By Duncan Mackay in Vancouver

February 28 - Munich’s hopes of hosting the 2018 Olympics and Paralympic Games have been boosted, they hope, by record television viewing figures in Germany, who watched the team finish second overall with 30 medals, including 10 gold.


 
Amongst Germany’s medals, which exceeded targets, 15 were won by Munich 2018’s ambassadors led by two double champions, biathlon champion Magdalena Neuner, who carried the country's flag at the Closing Ceremony last night and Maria Riesch, in Alpine skiing.

Their performances caught the imagination of the German public with more than 11 million viewers tuning in for Neuner's victory. 
 
Willy Bogner, the chief executive of Munich 2018, said: "Germany’s incredible passion for winter sport and the Olympic Games has been reflected both on the podium and back home.

"However medal successes and high TV figures are only part of our Olympic offer.

"The friendliness of the fans and volunteers seen in Vancouver is also central to Munich’s vision for the Olympic Movement.

"We aim to combine the famed friendliness and hospitality of Bavaria with the national passion for winter sport.
 
"Munich 2018 has been honoured to observe the winter Games at first hand and we would like to congratulate VANOC and all of Canada for staging on such a wonderful Games.

"This time in four years in Sochi, I hope to be saying, “Munich is next!'"
 
One unexpected boost for Munich 2018 in Vancouver came from the German Fan Fest with up to 100,000 people enjoying the Games in a traditional Bavarian festival tent run by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). 
 
Bogner said: "It is amazing to see that the German Fan Fest attracted so many people, especially the Canadians.

"They seem to love the German concept of celebrating sport!

"The Football World Cup in 2006 proved that Germans know how to celebrate sporting excellence.

"We aim to stage the world’s biggest ever Olympic winter sports celebration in Munich and across Bavaria in 2018."

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