Lake Placid, NY - November 15, 2016 - USA Luge has announced the second Running of the Balls (ROTB2) fundraiser, a fun and exciting initiative to help support the team’s athletes and programs.

The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 3, shortly upon conclusion of the Viessmann World Cup luge event in Lake Placid.

At the inaugural ROTB last March, over 900 lacrosse balls negotiated the nearly one-mile course down Mount Van Hoevenberg. The lax balls will be donated by Summit Lacrosse.

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

The event will be covered live on USALuge.org, on 93.3 WSLP-FM and www.wslpfm.com. Media sponsors include the Lake Placid News and 93.3 WSLP-FM, while the Lake Placid UPS Store is providing event-related services.

“We couldn’t imagine how successful and how much fun it was to hold the first ROTB race,” said Gordy Sheer, USA Luge Director of Marketing and Sponsorships. “Now we’ll do it again in front of the World Cup audience at the track. The money raised will help defray the costs for our athletes to travel and compete internationally as we work our way to the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang.”

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: $500

2nd place: $300

3rd place: $200

4th place: $100

5th place: $100

last place: $100

As sponsor contributions grow, the prize package will increase accordingly. USA Luge will sell tickets at Lake Placid retail outlets, at USA Luge headquarters at 57 Church Street in Lake Placid, or by clicking here

Current sponsors include Mitlin Financial and High Peaks Resort as presenting sponsors; McDonalds of Lake Placid is a gold level sponsor; Casella Waste Management, Graymont Materials, Inc., The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort and Summit Hotel are silver level sponsors; Mountain Dental, Hoffman Auto, Hotel Northwoods and Lake Placid Family Dental are bronze level sponsors. The Lake Placid News and WSLP-FM are media sponsors.

In the 2015-2016 World Cup season, USA Luge set a team record with 18 medals. High finishes in the overall rankings added to the most successful World Cup campaign in team history.

Two-time Olympian Chris Mazdzer, of Saranac Lake, N.Y., placed third in the final World Cup overall standings. He’s just the third man in team history to do so.

Erin Hamlin, of Remsen, N.Y., Sochi Olympic bronze medalist and 2009 World Champion, finished fourth on the season, with Summer Britcher, of Glen Rock, Pa., in fifth place. Britcher tied for the most World Cup wins last year with three and held the leader’s bib in mid-season.

The doubles team of Matt Mortensen, of Huntington Station, N.Y., and Jayson Terdiman, of Berwick, Pa., in just their second season together, finished fifth, an improvement of two places from 2014-2015. The Sochi Olympians had top finishes of fourth and fifth places on the World Cup tour.

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