World Cup Luge, December 19–20, Draws Olympic Hopefuls to Lake Placid
Lake Placid’s Mt Van Hoevenberg, home of North America’s first bobsled track, is preparing to welcome the world’s top luge athletes this weekend, December 19–20, for the FIL Luge World Cup. As the historic venue approaches its 100th anniversary, it continues to serve as one of the most technically demanding proving grounds in the sport, featuring 20 curves, a steep gradient, and the legendary “Devil’s Highway.” Many competitors arriving in Lake Placid are Olympic hopefuls sharpening their form ahead of the 2026 Winter Games.
Major upgrades are underway for athletes and fans alike. After this World Cup, the finishing touches will be put on this year’s projects, including a new energy-efficient refrigeration system that will ensure even more consistent ice quality. At the same time, terraced walkways, elevated viewing platforms, and plazas will give spectators unprecedented access to the action. These improvements will further elevate Mt Van Hoevenberg as one of the world’s most athlete- and fan-friendly sliding venues.
For nearly a century, Mt Van Hoevenberg has hosted more major sliding competitions than almost any venue in the world, including two Olympic Winter Games, 13 IBSF World Championships, and two FIL World Championships. It also serves as the designated backup sliding venue for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games, underscoring its ongoing international relevance.
Mt Van Hoevenberg is the birthplace of women’s bobsled, where the world’s first formal women’s program launched in 1981, paving the way for today’s elite female athletes. It is also a year-round training hub, featuring the only indoor refrigerated push track in the U.S., sprint and strength facilities, and programs for youth and national teams. Sliding athletes from countries without tracks—including Jamaica—rely on Lake Placid to refine their skills.
The venue’s 55,000-square-foot Mountain Pass Lodge anchors a four-season hub, connecting visitors to trails, a new biathlon stadium, indoor climbing, public sliding experiences, and the Cliffside Coaster, North America’s longest mountain coaster.
Under the Olympic Authority’s guidance, Mt Van Hoevenberg continues to advance sustainable operations while honoring nearly a century of sliding history—shaping future champions and maintaining its legacy as a global beacon of sport and Olympic excellence. This weekend’s FIL EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup places Mt Van Hoevenberg squarely back in the global spotlight, as the world’s fastest sliders converge on Lake Placid to compete on one of the sport’s most demanding tracks—where history, innovation, and Olympic ambition meet at full speed.