This is the second Viessmann World Cup of the season, and Lake Placid is honored to have one of these prestigious international events designated for the local track. There are only nine on the schedule, including one last weekend in Austria, one in Park City, Utah, three in Germany (all on separate tracks), one in Sochi, Russia, and one each in Latvia, Italy and Calgary, Canada. That doesn’t include the World Championships at the fourth German track.

Lake Placid is not guaranteed a World Cup for luge every year, and in order to show the FIL this village deserves to continue hosting World Cup events, we need residents and visitors to support our athletes by cheering them on at the track.

On Friday, here is the schedule: 9:30 a.m., doubles first run; 10:50 a.m., doubles second run; 12:10 p.m., men’s first run; and 1:45 p.m., men’s second run. The medal ceremony for these events will be held in the Medals Plaza at the track.

On Saturday, here is the schedule: 10:40 a.m., women’s first run; 12 p.m., women’s second run; and 2 p.m., team relay. The medal ceremony for these events will be held in the Medals Plaza at the track.

The NBC Sports Network will be airing this event at 7 p.m., or you can watch it live online at m.ustream.tv/channel/usalugelive.

One of the challenges USA Luge faces is attracting community support in the Olympic region, mainly from seeing crowds at their hometown events at the Olympic Sports Complex.

It seems there is a lack of excitement when it comes to luge in the U.S., probably because it’s a young sport compared to bobsledding, which has deep roots in Lake Placid. Bobsledding gets more attention. Yet luge is just as exciting and dangerous.

These are our friends and neighbors at USA Luge putting athletes such as Erin Hamlin on the podium in the 2014 Winter Olympics. They deserve our support.

So, Lake Placid, let’s show support for all our Olympians and national governing bodies, particularly USA Luge, by atteding the FIL Luge World Cup this weekend and two other World Cups in Lake Placid this winter:

Jan. 8-9: IBSF World Cup Bobsled and Skeleton

Jan. 14-16: FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup

During the IBSF World Cup Bobsled and Skeleton at Mount Van Hoevenberg, the competition starts on Jan. 8 with two-man bobsled and men and women’s skeleton. On Jan. 9, the world’s best women bobsledders and four-man teams will tackle the 20-curve course.

During the FIS freestyle World Cup on Jan. 14-16, the Olympic Jumping Complex will host the men and women’s aerials competitions, while Whiteface Mountain will be the site of the moguls.

When the Winter Olympic Games come to town, thousands of Americans get excited about supporting our U.S. athletes. They stream to Lake Placid to enjoy the competition, the camaraderie, the party. It’s one big international festival.

Why not re-create that atmosphere during the World Cup action? We should be hearing the chant – “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” – at every World Cup, not just at hockey games.

This weekend, let’s make the chant “U-S-A LUGE! U-S-A LUGE ! U-S-A LUGE!”