Bobsled worlds moved to Germany

BERLIN, Sept 15, (AP): This season’s bobsled and skeleton world championships were awarded to Altenberg, Germany, and moved out of Lake Placid, New York, on Tuesday because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and potential travel complications.

The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation said it made the move “to protect the health of athletes and spectators across the globe.” Lake Placid will be awarded the 2025 world championships instead.

“The decision wasn’t easy, as you can imagine,” said Heike Groesswang, the IBSF’s secretary general.

The IBSF plans to release the updated schedule for the entire bobsled and skeleton season, including World Cup races, later Tuesday.

“I think in a perfect world we want to be competing against the world’s best in front of a home crowd,” USA Bobsled and Skeleton CEO Aron McGuire told The Associated Press. “And so, it’s disappointing to not be able to compete on home ice this year, but we certainly understand, and we want to make sure that the athletes are in the safest environment as they can be.”

Concerns with going forward with the event in Lake Placid as planned included the possibility that athletes from some nations would be unwilling or unable to come to the US during the pandemic; an uncertainty about whether Mount Van Hoevenberg — the site of Lake Placid’s sliding track — would be able to have fans present; and the lack of clarity about whether a lengthy quarantine period would be required for those coming into the area for the championships.