Glittering costumes, national skating stars and a performer dressed like Austin Powers were among the highlights of the 31st annual Evening with Champions, an ice skating exhibition benefiting cancer research which took place at the Bright Hockey Center this weekend.

The show included a mixture of local talent and world-class stars, including 1994 Olympic gold medalist Alexei Urmanov.

Paul Wylie '91, the 1992 Olympic silver medalist, hosted all three performances for the 17th consecutive year.

Wylie cited both his parents' battles with cancer and his residency in Eliot House as a Harvard student as reasons he keeps returning to host the show.

"It's the ones who don't make it that encourage me to come back," he said of children with cancer.

Audience members cheered loudest for Scott Davis, a two-time U.S. national champion who performed to a rock version of "The Star Spangled Banner," and Jennifer Kirk, a hometown skater with Olympic aspirations.

Though not all seats were filled at the Saturday afternoon performance, the local amateur skaters and renowned professionals drew hearty applause from the crowd.

"It's an opportunity to see great skaters up close and personal," said Beth Kirsch, who brought her daughter to the show for the third year in a row.