Weekend Events
June 21, 2017
Jun 23 Twilight 5K - Gear West hosts a Friday evening 5K, along with a kids adventure race.
Jun 24 Lester Prairie Road Race - A full day of cycling races on loop course near Lester Prairie.
Jun 24 Lutsen 99er - Major mountain bike race on the Northshore, with a variety of distance divisions.
Jun 25 Musky Run - 5K and 10K running races in Hayward, part of Musky Festival.
Jun 25 Singletrack Escape - MN series racing on the singletrack trails in St. Cloud.
Jun 25 Red Flint Firecracker - WI series comes to Lowes Creek Park in Eau Claire.

Midwest MTB Report
June 20, 2017
In Jay Richards Midwest MTB Report this week: Coverage on the Menacing 40, Red Wing Classic, and Mt. Morris Challenge events, and a look ahead to MN, WI series and Lutsen events.

Web Roundup
June 19, 2017
Moneybags - Paul Schommer details how he stays afloat (financially) while pursuing his career in biathlon.
Still Snow - Crews have been busy clearing snow from roads in Yosemite National Park this June!
Lightweight Stress - A low BMI may lead to longer healing times with stress fractures a recent study suggests.

Mpls Ski Club Afton Camp this Saturday
June 19, 2017
The Minneapolis Ski Club, led by Kevin Brochman and Alice Flanders, will host a skate and classic rollerski camp this Saturday, Jun 24th, in Afton. The camp will include video analysis, and all abilities are welcome.

Thunder Bay Rollerski Race on Canada Day
June 19, 2017
Thunder Bay will be hosting their first Cross Country Canada sanctioned rollerski race on Canada Day, July 1st, in the Port Arthur section of downtown Thunder Bay. US skiers are invited to participate!

Gear West: Twilight Run and Adventure Race
June 18, 2017
Gear West is hosting a Twilight 5K and Kids Adventure 1K on June 23rd in Long Lake. The kids race course includes a cargo net, balance beam, 4 foot wall, and more.

Hoigaards: Tri-Loppet Training
June 18, 2017
Excited to give the Tri-loppet a try but nervous about the paddling section? Prepare yourself by entering the Tri-loppet training division of the Hoigaard's Paddle Derby. They offer a three week course for both canoe or kayak, helping you to develop efficient paddling strokes, practice buoy turns and gain confidence going into the sometimes chaotic mass start.

39th Annual Tofte Trek in July
June 18, 2017
The popular trail run, Tofte Trek, is celebrating their 39th anniversary on July 4th. The event features 10K race as well as kids run and walk.

Spotlight: Nordicwerks SkiKlubb Program
June 16, 2017
Friday marked the end of the first official week of juniors Nordic training in Minnesota, and we stopped out south of Forest Lake for Nordicwerks SkiKlubb's infamous Friday Farm Workout. After warming up (and finishing) a short run, the power and strength training session covered three hours and included tire-pull sprints, Russian box jumps, power/balance on trampoline, slideboard, rollerboard, and a number of routines with weights.
Related:
Photoset: 112 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
Video: Friday Farm Workout

Spotlight: Mpls Ski Club Juniors Program
June 15, 2017
Lower dewpoints and temperatures made for perfect conditions Thursday morning for a Minneapolis Ski Club Juniors Program workout at the Wabun Picnic area next to Minnehaha Falls in south Minneapolis. The groups started with a warmup jog to the falls and back, then did a short strength session followed by a few laps of a no-pole skate warmup. The advanced group then headed out for a distance skate rollerski and a few pickups, while the newer skiers worked with head coach Kevin Brochman on technique.
Related:
Photoset: 151 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
Mpls Ski Club Junior Programs

Spotlight: Endurance United Summer Juniors Program
June 14, 2017
Wednesday morning we caught up with the Endurance United summer juniors program, training out of Desnoyer Park just a few blocks from the east bank of the Mississippi River. The group started with a warm up run, then worked on strength with three sets of pullups, planks, lunges, and other drills. The skiers geared up and headed out for a roughly hour and half easy classic rollerski along the bikeways above the Mississippi with new head coach Liz Peterson while some stayed back to work on technique with coach Jake Morgan.
Related:
Photoset: 78 photos
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Endurance United Junior Programs

Midwest MTB Report
June 13, 2017
Jay Richards Midwest MTB report this week covers a wide range of gravity events, Welch trail development and the usual look ahead to upcoming events.

Tom Smith Announced as Michigan Tech Nordic Coach
June 13, 2017
Tom Smith has been named the head coach of the Michigan Tech men's and women's Nordic ski teams MTU athletic director Dr. Suzanne Sanregret announced today. Smith, a native of Bend, Oregon, comes to Houghton after serving as the Head Coach of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation in Ketchum, ID, and brings 14 years of coaching experience.

