NEWS RELEASE –
The 44th annual Empire State Winter Games, the largest amateur, Olympic-style, winter multi-sport event in the northeast is expected to draw around 2,500 athletes competing in more than 20 events. In addition to Lake Placid events will also be held in Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Paul Smiths, and Wilmington will host events during the games Feb. 1-4, 2024.
The Games kick off on Thursday, Feb. 1, with an Opening Ceremony, which returns to Lake Placid’s Olympic Center and the Herb Brooks Arena, at 6:30 p.m. For the past two winters athletes, officials, volunteers, family, friends and spectators have gathered on the frozen ice of Mirror Lake to celebrate the Games’ opening event.
The torch relay stops on Tuesday, Jan. 30:
Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium; 1 Bills Dr, Orchard Park, N.Y. 14127, 9 a.m. On-site contact: Emily Kearns, [email protected], Tel: 716-312-8657.
Waterloo Community Bank; 2 W Main St, Waterloo, N.Y. 13165, 1 p.m. On-site contact: Alexis Hobart, [email protected], Tel: (315) 539-9265.
The torch will be accepted by bank employees, as well as area officials and dignitaries.
Bristol Mountain Ski Resort; 5662 NY-64, Canandaigua, N.Y. 14424, 4 p.m. On-site contact: April Haynos, [email protected], Tel: (585) 374-1135.
Members of the Bristol Mountain freestyle ski team and race club will ski the torch down to the mountain’s base where it will be greeted by resort employees and local and regional officials and dignitaries.
The theme for this year’s ESWG event is “Then and Now.” The event aims to celebrate the 43-year history of ESWG and recognize the commitment and dedication of the participating athletes over the years. The ceremony will highlight new sports and athletes in a setting that includes throwback imagery, uniforms and video content of athlete check-in, and in the athlete’s village.
Registration remains open and athletes can visit www.empirestatewintergames.com/sports/ to register.
For more information about the Empire State Winter Games, go to https://empirestatewintergames.com/.
Fans and athletes can also follow on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, using @ESWGames and #ESWGames.