Announcing the race within the race: 5th Annual Duluth Trading Company USA Luge Running of the Balls adds blue hue

Fundraising events bring luge and lacrosse to Olympic Sports Complex

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – USA Luge has announced earlier this month the fifth annual Duluth Trading Company USA Luge Running of the Balls (ROTB5) fundraiser, a fun and exciting initiative to help support the team’s athletes and programs.

The "funraiser" will be held on Saturday, Nov. 30, immediately following the conclusion of Viessmann World Cup luge racing which will air live on NBC at 2:30 PM ET.

USA Luge says, however, that the race within the race will return when a collection of blue-colored lacrosse balls races the Mount Van Hoevenberg sliding track simultaneously with the yellow and white. The two concurrent events were very popular last year when the blue race debuted.

Over 1,000 lacrosse balls will negotiate the nearly one-mile course down Mount Van Hoevenberg. The lax balls have been donated by Summit Lacrosse Ventures.

The additional race of blue lacrosse balls will give the owner of the fastest ball a free trip to the 2019 World Championships in Sochi, Russia, courtesy of Bucket List Events, the official hospitality partner of USA Luge.

Cash, prizes from USA Luge sponsors and goods from local purveyors will be offered for the top five balls and the last place ball. In addition, Duluth Trading Company will provide merchandise prizes. Other media sponsors include the Lake Placid News, The Mix 93.3 WSLP, Adirondack 105 and 102.1 Lake FM, while the Lake Placid UPS Store is providing value-in-kind services for the race. Additional support is coming from Mountain Dental, Bear Essentials, Casella Waste Systems, High Peaks Ford, High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid Family Dental and Margarita Sears with more to be added in the coming weeks.

"This has become a really great fun event for the fans and for us at USA Luge," said Gordy Sheer, USA Luge Director of Marketing and Sponsorships. "Now we’ll do it again for the fifth time in front of the World Cup audience at the track with not one, but two simultaneous events. All money raised will help defray the costs for our athletes at all levels of competition, from the national team down to the development teams."

Fans will be able to participate in this unique event by entering as many balls as they’d like in this two-of-a-kind race that benefits the athletes.

On-site fans will be treated to coverage on large screens thanks to the International Luge Federation, Carr-Hughes Productions and the N.Y. Olympic Regional Development Authority.

Fans will be able to buy balls for $10 each, or three balls for $25.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

1st place: $1,000

2nd place: $500

3rd place: $300

4th place: $200

5th place: $100

last place: $100

USA Luge will sell tickets at team headquarters in Lake Placid, currently located at the village beach house while a new facility is under construction on Church Street. To purchase tickets, please call 518-523-2071 X 107, or log on to https://usluge.wufoo.com/forms/usa-luge-5th-annual-running-of-the-balls/

The Lake Placid World Cup race, Nov. 30–Dec. 1, is the second stop of the season on the Viessmann circuit. The season opener is scheduled for Nov. 23-24 in Igls/Innsbruck, Austria.

Currently, the USA Luge National Team is on the ice at Whistler, B.C. after sliding in Lillehammer and Lake Placid. The junior national team, meanwhile, is in Lake Placid after training camps in Lillehammer and Sigulda, Latvia. The Junior World Cup tour commences Nov. 21-22 in Park City.

For more information on the Fastest Sport on Ice®, log on to www.usaluge.org

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