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December 23, 2008

Placid to be busy over holidays

Bobsledding, luge rocket rides, public skating and more on tap for holiday season

LAKE PLACID — The Olympic Venues, run by the Olympic Regional Development Authority, is offering numerous events and activities during the holiday season.

The Olympic Sports Complex features passenger bobsled rides and luge rocket rides. The Lake Placid Bobsled Experience is offered daily, except Christmas Day, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., through Jan. 1. On Jan. 2 rides are available from 9 a.m.-noon.

The LPBE features a half-mile bobsled ride on the same track that world-class athletes train and compete on, a 4 x 6 photo, a pin, and more. Visitors may take a luge rocket ride from 1:30-4 p.m. only on Christmas Day. Cost for a passenger bobsled ride is $75 for adults, $70 for teens (13-19) and $65 for juniors (12 and under). Note there is a 48-inch height requirement for this activity. Luge rocket rides are $60 per person.

Cross-country ski clinics
The Olympic Sports Complex Cross Country Center is offering an advanced skiing technique clinic Dec. 28. This coed clinic features expert coaching by NYSEF Nordic staff with a focus on technique drills and challenging ski workouts. The clinic runs from 1-3 p.m. and costs $25 per person.

The Olympic Sports Complex Cross Country Center is hosting the Be a Biathlete Clinics Dec. 26-Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. The clinics offer an in-depth look at the sport that combines freestyle skiing and rifle marksmanship. (Trail pass not included). Participants can take a freestyle ski lesson for the first hour then meet at the range to work on shooting skills. Cost is $33 per person for the lesson and shooting range; $15 per person for the shooting range only (2 p.m).

Skijor clinics
There is also a free Skijor Try It Clinic Jan. 3. Try the sport of skijoring-skiing with your dog. If your dog likes to pull, learn how to harness that energy into skijoring. This free clinic (trail pass not included) runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and is taught by skijoring enthusiasts from across the country. No dog is required — you can borrow one at the event.

Cross country skiing is available daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For information on these and other events, log on to http://www.orda.org/newsite/todo/winter/xc_eventsprograms.php.

Holiday Hoopfest
The Olympic Center will play host to the Fifth-Annual Holiday Hoopfest, presented by PrimeLink, Dec. 26-27 in the 1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena. The high-school basketball tournament raises money for cancer research. All proceeds will benefit the FitzPatrick Cancer Center at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh. In four years, the event has raised $20,000 for the center. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Public skating
Public skating is available at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval and in the 1932 Rink Jack Shea Arena daily. Skating on the oval is slated for the following dates and times: Dec. 24 from 1-3 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; Dec. 25 from 7-9 p.m.; and from Dec. 26-31, from 1-3 p.m., 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for juniors/seniors, children six and under skate for free. Family rates are available. Rentals are $3 per pair.

Skating in the 1932 Rink Jack Shea Arena is available during the following times: Dec. 25 from 7-9 p.m.; Dec. 26-27 from 10 a.m.-noon, 1-3 p.m., 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; Dec. 28 from 1-3 p.m., 4-6 p.m., and 7-9 p.m.; and Dec. 29-31 from 10 a.m.-noon, 1-3 p.m., 4-6 p.m. and 7- 9 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for juniors/seniors and children six and under skate for free. Rentals are available for $3 per pair.

Ski jumping
The Olympic Jumping Complex is hosting the annual New Year's Masters Ski Jump, a Super Tour Ski Jump and Nordic Combined event, and a NYSEF Ski Jump and Nordic Combined event. The Art Devlin Cup, symbolic of ski jumping excellence over three competitions, will be up for grabs on Dec.29 at the 54th-Annual New Year's Masters Ski Jump. The annual competition will take place on the 90-meter hill beginning at 6 p.m., with a second round scheduled for 7 p.m.. A fireworks display will conclude the evening. In between, a field of national, regional and local jumpers will soar into the night.

Dec. 30 features the Super Tour event, beginning at 11 a.m. Some of the best ski jumpers and Nordic combined athletes in North America descend on Lake Placid to compete. The ski-jumping competition is on the 90-meter hill, while the Nordic athletes hit the cross-country trails after the jumping portion.

Dec. 31 features the final jumping event of the year. NYSEF hosts this annual ski jumping event on the 90-meter hill. Many of these jumpers are moving through the ranks with hopes of one day making the U.S. team in the future. Competition begins at 11 a.m.

Daily admission to the ski jumping events is $14 for adults, $8 for juniors/seniors while children 6 and under enter free.

Skiing at Whiteface
Skiing and riding is available daily at Whiteface from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Scenic gondola rides are also available from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For current conditions, please log on to www.whiteface.com.

For more information on the Olympic venues and events, and for web cams from five locations, please log on to www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.

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