Three cities in race for 2018 Winter Games

BERLIN (Reuters) - Three cities have launched bids to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee confirmed on Friday.

Germany's Munich, host of the 1972 Summer Olympics, South Korea's Pyeongchang, who lost out to Vancouver and Sochi for the right to host the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games, and France's Annecy are the candidate cities, the IOC said.

The winning bid will be elected in 2011.

(Writing by Karolos Grohmann: Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)