Sochi Winter Olympic torchbearers can expect a cozy reception on arrival in Tambov on Sunday, as a team of knitters are working on a record-breaking woolen hat to mark the occasion.
The horizontal tricolor of the Russian flag will be used as the basis for the humongous hat's design, but will it also have the logo for the Games and festive snowflakes printed on it, Tambov's culture, sport and tourism department said.
The hat will be supported by a metal frame 6 meters tall and more than 20 meters in circumference, which organizers plan to put outside the main ice rink in Tambov, about 480 kilometers southeast of Moscow.
More than 73 kilograms of yarn are being used to make the hat, which will stay in place until after the Sochi Olympics finish.
The organizers have sent a request to the "Russian Book of Records" for the hat to be recognized as the largest piece of headwear in the country, and the publication's chief editor Stanislav Konenko will be in Tambov on Sunday to present a certificate confirming its unique status.
