A Lake Placid fire truck brings North Elba town Supervisor Derek Doty, holding the FISU World University Winter Games flag, to Mid’s Park on Main Street, Lake Placid, on Saturday, Jan. 22. (News photo — Lauren Yates)

LAKE PLACID — On Saturday, Jan. 22, state, regional and local officials gathered at Mid’s Park on Main Street and officially raised the FISU flag signifying the North Country region as host of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Winter World University Games, scheduled for Jan. 12 to 22, 2023.

“This is the second time that this flag will wave in Lake Placid and represent this community’s commitment to its sporting legacy,” explained Ashley Walden, Adirondack Sports Council executive director, to the crowd of area residents and visitors gathered in the park. “As a former athlete I have a passion for winter sports. I first came to Lake Placid in 1995 to try my hand at luge. I trained here for 10 years before officially making this town my home. While it was the training facilities and opportunities that brought me here, it was the community that made me proud to call Lake Placid home.”

Earlier in the week, members of the Lake Placid 2023 Organizing Committee traveled to Torino, Italy to take part in an official flag handover ceremony. There, they accepted the flag from the Lucerne, Switzerland 2021 FISU World University Games’ Organizing Committee. Lake Placid was the host community for the seventh edition of the games in 1972. That was the only other time the FISU Winter World University Games have been staged outside Europe or Asia.

During the ceremony, the flag was delivered to Mid’s Park by members of the Lake Placid Police Department, Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department and North Elba town Supervisor Derek Doty.

Mayor Art Devlin highlighted how the village has prepared to host the global event and its lasting sustainable legacy and impact.

Adirondack North Country Sports Council Executive Director Ashley Walden waves the FISU World University Games flag at a raising ceremony in Mid’s Park, Lake Placid on Saturday, Jan. 22. (News photo — Lauren Yates)

“Last summer alone our small community had 12 major construction companies working to make sure everything is in order,” he said. “That includes our sports venues, our infrastructure and the housing projects that are going on in Lake Placid, that will be used for the FISU World University Games and then provide long-term community housing afterwards. All of these improvements and the name recognition worldwide will be the legacy that the FISU World University Games leave in Lake Placid.”

State Olympic Regional Development Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Pratt added, “We have incredible new renovations at our venues. The natural resources are paramount, but it’s the people that make the experiences special. Athletes and spectators will be assured a great experience during the FISU World University Games. New York State and the North Country will be able to appreciate the effort made preparing for these Games for decades to come.”

The FISU World University Games is the largest international winter multi-sport event for collegiate-athletes. The 11-day international cultural festival and competition will be twice the size of Lake Placid’s 1980 Olympic Winter Games. About 2,500 collegiate athletes, delegates and coaches from 50 nations and 600 universities are expected to converge on the North Country to compete in 12 sports and 86 medal events, with an equal number of women’s and men’s medals awarded.

Sen. Dan Stec added, “This event is great for our local economy, but more importantly it allows the world witness some of the best student-athletes from around the globe compete right here in the Adirondacks.”

Competitions will be held in Lake Placid, Canton, North Creek, Potsdam, Saranac Lake and Wilmington.