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Over the long weekend, and friend and I spent some time in a snowy (and sometimes very cold) Lake Placid. The host of the 1980 and 1932 Winter Olympics is currently welcoming over 1,500 international students for the FISU World University Games through January 22. It is the second-largest international multi-sport event behind the Olympics, and while there were some concerns about attendance, you could tell this was a Big Deal.
The vibes were incredible, especially on Main Street, where athletes and visitors alike walked along the picturesque stretch of shops, restaurants, and bars. The afternoons were the best, where you could sample sports like biathlon and hockey and meet Team USA Olympians. Along the way, my friend and I met figure skaters Nathan Chen and Tiffany Chin, luger Chris Mazdzer, and skier Andrew Weibrecht, among several others. All of them were absolutely delightful, willing to chat for more than just a second, and excited to be meeting fans.
Locals were also happy to welcome outsiders and show them around. At every event, we stood next to someone who had a connection to Lake Placid, big or small. The commentators at venues were loud enough for all to hear, making sure spectators learned more about the athletes and the sports. A special shoutout to Naj Wikoff, who gave us a wonderful tour of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum—complete with bobsleeding and ski jumping virtual experiences! I recorded our hour-long tour, so I hope to be back with a much larger piece on the museum.
Our first competition was the Men’s Super-G at Whiteface Mountain on Saturday morning. It definitely felt a little weird going up a ski lift without planning to hurl myself down the mountain but it’s probably for the best as there’s no way I could’ve competed with these guys! The speed was jaw-dropping and while we did miss the podium finishers (a Czech skier won gold), we did see Tanner Perkins of USA land in fifth place! Noticeably emphasizing the international aspect of this, the top 10 racers represented 7 nations.
After visiting the museum on Saturday afternoon, we attended the Ice Dance - Free Dance competition—held in the 1980 Miracle on Ice arena, no less. The energy inside the rink was palpable, with each pair getting plenty of applause and cheers throughout their routines. Y’all better keep your eyes peeled for gold medalists Marie Dupayage and Thomas Nabais of France, silver medalists Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov of the USA, and Natacha Lagouge and Arnaud Caffe of France. They were fire!
On Sunday, it was off to the races with Speed Skating at the outdoor oval where American Eric Heidsen swept all events in this sport at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid. The 1000m men’s race was up next, which we determined is better watched in-person than on TV, especially up close. Those athletes sure do whizz by! In the end, Japan dominated the podium, all separated less than a half of a second. By the way, here’s a pro tip: take slo-mo photos of speed skaters—you will get excellent content. (The one below doesn't move.)
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That was only the first event of the day, as the afternoon had us stopping back at ice rink for the Men’s Figure Skating free program. I’m unclear if it was spectator fatigue or too much classical music or a combination of those things and who knows what else, but this was shockingly my least favorite event of the weekend. Japan’s Sota Somamoto, who I’m sure is familiar to some of you readers, won by over 30 points.
We ended the day under the lights at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, a short drive out of town. After parking next to the stately 1980 Olympic Cauldron on the grounds where the Opening Ceremony was held over four decades ago, we walked over to see the second half of the Nordic Combined event. The start order was determined by the men’s 10-kilometer cross-country ski race earlier in the day, held around the corner at Mt. Von Hoevenburg. Sakutaro Kobayashi of Japan drew literal gasps as he flew nearly 100 meters into first place, followed by promising Team USA competitors Niklas Macklinsky and Evan Nichols rounding out the podium.
We also saw the tail end of the women’s ski jumping portion of the sport. The wildest result was twin sisters Yuna and Haruka Yasai of Japan winning gold and silver, respectively! Also, have you guessed which country currently sits at the told of the medal count yet? As of January 17 at 8 PM, it’s Japan by a dozen.
Our final event was the Ski Cross round-robin competition about an hour and a half south at Gore Mountain. While the event itself was thrilling, the experience was slightly disappointing on a few levels, namely thanks to a very rude parking attendant and a poor spectator vantage point. Unlike speed skating, this one might be better on TV—but I’d be willing to try it again at a different venue!
Either way, the FISU World University Games in Lake Placid fully delivered. Honestly, I could’ve stayed the entire competition! There is so much to do besides watching sports. We managed to go for a hike in the woods and on Mirror Lake, but we also could’ve gone skiing, skating, snowshoeing, the list is endless. Also people were running everywhere, even in 15 degree weather! It’s a very active town.
If you can’t make it up before the Games are over, be sure to check it out on ESPN. It’s airing some events throughout the week but there’s also every event available on ESPN+.
Meanwhile, it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere, which means its time for the Australian Open! Already some of the major competitors have fallen, including my beloved Matteo Berrettini—albeit to Andy Murray in a thrilling five-setter that ended in a tiebreak. I’ve been craving the Andy Murray full-fledged Gran Slam comeback, so fingers crossed he makes it far into the tourney. Americans Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are also into the second round, and are looking to make it all the way after having a banner year in 2022.
On the women’s side, there’s no real favorite, but I personally am rooting for Maria Sakkari of Greece. She’s a while vibe—I love her ferocity on the court and has yet to reach a Grand Slam final! There’s also an upcoming showdown between Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu that could turn into the match of the week if both players bring their A-game.
That’s all for now; I have a lot more to talk about both from Lake Placid and the Aussie Open but we’d be here all night. Have a great week and go watch some sport!
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