CONTACT: Meri-Jo Borzilleri, Empire State Winter Games Communications & Media, (merijo@lakeplacid2023.com) Tel: 719-337-7987
Facebook.com/ESWGames, Instagram.com/ESWGames, Twitter @ESWGames
PHOTOS: See ESWGPhotos.com
February 4, 2023
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Lake Placid’s Andrew Scanio won cross-country ski gold in the 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) race in the U18 Junior division of the 43rd Empire State Winter Games at Mt. Van Hoevenberg Biathlon Stadium Saturday, topping a field of 12 racers on a frigid day where temperatures hovered around zero degrees.
In the girls U16 race, Cora Hinsdill of Remsen won gold in the day’s biggest division, posting a time of 15 minutes, 0.5 to best the 18-skier field over the five-kilometer (3.1-mile) course.
Scanio’s time of 27 minutes, 8.3 seconds was a comfortable margin over silver medalist Benjamin Jenkin from Queensbury, who posted a time of 27:28.1 and bronze-medalist Braden Bellizzi of Honeoye Falls, who finished in a time of 27:49.1.
Hinsdill’s win was closer, with Clifton Parks’ Raquelle Landa less than nine seconds behind in 15:09.2. Emma Murray of Gansevoort took bronze in a time of 15:28.4.
A total 100 competitors in age-group races braved the cold to finish races in the second day of an Artic blast that saw temperatures rise to near zero at race time. U14 and U16 skiers raced the 5K course, U18 and U20 raced a 10K and U23 and older raced the 20K (12-mile) distance.
Other results included Alivia Hopsicker of Old Forge winning the U18 Girls race in a time of 33:54.6, beating silver medalist Emelia Jordan of Rochester, who posted a time of 35:37.3. Lake Placid’s Abigail Van Dorn took bronze with a time of 35:44.6. In the U16 boys 5K, New York’s Filippos Kogiantis won gold in a time of 13:22.9, defeating Pittsford’s Paul Pippin, who finished with a time of 13:44.9 for silver and Saranac Lake’s Mason Stoddard, who posted a time of 14:22.1.
For complete results, visit empirestatewintergames.com
The ESWG, sponsored by Community Bank, N.A., is the largest multi-winter amateur sports event in the United States. From Friday Feb. 3-Sunday, Feb. 5, close to 2,200 athletes are scheduled to compete in 23 winter sports in Lake Placid, Wilmington, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Paul Smiths.
For more information, including sport schedule and results, visit empirestatewintergames.com. For photos of the Opening Ceremony and events, see ESWGPhotos.com. You do not have to be a resident of New York State to participate in the Empire State Games, and most sports are open to all levels.
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