SCLP member Kalina Sarandeva competes in the Intermediate women’s free skate in Lake Placid. Sarandeva placed fourth in the competition. (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — Local skaters earned medals and gained experience at this year’s Empire State Winter Games figure skating competition, held at the Lake Placid Olympic Center Feb. 3-5.

Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of the Games is that all ages and abilities are welcome to take part in the 21 winter sports offered. Figure skating is the largest sport in the Games boasting 576 entries this year, with beginner-level skaters making up the greatest percentage of entries. Other than the standard freestyle eve, ice dance and synchronized skating events were also offered.

Several clubs from throughout the region took part in the Games, including The High Peaks Skating Academy. The club skates at the Tupper Lake Memorial Civic Center, but some High Peaks skaters also practice at the Olympic Center with coach Amy Payton. Eight individual competitors competed along with the group’s synchronized skating team The Lady Jacks, which won bronze in the Aspire Preliminary Synchro event.

For the Skating Club of Lake Placid, the Empire State Games is an opportunity to compete in their home rink and gain competition experience. Six skaters from the SCLP took part in individual and ice dance events this year, performing well despite not being able to skate for three weeks in January due to the FISU World University Games.

Rachel Rozon placed fifth in Pre-Preliminary Girls Excel Group J after only practicing for two weeks. The 13-year-old enjoyed the competition.

Abigail Gavin of the SCLP poses with her bronze medal that she won in the pre-juvenile girls’ excel event. (Photo provided)

“It’s fun because it is local, it’s right there and it is really cool because it is like the Olympics for New York,” Rozon said. “The ESWG athlete jacket is very symbolic. It seems everyone has the jacket around here and it’s nice to have one now. I feel like I skated because I love skating not just because of a medal.”

Maeve Owens of Albany, New York competed for the SCLP in pre-bronze solo pattern dance and earned a gold medal. She is a sophomore at the University of Delaware studying physics and astronomy, and has skated and competed in Lake Placid before.

“I would say my performance went well!” she said via email. “I competed in dance so I was focused on the steps, posture, and timing. I didn’t mess up, and the dances went just as I practiced them. It was a really fun and enjoyable experience!”

Skating sisters Dominica and Kalina Sarandeva both competed in the competitive Intermediate Women free skate event.

Kalina had a strong skate, placing fourth after a year off due to injury.

“I was nervous competing again after being away from competing for a year,” she said. “I wanted to do well in my home town and I’m glad I skated well and clean and got a personal best.”

Dominica debuted her new long program at the Games and placed sixth. She felt the competition was a good learning experience.

“I was excited to compete at home. It was my first time competing this new long program and I liked it,” she said. “It wasn’t the skate I wanted to have but I learned from it and I’m happy to start the new season.”

For one SCLP skater, it was their first time competing; for another, it would be their last Games before heading off to college in the fall.

Krystal Ford just started skating six months ago, but she made the Empire State Games her first competition ever. She started skating with the Skating Club of Lake Placid, making great strides in a short amount of time. Competing in the Adult Beginner Freeskate event, Ford entered the competition to give herself a goal for her skating practice.

“I really loved entering the competition, even at a beginner level, because it gave me something to work towards,” Ford said. ” I am also grateful that the figure skating world includes adults in competitions.”

Ford was the only one in her event, but she felt good about her skating and looks forward to accomplishing more goals, including starting to test in the US Figure Skating test structure.

Meanwhile, Abigail Gavin competed in her last Empire State Games before heading to college in the fall. She skated in the Pre-Juvenile girls’ Excel Group F competition, and her program was good enough to clinch bronze.

“I didn’t really have any expectations on placement going into the competition,” she said. “The last few run-throughs before competing were the best they could be. Going into the competition, I was nervous like usual but I had a solid warm up so I knew it wouldn’t be bad. The performance itself was good. I’d done all the jumps well and the footwork like normal. I’d been having some issues with my camel combo the weeks leading up so when I had a little mistake on it, I wasn’t that worried about it. I just held on to it and luckily got all the rotations I needed. I didn’t watch anyone else in my flight so I really didn’t know what to expect placing wise but my friends came and watched and told me they thought I’d be in the top 3, so I guess they were right.”

Gavin said she thinks she’s skated in eight Empire State Winter Games before, but she thinks this one was especially poignant for her and her mother and coach, Angela Gavin.

“Obviously this year is kind of bittersweet because it’s the last one, but I think getting a medal was the cherry on top.”