LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- It’s hard to believe that another four years have passed between Olympic Winter Games. In February the world will gather for the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.  United States' bobsled, luge and skeleton athletes will begin preparing for the Games and the upcoming 2013-’14 international racing season when the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex track, in Lake Placid, N.Y., opens for the season, Tuesday, Oct. 1, weather and conditions permitting.

In just a matter of a few more days, workers will begin chilling the one-mile long concrete chute and laying ice on the 20-curves and straight-aways.  This is 14 days ahead of last year, when the facility opened on Oct. 15 and remained operating through April 7.  During that time, athletes took more than 25,000 trips down the track.

“We take a great deal of pride in how long we’re able to keep the track open.  This can be an incredible advantage for U.S. sliders, giving them additional opportunities to train and even test equipment that can be used for the following season,” noted the track’s general manager Tony Carlino.  “Our goal in opening the track even earlier this year is to give the athletes even more time to train, so that they’re as ready as possible for the upcoming World Cup season and hopefully giving them an edge heading into February’s games.”

The U.S. luge team will be the first squad to take to the ice when they open their two hour training at 8 a.m. They’ll be followed by the skeleton team, from 5-6 p.m., and bobsled athletes, from 7-9 p.m.

These athletes will have only 11 days of training before they begin racing.  Both USA Luge and the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation will begin their national team selection races Oct. 12.  These races will go a long way towards selecting their squads that will make up their fall 2013 international racing teams.  For many of these athletes, this will be the first step towards perhaps making the Olympic team.

Those U.S. bobsled and skeleton athletes who do make the World Cup team could find their way back to Lake Placid in December when the track plays host to the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) World Cup race.  The Dec. 9-15 event will showcase many of the athletes who will compete in Sochi for Olympic glory.

“With the Olympics just months away, this is a terrific opportunity for fans and visitors to feel first-hand the excitement leading up to the Games,” added New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) chairman Pat Barrett. ORDA operates and manages the track.  “Several of these nations will use this race to help select their Olympic team.  Several of these athletes could come to realize their dream of competing in Sochi.”

Additional events on the track will also include North American Cup bobsled and skeleton racing Nov. 30-Dec. 5 and Dec. 5-12, as well as a FIBT sliding school.  This event will be held March 17-22.

For more information about all of the events being held at ORDA’s Olympic venues, log on to www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Media interested in attending the first day’s training should contact the respective National Governing Body media representative to make arrangements. For those interested in attending USA Luge training, please contact Gordy Sheer at 518.523.2071 ext. 102, gordy@usaluge.org. For U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton, please contact Amanda Bird at 518.354-2250, abird@usbsf.com.

-- 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.