Nine-year-old Mariah Burroughs burst through the double doors, ran up to Jessica Radzak and tore open her friend’s fleece jacket to reveal the hot-pink skating costume underneath.

“Is this it?” Mariah asked excitedly.

Indeed, Jessica, 11, was sporting the sparkling outfit she’ll be wearing when she takes the ice Friday afternoon in the Minnesota State Figure Skating Championships at All Seasons Arena.

Both girls will be competing in the event, which is the official kickoff of the 2009 skating season.

It is being held in Mankato for the first time as part of a two-year commitment.

More than 150 skaters of all ability levels and ages — preliminary to senior levels; ages 8 to 45 — from around Minnesota will be participating from noon Friday though Sunday afternoon.

“The upper level skaters that are competing in the senior event have passed the same test as the skaters you see on TV," the championships' local coordinator, Kelli Glaubitz, said.

In fact, Glaubitz added, one of this weekend’s competitors had to withdraw because she was invited to skate in Vienna, Austria.

Mariah and Jessica aren’t to that level yet, but they are the only members of the Mankato Figure Skating Club in the competition.

Both are skating at the preliminary level and both have aspirations of being among the six to advance to Saturday morning’s finals.

“You want to be in the top six,” Jessica said. “Then there’s a skate-off against each other. I think it’s a big deal.”

That's what makes this competition from other events they skate in during the winter months.

"It's different because they have to qualify," said Jessica's mother and coach, Debbie Radzak.

If both make it to the finals they will square off against one another.

Both girls' mothers said their daughters are among the most competitive skaters in the club, which has 60 members this year.