POUGHKEEPSIE – Nine Hudson Valley figure skaters will be representing the Dutchess Figure Skating Club and McCann Ice Arena at the Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) in Lake Placid from February 2nd through February 5th. To celebrate the skaters and their dedication, the New York City leg of the ESWG Torch Run will arrive in Poughkeepsie on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, and the local competitors will host a free show at the McCann Ice Arena as part of the celebration. The festivities are expected to begin at 3:15 p.m. when the torch is scheduled to arrive in the City of Poughkeepsie.
The McCann Ice Arena is located at the MJN Center (formerly the Mid-Hudson Civic Center) in Poughkeepsie.
Known as the largest Olympic- style winter sporting event in the Northeast, the ESWG is a community-driven event, courtesy of a partnership between the Adirondack Sports Council, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) and the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).
The three days of competition in the Adirondacks will feature athletes ranging in age from eight to 80, competing in Olympic-style winter sports including hockey, figure skating, ski jumping, and bobsledding.
“Our skaters look forward to this competition each year. This will be McCann’s 4th year hosting the Torch Relay and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Heather O’Connor, Director of Skating, at McCann Ice Arena.
The nine figure skaters that will be representing McCann Ice Arena and Dutchess Figure Skating Club at the 2023 Empire State Winter Games are:
- Alexa Brittell (Preliminary Girls Free Skate),
- Kaitlyn Brittell (Intermediate Plus Women Excel)
- Alexa Czumak (Pre-Preliminary Girls Excel)
- Abigail DiMartino (Preliminary Plus Girls Excel)
- Jocelyn Melore (Pre-Juvenile Plus Girls Excel)
- Cali Roloson (Junior Women Excel)
- Sadi Roloson (Intermediate Plus Women Excel)
- Kyla Trainor (Pre-Preliminary Girls Excel)
- Addison Welch (Preliminary Girls Excel)
