By: FISU

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, 16 August 2018 - The Winter Universiade is set to return to the northern New York winter sports destination of Lake Placid in 2023.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) completed the Host City Contract signing today in Lausanne after New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed an Executive Order officially authorizing Lake Placid and the surrounding North Country Region to host the 31^st edition of the event from the New York State Capital. 

The signing marks the second occasion that Lake Placid will host the international multi-sport spectacle for university athletes, after the edition in 1972. More than 3,000 student-athletes, delegates and officials representing 60 countries and 600 universities are expected to compete during an 11-day period in over 70 events. 

Known affectionately as “America’s first winter sports destination”, Lake Placid has a longstanding and rich sporting history, having hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1932 and 1980, in addition to the Winter Universiade 1972. The State of New York also held the last Universiade on North American soil, with the 1993 summer edition being held in Buffalo.

FISU President Oleg Matytsin was particularly enthused with the Universiade’s return to a previous event host. 

“From its outset, the bid was one of the strongest we have seen,” FISU President Matytsin said. “For Lake Placid to go from Winter Universiade candidate to future host is a great moment for the university sports movement. Today’s signing will have a lifelong impact on the thousands of student-athletes who will come to the Adirondack Region from all around the world.”

Much like previous Universiades, over 350 million worldwide broadcast viewers are expected to watch over 7,000 hours of coverage via TV and digital channels, helping keep university sport and New York State in the global spotlight. 

Nearly 40 years have passed since Lake Placid last hosted a major international multi-sport event, but the Adirondack Region of upstate New York continues to be a world-class destination for sports recreation and competitions. Since 1980, Lake Placid has hosted 14 World Championships and more than 100 World Cup competitions. This year alone, the region will be hosting five World Cup competitions as well as the Para-Bobsleigh World Championships.

During the signing, Governor Cuomo emphasized that hosting a marquee multi-sport event like the Winter Universiade is vital for the Adirondack Region to continue being a hub of sport — and a place that continues to attract top talent to its universities and communities.

"Lake Placid is the perfect location to host this event, which will showcase the very best of New York and the North County to an international audience,” New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said. “We are proud and fortunate to have both the natural and manmade resources required for the Winter Universiade in our own backyard and we look forward to welcoming athletes from across the globe to experience all the Adirondacks has to offer."

This message was echoed by Delise O’Meally, Secretary General of the United States International University Sports Federation.

“We are thrilled and excited at what this means for college sport in the United States and the entire Pan American region," Delise O’Meally said. “The Universiade presents a unique opportunity to showcase our passion for college sport, as we welcome the student-athletes of the world back to New York State. The Lake Placid community was the last to host these Games in the United States almost 50 years ago. It is fitting that we should return to this picturesque site of historic winter sport achievement.” 

FISU President Matytsin said Lake Placid’s event legacy plan set their candidature apart.

“The successful hosting of a major sports event does not end with the event’s closing ceremony. Fortunately, Lake Placid is positioned well to take full advantage of this opportunity with their well thought-out, flexible and strategic development plans for the region. I am excited to see these plans come to life as organizers cultivate communities in the lead-up to the 2023 Winter Universiade. I look forward to coming back to the region and seeing the lasting benefits here long after the FISU flame is extinguished.” 

The upcoming Winter Universiade will be held from 2-12 March 2019 in Krasnoyarsk, Russia and is expected to draw 2,500 participants from over 50 countries to the heart of Siberia. The 2021 Winter Universiade host is Lucerne, Switzerland. 

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.