LAKE PLACID, N.Y., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- 14-year old Kelly Ryan from
Troy, NY has won the gold medal in Junior Singles figure skating competition
at the Empire States Games in Lake Placid.  Jessica Bloustein from Schenectady
won the gold medal in novice competition, and Jennifer Saluzzo won the
Intermediate event.
    "I could've skated my program better but it's the first time I skated this
program," said Ryan, who finished second in last November's North Atlantic
Regional championships, which also took place in Lake Placid.  Kelly says she
first got interested in skating when she was at her uncle's house and she
started at the rink in the backyard during the Super Bowl.
    Jennifer Cocker from Webster, NY won the silver medal in juniors after
winning last year's novice silver.  "I'm very proud of myself.  I skated
better than normal in the competition.  As long as I skate good and I'm
pleased with myself, I'm fine," said Cocker, who was also a participant in the
North Atlantic Regionals.  Last year's novice gold medal winner, Jessica
Roswell from West Seneca, took the bronze.
    The 15-year old Bloustein won last year's intermediate gold.  "I'd like to
make it to Nationals next year and maybe someday the Olympics but I'll take it
one step at a time," said Bloustein.  Irmak Ayverdi from Hicksville won the
silver and Laura O'Dunne of Saratoga Springs won the bronze.
    Saluzzo is from Saratoga Springs and beat 13-year old silver medalist
Nicole Fishlock in this year's Intermediate competition.  "That was the best I
skated
in my life," said Fishlock, who's from Marcellus.  "It was really nice to do
that well because my dad couldn't come the first time I skated.  So, it was
nice to skate that way for him."
    Sidney Coulter of Baldwinsville took the bronze.
    Nordic sprint competition also was among the late events taking place
Saturday at the ESG.  The following are the gold medal winners in each event:

    Event                         Winner           Hometown        Time

    100 meters/scholastic men     Tylor Stevens    Knox            14.70
    100 meters/scholastic women   Katie Besha      Berne           17.17
    100 meters/open men           Alan Cushman     Oswego          14.43
    100 meters/open women         Rebecca Harman   Ithaca          19.20
    100 meters/masters men        Mark Elmore      Plattsburgh     15.26
    100 meters/masters women      Susan Kreplin    Skaneateles     18.36
    200 meters/scholastic men     Tylor Stevens    Knox            31.96
    200 meters/scholastic women   Karin Ericson    Saranac Lake    37.97
    200 meters/open men           Alan Cushman     Oswego          31.89
    200 meters/open women         Deborah Feketa   Binghamton      36.61
    200 meters/masters men        Mark Elmore      Plattsburgh     32.73
    200 meters/masters women      Susan Kreplin    Skaneateles     40.23
    400 meters/scholastic men     Tylor Stevens    Knox          1:11.96
    400 meters/scholastic women   Karin Ericson    Saranac Lake  1:27.14
    400 meters/open men           Alan Cushman     Oswego        1:09.71
    400 meters/open women         Deborah Feketa   Binghamton    1:26.44
    400 meters/masters men        Mark Elmore      Plattsburgh   1:18.37
    400 meters/masters women      Barbarah Harman  Cooperstown   1:55.41

    The New York Lottery is the primary sponsor of the 1997 Empire State
Winter Games.  The New York Lottery is an important part of funding education
in communities throughout the State.