Empire State Winter Games Set To Begin

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — The 37th annual Empire State Winter Games are set to begin.

Organizers have inspected the competition venues and checked the weather forecast for the events taking place over the weekend. As much as two feet of snow has blanketed New York's North Country since last week, just in time for the 29 different sport disciplines to be staged in six communities.

It's anticipated that a record number of athletes, more than 2,200, will enter the events, which include snowboarding, skiing, bobsled, luge, skeleton, speed skating, hockey and broomball, to name just a few.

Most athletes will participate in the Opening Ceremony on Thursday evening in the Lake Placid Olympic Center's Herb Brooks Arena.

Competition begins Friday.