Mt. Van Hoevenberg to host sliding events in March
LAKE PLACID — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority has a full slate of sliding events scheduled for March at the Mount Van Hoevenberg Sliding Center.
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Luge
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The Norton USA Youth Nationals, on March 4 and 5, and the Norton USA Junior Nationals, on March 11 and 12, are luge competitions with Junior Development Team athletes competing against Junior Candidate Team athletes. The sliders will race on both Saturday and Sunday, with the combined results determining the final championship results. Sponsored by Norton, the Youth Nationals are for youth under 18 years old, while the Junior Nationals are for ages 18-21. Sliding will take place between 9 a.m. and noon for each event.
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Youth monobob, skeleton
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The OMEGA IBSF Youth Series, Youth Olympic Games Qualifier, March 7 through 15, is the final IBSF youth sliding event of the season for young monobob and skeleton athletes. It is required for those looking to compete in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, Korea. Many of the sliders are from the Adirondack region and are products of ORDA’s Junior Sliders Program. This is also an opportunity for the sliders to display their talents in front of U.S. senior national coaches.
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USA Bobsled and Skeleton
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The USA Bobsled and Skeleton Nationals will be held from March 14 to 19. The U.S. Bobsled Team generally holds its team trials in the fall, but this March event provides developing athletes an opportunity to race against one another and continue to learn. Nine to 10 sleds are expected to compete.
The USA Para Nationals will be held from March 14 to 18.
And the USA Skeleton Team Trials will be held on March 17 and 18. This is an important competition for skeleton athletes who will be battling for a national championship while at the same time finalizing their positions for the 2023-24 season. It is the second of two races that determine who will be on the U.S. National Team and at what level — World Cup, Europa Cup, NAC, Intercontinental Cup, etc. — they will compete next season. The event is expected to draw approximately 20 athletes, a group that will include all levels, from Olympians to rookie sliders.
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IBSF North American Cup
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The IBSF North American Cup will be held from March 21 to 26. These races in Lake Placid will be the final chance for bobsled and skeleton athletes to earn points toward the overall season rankings and will close out the 2022-23 sliding season. With no other conflicting races happening around the world, the event is expected to draw a competitive field. It will also offer a valuable opportunity for many European sliders to familiarize themselves with the track where the 2025 IBSF World Championships are to be held.
The NAC circuit is a step below the World Cup level, providing developing athletes a chance to compete internationally and sharpen their skills to advance to the next level.
Learn more at mtvanhoevenberg.com.