Sharp as a skate’s blade, performance on ice is honed to perfection by girls who start competing at a young age. Talent from Guilderland and the Helderbergs was on display last weekend in Lake Placid for the 35th annual Empire State Winter Games.

The 2014 Empire State Winter Games opened with a ceremony on Feb. 6 fit for New York's top winter athletes as their international counterparts were preparing for competition in Sochi, Russia at the Winter Olympics. Several local figures skaters, skiers, and sprinters brought medals back to the Capital Region this year.