A para bobsled athlete prepares for a race at the Mount Van Hoevenberg track in Lake Placid. (Provided photo — ORDA)

LAKE PLACID — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority recently announced that Mount Van Hoevenberg will host athletes from around the world at four major International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation competitions in November and December.

The IBSF World Cup in bobsled and skeleton is returning to North America for the first time since 2019, allowing Team USA athletes to begin the next Olympic cycle with several competitions with home-field advantage.

The events will be: IBSF Para Bobsled World Cup on Nov. 19 and 20; IBSF North America’s Cup Bobsled and Skeleton from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4; IBSF World Push Championships on Dec. 9 and 10; and IBSF World Cup Bobsled and Skeleton, Dec. 16 to 18.

The IBSF Para World Cup in bobsled showcases ORDA’s commitment to World Cup events with the goal of having the sport recognized by the International Paralympic Committee for inclusion in future Winter Paralympic Games.

The IBSF North America’s Cup is an international sliding event featuring bobsled and skeleton athletes from around the world seeking top finishes to qualify for World and Olympic-level competitions. The up-and-coming athletes with top finishes will continue aiming to take Olympic team spots over the next three years.

The IBSF World Push Championships event turns the focus to the push athletes and is a great opportunity to showcase the speed and strength of the athletes in the back of the sled. The event takes place in the state-of-the-art Ice House Push Track in the Mountain Pass Lodge, providing a push/sprint track and on-ice training for national teams and development athletes. New faces will emerge in the sports of bobsled and skeleton through these championships.

The BMW IBSF World Cup events include the four-man bobsled, two-woman bobsled, the women’s monobob, two-man bobsled, women’s skeleton, and men’s skeleton. Team USA is coming off the Beijing Olympic season, winning monobob gold and silver medals and bronze in two-woman. Katie Uehlander, a five-time Olympian, aims to return to her World Cup Gold form in skeleton.

Since its inception, ORDA has brought hundreds of national and international events, World Cup competitions, and World Championships to northern New York. The organization has undergone a massive transformation of its infrastructure, including revitalizing lodges, investing in technology, and upgrading each of its sports facilities, all while focusing on sustainability.

Schedules, tickets and more information about these events are available online at mtvanhoevenberg.com.