Welcome Skating Performance by the Capital Region Houstonettes Exhibition Team
RoAnn M. Destito, New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner, today announced that 2006 world champion and 2007 U.S. champion figure skater Kimmie Meissner will make a special appearance at the Empire State Plaza Ice Rink from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 2.
Meissner’s appearance is presented by Hannaford Supermarkets, which also underwrites free skate rentals at the Empire State Plaza ice rink each Friday of the season. Skating at the Plaza is always free and open to the public.
“I am very pleased to be welcoming another world-class figure skater to the Empire ‘Skate’ Plaza and hope Kimmie Meissner will serve as inspiration to all the young skaters who dream of competing on the ice,” said Commissioner Destito. “Adding Meissner to the growing list of amazing skaters such as U.S. champion Johnny Weir and Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes who have visited the Plaza Ice Rink has helped OGS to meet Governor Cuomo’s longstanding priority to make better use of public facilities. I want to thank Hannaford Supermarkets and all our other generous sponsors for making that possible.”
“Hannaford is thrilled to welcome figure skater Kimmie Meissner to the Capital Region. Her grace and skill will undoubtedly inspire another generation of figure skaters to enjoy this timeless winter activity,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “We look forward to welcoming Capital Region families onto the ice to take advantage of this amazing opportunity to join a true champion on this iconic rink.”
Meissner began skating at the age of 6 and after a highly successful junior career that included winning the gold at the State Farm U.S. Junior Championships in 2004, she reached new heights in 2005 when she became the first U.S. female athlete to land a triple axel since 1992, taking third place in the U.S. Championships.
During the 2006 season, Meissner won a silver medal at the U.S. Championships to qualify for the 2006 Olympics in Torino where she performed extremely well. Three weeks later, she went to Calgary for her first opportunity to compete at the World Championships, and at 16 years old, she gave an incredible performance and won the title. The next year Meissner became the first American since Kristi Yamaguchi to claim the U.S. Championship title after capturing a world title.
Off the ice, Meissner has joined forces with the Cool Kids Campaign to help provide higher quality of life for kids who are struggling with cancer, hosting her first charity skating special “Angels on Ice” in 2007 with all proceeds benefiting the charity.
Schedule for the free event presented by Hannaford Supermarkets:
11 a.m. – Welcoming remarks
11:05 a.m. – Performance by The Houstonettes from the Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club
11:15 a.m. – Skating demonstration and remarks by Kimmie Meissner
11:15 to 11:55 a.m. – Public skate with Meissner
12:05 to 1 p.m. – Meet and greet (photos and autographs) with Meissner
General Rink Information
Hours: Every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., weather dependent.
Cost to Skate: Free
Skate Rental: $3 for children 12 and under and $4 for adults. and $4 for everyone 12 and up. Skate rentals will be available whenever the rink is open. A photo ID is required to rent skates. Every Friday is free skate rental Friday courtesy of Hannaford Supermarkets.
Amenities on the Plaza: Full-service snack bar open Friday nights, weekends and school holidays, skate lounge with lockers for personal items, and music.
For updates on the status of the rink and winter activities at the Plaza, click on “Winter at the Plaza” at www.ogs.ny.gov, visit the Empire State Plaza Events page on Facebook, or follow @plazaevents on Twitter.
Winter at the Plaza sponsors include I Love NY, Hannaford Supermarkets, BlueShield of Northeastern New York, CDTA, Albany Jewish Community Center, Garelick Farms, GEICO, SEFCU, Hudson Valley Community College, Stewart’s, Sunmark Federal Credit Union, El Mariachi, Siena Athletics, Albany.com, Alloveralbany.com, Times Union, PYX 106, and 99.5 The River.