Lake Placid will once again be hosting the 2012 FIBT Bobsled/Skeleton World Championships February 13th-26th.

Lake Placid has been a trendsetter in hosting events. They became the first village outside of Europe to host a world championships event in 1949, and the village has staged eight world championship races since then. The most recent Bobsled/Skeleton World Championships was in 2009 when the “Night Train”, led by Steve Holcomb, rocketed to the first US World 4-Man Bobsled title since 1959.

The sliding season starts, weather permitting, Monday October 10th; this is also when the Mt Van Hoevenburg complex will start preparations for the race.

“We’re excited to have these athletes and the world championships back in Lake Placid…this race is not only a crowning achievement for the athletes, but also one for the track, staff, and region” said New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority chairman Pat Barrett.

Lake Placid is hosting the Championships one year earlier than initially awarded; at the 2009 FIBT Congress, Lake Placid was awarded the 2013 events while St Moritz, Switzerland was to host the 2012 race. Because of the proximity to Sochi, however, the locations swapped races, and Lake Placid gained the 2012 Worlds.

“The change was made because of team travel to Sochi, Russia, for international training in 2013”, said ORDA president/CEO Ted Blazer. “The FIBT felt that it would be easier for teams to travel to Sochi for Olympic training from St. Moritz rather than Lake Placid”.

Although they didn’t have as much time to prepare for the race, Blazer is confident that Lake Placid will once again host another world-caliber event.

“Everyone is pulling together to get the venue ready and to give these world class athletes the best race and the best experience possible. We’re ready to host the world again”.

Training for the FIBT World Championships begins on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Racing begins Friday, Feb. 17, with the first two of four runs of the women’s bobsled race. Runs three and four are slated for Saturday, Feb. 18, along with t he first two runs of the men’s two-man bobsled race. The two-man race concluded Sunday, Feb. 19, with heats three and four.

The men’s and women’s skeleton events are slated for Thursday and Friday, Feb. 23 and 24, while the four-man race highlights Saturday and Sunday’s, Feb. 25 and 26, race schedules. Runs one and two are slated for Saturday and the final two runs are scheduled for Sunday.

For more information on the 2012 FIBT World Championships, log onto www.fibt.com. For more information on ORDA’s Olympic venues and events, visit www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.]