Park City, Utah (November 11, 2015) – Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation will be hosting multiple World Cup competitions at its two sport venues—Utah Olympic Oval and Utah Olympic Park. Utah Olympic Oval kicks off the season with the ISU World Cup Long Track Speed Skating event November 20 to 22. That same weekend, Utah Olympic Park will host the IBSF Para World Cup November 21 to 22, followed by the Viessmann Luge World Cup on December 11 and 12, and the IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup on January 15 and 16.
From November 20 to 22, the ISU World Cup Long Track Speed Skating competition races are scheduled from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. each day. Officials anticipate a competitive field of 250 long track speed skating athletes representing over 20 countries. The competition includes races in the following distances: 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m (women only), 5000m and 10,000m (men only). All races will be held on the 400-meter Olympic Oval.
Admission to the Friday, November 20 races will be free. For Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, general admission tickets are available online at UtahOlympicLegacy.org and in person at the Utah Olympic Oval, located at 5662 South Cougar Lane in Kearns. Tickets are: $5 for adults; $3 for kids (ages 3 to 12) and seniors (ages 65 and older). Children ages 2 and under are free.
In addition to Calgary, Innsbruck, and St. Moritz, the Utah Olympic Park is pleased to be hosting IBSF Para Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup races this winter. The Para Skeleton and Para Bobsleigh Seated races will be held November 21 and November 22. For over ten years Utah Olympic Park has been at the forefront of developing Para Bobsled and Skeleton into legitimate recognized international sports. In cooperation with the USABS and IBSF, this season will mark the second season with internationally recognized IBSF Para Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup Races and the first IBSF Para Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships. Admission is free and spectators can access the Olympic sliding track via a walking path from the main parking lot.
On December 11 and 12, Utah Olympic Park will be the third stop on a circuit of nine Luge World Cup competitions. This international event will feature the top Luge athletes from over 30 countries. In addition to hosting Doubles, Women’s and Men’s events, Utah Olympic Park will also be one of three tracks to host a newly formed Sprint Cup competition. The Sprint Cup is a new event on the world cup circuit and features the top 15 sliders in a one-run heat down the track with timing beginning 330 feet from the start.
The Viessmann Luge World Cup competition will run from 4:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. on Friday, December 11 and 3:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 12. Admission is free and spectators are invited to the Holiday Festival which will be held in the lower loop of the sliding track during the competition and will include photos with Santa. Shuttles from the Quinney Welcome Center will be provided to various viewing locations around the track.
World Cup competition continues at the Utah Olympic Park on January 15 and 16 with the IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup. Bobsled and Skeleton athletes from over 20 countries will participate in Women’s Skeleton, Men’s Skeleton, Women’s Bobsled, and 4-Person Bobsled races over the two days of competition. Races will take place both days beginning at 11:00 A.M. and running into the evening. Admission is free and shuttles will be provided to the various viewing locations around the track.
For more information on the World Cup events, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org.
Contact: Melanie Welch, mwelch@uolf.org
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About Utah Olympic Park
Built for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Utah Olympic Park is located 28 miles east of Salt Lake City in Park City, Utah. Today, Utah Olympic Park is a vibrant multi-use facility focused on developing and growing winter sport participation in the state of Utah. Designated an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site by the United States Olympic Committee, the venue provides year-round competition and training facilities for Olympic and development level athletes. For the public, the venue features a variety of adventure activities including bobsled rides, zip lines, alpine slide, ropes courses as well as Olympic-heritage exhibits in the Alf Engen Ski Museum and Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. For more information about the venue, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org or call 435-658-4200.
About Utah Olympic Oval
Built in 2001 just in time for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Utah Olympic Oval is located in the community of Kearns, just 16 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah. The five-acre venue houses Utah’s only 400-meter speed skating oval and two international-sized ice sheets as well as a state-of-the-art four-lane 442-meter running track. Today, Utah Olympic Oval is a dynamic multi-use facility focused on developing and growing participation in ice sports in the state of Utah. Designated an official U.S. Olympic Training Site by the United States Olympic Committee, the venue is headquarters for US Speedskating, ensuring a legacy of continued growth and international success for the sport. With 10 Olympic records and eight world records, the venue stands uncontested as the Fastest Ice on Earth.
For more information about the venue, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org or call 801-968-6825.
About Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation is a Utah non-profit 501(c)(3) organization responsible for managing and maintaining world-class facilities and providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate and excel in winter sports. Inspired by the success and momentum of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the Foundation has turned its focus toward embracing, engaging and involving Utah’s youth in winter sport. The Foundation supports national sport organizations and community recreational winter sport programs, as well as subsidizes the operation of two Olympic legacy venues – Utah Olympic Oval and Utah Olympic Park. For more information, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org or call 435-658-4200.
