Lake Placid’s Mount Van Hoevenberg will see a rare clash as Ukrainian and Russian lugers start the World Cup men’s race in back-to-back order.
Start Order Details
The start list posted Thursday shows Ukraine’s Andriy Mandziy as the second starter, immediately followed by Russia’s Matvei Perestoronin, who competes as an independent neutral athlete.
Nations Cup Influence
The order was determined by the finish positions of the Thursday Nations Cup qualifier. The top five finishers earned the first five start spots in reverse order: Jonny Gustafson (U.S.) fifth, Tucker West (U.S.) fourth, Perestoronin third, Mandziy fourth, and Lukas Peccei (Italy) fifth.
Russian Eligibility and Training
Russia had hoped to field six athletes for the weekend, but three lost eligibility after new evidence suggested they were not neutral regarding the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The remaining Russian competitors-Perestoronin, Pavel Repilov on the men’s side, and Daria Olesik on the women’s side-have qualified for the World Cup races and have been training in Lake Placid this week in separate groups from the Ukrainians.
IOC Neutrality Rules
The International Olympic Committee permits Russian athletes to compete as neutrals in selected individual sports at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Russian sliders are attempting to qualify in men’s luge, women’s luge, men’s skeleton, women’s skeleton, and women’s monobob, but are excluded from team events such as luge doubles or bobsled relays.
Ukrainian Support in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, long tied to the sliding community, is expected to host a contingent of Ukrainian fans. Residents have raised the Ukrainian flag and organized a walk of support on Wednesday night, carrying flags and signs denouncing Russia’s aggression.
Olympic Qualification Stakes
The men’s and women’s singles races on Friday and Saturday are the first World Cup competitions Russians have entered since the 2021-22 season. The Lake Placid race is the third of five events that count toward Olympic qualification. Russian athletes need strong results here to improve their chances of earning a berth for Milan Cortina, especially as the final two qualifying races in Latvia and Germany may present visa challenges.
Skeleton Results from Sigulda
At Sigulda, Belgium’s Kim Meylemans claimed victory in the women’s skeleton World Cup race Thursday, with Britain’s Tabitha Stoecker second and Austria’s Janine Flock third. U.S. athletes Mystique Ro and Kelly Curtis tied for 15th.
Upcoming Events Schedule
- Luge: Men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and women’s singles World Cup races Friday at Lake Placid.
- Bobsled: Women’s monobob and men’s two-man World Cup races Saturday at Sigulda.
- Skeleton: Men’s and women’s World Cup races Friday at Sigulda.
Key Takeaways
- Ukrainian and Russian lugers start consecutively, highlighting the geopolitical backdrop of the sport.
- Russian athletes compete as neutrals, facing eligibility and visa hurdles for Olympic qualification.
- Lake Placid remains a focal point for Ukrainian solidarity and the international sliding community.
