Governor Hochul Announces 2024-2025 Major Events Schedule at Olympic Regional Development Authority Venues

Governor Hochul Announces 2024-2025 Major Events Schedule at Olympic Regional Development Authority Venues

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) 2024-2025 events calendar featuring World Cup events in three different sports and the International Bobsled & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Championships set for March 2025. The announcement follows the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games and Team USA's success, earning an impressive total of 126 medals, including 40 gold.

"With recent state investments to renovate the sports infrastructure in Lake Placid, we're building on our commitment to the enduring legacy of athletic prestige in the North Country," Governor Hochul said. "By welcoming a host of exciting events over the coming months, we are tapping into the region's history and invigorating the infrastructure and possibility it carries."

Highlights of the Olympic Authority's 2024-2025 schedule include the WHOOP Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Mountain Bike World Series making its first appearance in Lake Placid on September 27-29, followed by the return of International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Aerials World Cup on January 18-19, and the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, which will now include both men's and women's competitions, on February 7-9. The IBSF World Championships will take place over two weeks, from March 6 through March 16.

Other notable major events on the upcoming schedule are the FIS World Junior Championships for ski jumping and Nordic combined on February 11-16, the SuperTour Nordic Finals from March 27-30, and two major collegiate hockey tournaments - the Adirondack Invitational (November 29-30) and the ECAC Hockey men's championships (March 21-22) - at the Olympic Center.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee for the Games released a tender November 1, 2023, seeking a hosting proposal from National Olympic Committees to source a back up venue for the sliding sports (bobsleigh, skeleton, luge). Host cities are encouraged to use existing and temporary venues, which can be spread over several cities, regions or countries. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) submitted the Lake Placid - New York State bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on December 1, 2023. The proposal outlines a sustainable solution to host and inspire a new generation in partnership with Milano Cortina and supports the State's investment in Olympic Authority facilities, international winter sport in Lake Placid, with the fervor of Little Italy and New York City to celebrate the athletes and sport. The Lake Placid-New York State bid continues to be a contender to be named the Plan B solution for bobsled, luge and skeleton.

WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, September 27-29 - Mt Van Hoevenberg

Historically known as host to winter events, the Olympic Authority's World Cup season kicks off this fall, September 27-29, at Mt Van Hoevenberg, with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series making its debut in Lake Placid. The best men's and women's mountain bikers in the world will compete in three different World Cup races - Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC), and Cross-country Marathon (XCM) - with prize money and points in the overall standings on the line. The Cross-country field will include recently crowned Olympic medalists Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Haley Baten, Tom Pidcock and Victor Koretzky as well as legends of the sport like Nino Schurter who is currently second in the overall UCI standings. Baten's silver medal in Paris was the best finish ever for an American rider at the Olympics.

As previously announced by Governor Hochul earlier this year, the Olympic Authority and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, global promoter managing the broadcast, promotion, and organization of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, entered into a three-year agreement to host the races and help grow the discipline worldwide. The Lake Placid event will be shown on the B/R Sports hub on the Max streaming service in the United States. Tickets and more information on the event are available here.

FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup, January 18-19 - Olympic Jumping Complex

Men's and women's FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup competition returns to the Olympic Jumping Complex for the first time since 2019 on January 18-19, 2025. An Olympic sport since the 1994 Lillehammer Games, aerials is a spectator-friendly discipline that showcases athletes performing acrobatic flips, spins and twists in the air for scores based on total air, form, and landing success.

Lake Placid is one of eight FIS Aerials World Cups on the 2024-25 calendar and will feature men's and women's individual events and a mixed team event. The season begins November 24, 2024, in Ruka, Finland, and concludes with the World Championships starting March 30, 2025. Lake Placid, a regular stop on the FIS Aerials World Cup tour between 1985 and 2019, is the second Aerials World Cup of the 2024-2025 season.

The U.S. Aerials team has traditionally been strong. Christopher Lillis, an Olympic gold medalist and Rochester, N.Y. native, turned in multiple World Cup podium finishes last year on his way to a third-place overall ranking. Winter Vinecki, of Michigan, won three individual World Cups last year and was a close second in overall FIS points to Danielle Scott, of Australia.

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, February 7-9 - Olympic Jumping Complex

After successfully hosting FIS Ski Jumping World Cups for men over the last two years, the Olympic Authority announces the addition of individual women's ski jumping events and a mixed team competition from February 7-9 on the large hill at the Olympic Jumping Complex.

With 19-year-old Nika Prevc of Slovenia as the reigning Crystal Globe winner and Alexandria Loutittof Calgary as the first Canadian to ever win a world championship in the sport, the women's contingent adds a whole new level of excitement to the weekend.

Stefan Kraft, who went on to become the overall 2024 World Cup points champion, closed out the World Cup in Lake Placid in style last year by locking up the final individual competition of the weekend on the last jump of the day. Kraft's winning jump vaulted him past Lovro Kos, a Slovenian who had captured his first career individual World Cup victory the day before. The U.S. team is expected to be led by Lake Placid native Tate Frantz and the brother-sister team of Annika Belshawand Erik Belshaw. More information about the Ski Jumping World Cup can be found here.

IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships, March 6-16 - Mt Van Hoevenberg

The IBSF World Championships is the season's premier bobsled and skeleton event, providing the best sliding athletes in the world an opportunity to achieve career-defining moments. Mt Van Hoevenberg has hosted the Bobsled World Championships nine times since 1949, including the combined IBSF Bobsled & Skeleton World Championships in 2009 and 2012. The 2025 IBSF World Championships was originally scheduled to take place in 2021 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

World Champions will be crowned in Lake Placid across seven different disciplines: 4-Man Bobsleigh, 2-Woman Bobsleigh, 2-Man Bobsleigh, Women's Monobob, Men's Skeleton, Women's Skeleton, and Skeleton Mixed Team. Winners will be determined by cumulative times over four heats, providing athletes a momentum boost as they continue preparation for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

Germany has long dominated the sports of bobsled and skeleton, capturing 11 of the 12 medals awarded at the 2025 World Championships in Winterberg, Germany. Francesco Friedrich, who swept the 2-man and 4-man gold medals at the last two Olympics and is widely considered the best bobsled pilot of all time, added to his record total of 14 world titles last year in Winterberg. Friedrich plans to retire after the 2026 Olympics.

The IBSF World Championships were last held at Mt Van Hoevenberg in 2012 when Steven Holcomb piloted the USA sleds to victories in 2-man, 4-man, and the team competition. Holcomb, who famously ended a 62-year Olympic gold medal 4-man drought for Americans at the 2010 Vancouver Games, went on to win two silver medals in the 2014 Sochi Games. International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation information can be found here.

Olympic Authority President and CEO Ashley Walden said, "We are excited to announce a carefully selected event calendar that showcases our venues being utilized to their full potential. The schedule features traditional winter sports events and expands this year to include the popular Summer Olympics sport of mountain biking. With state-of-the-art broadcast capabilities and advanced energy-efficient snowmaking infrastructure in place, we are ready to deliver an exceptional experience for both athletes and spectators."

Empire State Development president, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The legacy Olympic Authority venues are among the best in the world for athletic competitions and major events, welcoming athletes and spectators from all over the world. Thanks to Governor Hochul's strategic investments, the modernized sites are attracting more attention and more visitors than ever, further supporting our vital regional and statewide tourism industries."

Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "The world-class Olympic legacy venues in Lake Placid continue to attract a global audience and offer athletes and visitors a gold medal experience. Countless opportunities await fans and competitors traveling to the Adirondacks for these events, from unique lodging, to craft food and beverage offerings, to family friendly seasonal activities, making it so easy to love New York."

State Senator Dan Stec said, "The 2024-25 schedule of ORDA events at Lake Placid highlight the versatility and potential of our world-class sports facilities. With the recent investments in these venues and the announcement of these events, I look forward to furthering our region's reputation as a home for sports, outdoor recreation and tourism."

Assemblymember Billy Jones said, "The Adirondacks have some of the best venues for outdoor recreation in the world and I am glad that we are being recognized as a top destination for global competitions. I look forward to welcoming all the athletes and all the spectators to our region and being a part of these world-class events. I also want to thank all the hardworking individuals that bring these events to our region."

North Elba Supervisor Derek Doty said, "The Town of North Elba is very excited about these upcoming events and are happy to work with ORDA and the State of New York to ensure years of sustainability and economic success across the region. We applaud the hard work of ORDA in landing these great events and look forward to those to come."

Lake Placid Mayor Devlin said, "Lake Placid has an exciting seven months coming up. All of these events are made possible through the faith that New York State has had in the North Country, in the upgrades to our sports venues and the continued support of ORDA to bring in world-class events. These events are a great way for us to introduce new people to Lake Placid and remind past visitors why they enjoy coming to Lake Placid so much. Whether you are coming to Lake Placid this winter to enjoy the many winter activities or to see an event we look forward to seeing you."

Two years ago, Lake Placid witnessed the return of FIS World Cup Ski Jumping for the first time in more than 30 years, attracting more than 15,000 spectators from around the globe. Moreover, these numbers are producing a corresponding economic impact. Last year, the organization's total economic impact was $341.8 million, up nearly 25 percent from $273.6 million just three years earlier. With a robust schedule of events attracting the world's best athletes and a diverse range of spectators to Lake Placid, the Olympic Authority continues to fulfill its mission of creating economic and social benefits for the region by responsibly operating the venues used during the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.

Governor Hochul's Support for Tourism Industry

Governor Hochul has maintained a strong commitment to supporting New York's tourism industry - one of the State's key economic drivers. New York State welcomed 291.5 million visitors in 2022, the largest number of visitors in New York State's history, generating more than $78.6 billion in direct spending and $123 billion in total economic impact following historic investments in tourism, economic development, outdoor recreation, transportation and other key sectors.

As part of that commitment, the Governor has supported significant investments of more than $600 million in the Olympic Authority facilities to help reposition the State of New York as a global winter sport destination. These investments have supported major sporting events like the 2023 FISU Winter World University Games held in Lake Placid last year. The major transformations and modernizations were executed with a focus on sustainability and financial responsibility. In tandem, event promoter and organizer WBD Sports recently achieved the ISO20121 certification for its commitment to sustainable event management. This certification approves the structured framework that integrates sustainability into their event management practices. Since the Olympic Authority venue modernization projects began, overall visits to Olympic Authority facilities have been increasing markedly. Guest visits at all venues combined broke the one million mark for the first time in 2022-2023, hitting 1,014,292 total visits.

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