2010 Winter Olympic Hopefuls Converge in Lake Placid, N.Y.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- Those looking to get a glimpse at the stars of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, this February in Vancouver, Canada, should consider a visit to Lake Placid, N.Y. in October, as the nation’s top athletes from the sports of bobsled, cross country skiing, luge, Nordic combined, skeleton and ski jumping will host camps at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Bobsled, luge and skeleton athletes will hit the ice on Monday, Oct. 5, , the projected opening day at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg track, while the skiers will take advantage of the facilities at Mt. Van Hoevenberg and at the Olympic Jumping Complex, all located in Lake Placid.  

Among those training in Lake Placid will be bobsled driver Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah), who claimed the four-man title at the 2009 World Championship with teammates Justin Olsen, (San Antonio, Texas), Steve Mesler (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Neb.).  Shauna Rohbock (Park City, Utah) and Elana Meyers (Douglasville, Ga.), 2009 World Championship silver medalists, will also be in town with the rest of the U.S. bobsled squad.

World Cup sprint medalist Andy Newell (Shaftsburry, Vt.), Kris Freeman (Andover, N.H.) and three-time U.S. champion Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, Vt.) are among the athletes heading to Lake Placid as members of the 2010 U.S. cross country ski team.

The two-time Olympic medal winning duo of Mark Grimmette (Lake Placid, N.Y. and Muskegon, Mich.) and Brian Martin (Lake Placid, N.Y. and Palo Alto, Calif.), along with 2009 World Champion Erin Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) lead the field of luge Olympic hopefuls during their fall training camp. Tony Benshoof (White Bear Lake, Minn.), winner of over 35 international medals, is also currently in Lake Placid.

Reigning World Championship gold medalists Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and Billy Demong (Vermontville, N.Y.), along with 2003 World Champion Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) will represent the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team at the U.S. national championships being conducted at the Olympic Jumping Complex.

Ski jumpers Nick Fairall, Nick Alexander and Chris Lamb (all from Andover, N.H.) will take advantage of the Olympic Jumping Complex, host of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic ski jump competitions. U.S. Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships are set for Saturday, Oct. 10, during the Flaming Leaves Festival at the Olympic Jumping Complex.

Two-thousand and seven World Championship silver medalist Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.), 2007 World Champion Noelle Pikus-Pace (Orem, Utah) and two-time overall World Cup winner Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.) will be among the athletes representing the sport of skeleton.

Freestyle Aerial athletes will continue to train on the ramps at the OJC. Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, Co), reigning World Champion, along with many of the top U.S. athletes will continue to thrill as they perform maneuvers into the 750,000 gallon pool.

The public is also invited to participate in the send off celebration, beginning at 6 p.m. at Mid’s park on Lake Placid’s Main St.  The celebration begins with music and autographs at 6p.m., followed by an award ceremony, recognizing the top athletes from the U.S. ski jumping and nordic combined national championships and the “official” send off celebration.  Admission is free.

For more information, log on to www.usaluge.org and www.orda.org.