Cauldron unveiled one month prior to start of Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games

The 12-foot, carbon steel cauldron from which the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games symbolic flame will soon shine brightly took up its home in Brewster Park in Lake Placid one month before the opening ceremony. Designed and created by Adirondack Studios from Argyle, New York, this cauldron features top borders that depict the silhouettes of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. It is also ribboned with cut-outs of winter sport pictograms that enable the light from the LED-powered strobe to shine through. 300 hours of metal fabrication, 100 hours of resin molding and fabrication, and 100 hours of electrical labour went into producing this cauldron.

“When we started the design of the cauldron, we were inspired by the community and the young athletes coming together to celebrate the diverse winter sports showcased in the FISU World University Games and wanted the cauldron to emblemize this,” said lead designer Andrea Nice. “Since Lake Placid is located in the iconic Adirondacks, we came up with the symbolism of the athletes traveling the Adirondack Mountain range to ignite the ‘flame’ and mark the commencement of the competition. We also wanted to make sure our design was environmentally friendly, so instead of using real flame we used LED lights to evoke the lighting both in the torch and the cauldron. The centre piece of the cauldron also consists of recycled glass, another nod to the importance of sustainability in design.”

Rather than a traditional flame, a computer-integrated strobe is enhanced by 150 feet of LED light tape, to further entrench the focus on sustainability within the delivery of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games.

“The Lake Placid 2023 Games’ torch and cauldron were designed with sustainability in mind by eliminating fossil fuels that are commonly present in torches. This signifies our commitment to saving winter,” said Ashley Walden, executive director of the Adirondack Sports Council, the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games’ Organizing Committee. “We recognize that winter sporting communities around the world are struggling with the effects of climate change, including shorter winters and reduced snowfall. We are all at risk of losing the season we love. In partnership with FISU, we are committed to hosting the most sustainable Games in FISU history through our Save Winter initiatives, and our hope is that future Games will build on and surpass these goals.”

Leading up to the lighting of the cauldron on 12 January 2023 is the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Torch Relay Celebration. The 22-inch sustainable carbon-free torch is making its way around New York State before arriving in Lake Placid. Thursday 15 December, New York’s capital of Albany will welcome the torch to Empire State Plaza before it heads to Rockefeller Plaza in New York City the following day. Other relay stops include St. Regis Mohawk tribe, Buffalo, Queensbury, Gore Mountain, Keene, Paul Smith’s College, the Tupper Lake Wild Center, Wilmington, and Whiteface Mountain prior to its arrival in Lake Placid.

1,500 student-athletes from 50 countries and 600 universities around the world are expected to descend on Lake Placid 12-22 January to compete in 12 sports at the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games. Events will commence on 12 January with the opening ceremony.

For more information about the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games, the torch relay celebration, or to purchase tickets, visit www.lakeplacid2023.com.

Written by Doug McLean
(with files from Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Organizing Committee)