South Los Angeles and ending up at Dodger Stadium.

California runners scheduled to participate include Alan Abrahamson of Hermosa Beach, the Rev. John Bakas of Los Angeles, the Rev. Gregory Boyle of Los Angeles, Daniel Bruck of Los Angeles, Daniel Castro of Pasadena, Peter Clentzos of Pasadena, Robert Ctvrtlik of Newport Beach, DeFrantz of Los Angeles, James Easton of Van Nuys and Janet Evans of Irvine.

Also, Bruce Furniss of Villa Park, Steve Furniss of Huntington Beach, Christopher Howard of La Crescenta, Robin Howland of Huntington Beach, Johnson of Sherman Oaks, Bobby Jordan of Reseda, Michael Josephson of Playa del Rey, Eleni Konstantinopoulos of Northridge, Andreas Kyprianides of Los Angeles, Michael Larrabee of Santa Maria, Sammy Lee of Huntington Beach, Michael Lenard of Los Angeles and Mario Machado of Sherman Oaks.

Other runners include Pamela Marquez of Northridge, Frank Marshall of Santa Monica, Patricia McCormick of Seal Beach, Michael O'Hara of Pacific Palisades, Velma Ploessel of Downey, Alex Ramos of Simi Valley, Georgia Sotiropoulos of West Hollywood, Helen Stay of Huntington Beach, Anastasia Terranova of San Mateo, William (Steve) Venable of Los Angeles, Peter Vidmar of Coto de Caza and Bonny Warner of Byron.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY ROUTE, LOS ANGELES

SOURCE: City of Los Angeles

Warren Huskey/Staff Artist