Spotlight: LNR Summer Juniors Program
June 13, 2017
Summer junior training programs across Minnesota started up this week. On Tuesday morning we dropped in with the LNR Juniors in Afton (the group was much smaller than normal as many are taking part in training camps in the Black Hills and Hayward areas this week). Led by coaches Piotr Bednarski and David Chamberlain, the group skied from the construction mess in downtown Afton out to Trader Post Rd, where most did 4-5 long classic intervals.
Related:
Photoset: 131 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
LNR Junior Programs

Web Roundup
June 12, 2017
Finding Inspiration - Jessie Diggins recaps some of her spring training, and getting inspiration from teammates (current and former).
Starting Points - Gear West's Corey Towle lists eight things they don't tell you when you start Nordic skiing.
Thunder Roll - Thunder Bay will host a rollerski race on their city streets in early July.
FIS Clean Sport - FIS athletes (including Diggins) and Lahti 2017 organizers put out a clean sport, recap video.
Draft - CXC featured a Swedish study on the impacts of drafting and air resistance in Nordic skiing.
Green Buck - Buck Hill's artificial summer ski slope was highlighted in Men's Journal recently.
Tyrol For Sale - Tyrol Basin, near Madison, is up for sale.
Sleep Loading - Study shows short-term sleep loading can improve sports performance.
Eight Feet - Parts of the Sierra and Cascade ranges are still holding over eight feet of snow pack this June!

Out There: Green Mountain Valley School Summer Camp
June 12, 2017
Out There ski shop is offering a unique opportunity for juniors to spend a week out East, training with Green Mountain Valley School, Jul 29th - Aug 6th. Kris Hanson will lead the trip which will including endurance, intensity, and strength workouts. Space is limited!

Chippewa Triathlon Results
June 10, 2017
Sweltering conditions Saturday in Cass Lake for the annual Chippewa Triathlon race. Top solo participants were Jonah Lidberg and Deanne Kivi. Fastest doubles times went to Chuck Lindner, Maria Schilling and Kerrie Berg. Team relay title went to Wolfpack and Pup.
Related:
Photoset from John Arenz: 89 photos, 23 photos
Photoset from Allan Olson: Chippewa Triathlon
Results: Chippewa Triathlon, Smiling Joes Canoe Race

Igor Legacy June Camp
June 10, 2017
CXC's first Igor Legacy Camp of the summer is scheduled for Standing Rocks County Park located near Stevens Point, Wisconsin on June 16-18th. There are still a few openings remaining. Camps are also scheduled for July and August.
Related:
2017 Igor Legacy Camps

Seeley Trails Warming Cabin Fundraising
June 10, 2017
The Seeley Lions Club is raising funds to construct a warming cabin at the trailhead of the Seeley Trails on Old OO.

Andorra Mountain Running Trip
June 10, 2017
Eric Carter is offering a unique adventure in the Pyrenees Mountains, the Principality of Andorra, mountain running on beautiful trails and rugged peaks. Group size is limited.

Wessling Fitness
June 10, 2017
John Wessling is offering customized training programs via Training Peaks.

LNR Adult Summer Training Programs
June 8, 2017
LNR adult summer training programs have started up, but it's not too late to join up! Strength, rollerskiiing and running options are available.

Groundbreaking on Loppet Foundation's The Trailhead Building
June 8, 2017
Earlier this week, through a partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the Loppet Foundation celebrated the beginning of construction on The Trailhead building at Theodore Wirth Regional Park.

Midwest MTB Report
June 6, 2017
Jay Richards Midwest MTB Report this week is full of race recaps, coverings MNMBS and WORS series, as well as the Borah Epic, and also highlights on the major Ride the Divide event, a review of the new Afton Alps MTB trails, and riding Strawberry Mountain.

BNS: Last Call for Hand Selected Race Skis
June 6, 2017
Boulder Nordic Sport in Bloomington is making a "last call" for hand-selected race skis - you'll need to act by Thursday, June 8th. After that, their buyer will be heading overseas to begin the selection process. Stop in with your skis to get a free evaluation and sign up for the service.

NNF Board Elects Peter Ashley as New Chairman
June 6, 2017
The National Nordic Foundation has announced the election of a new Chairman of the Board, Peter Ashley. Ashley succeeds former Executive Director and long-time Board Chair, David Knoop who is moving into an unofficial advisory role with the organization.

New Moon: Kids Biking
June 6, 2017
New Moon's latest newsletter highlights everything revolving around kids biking: local trails and pump tracks, events, and bikes for sale and even bike rentals.

Web Roundup
June 5, 2017
The Choice - Annie Hart writes on the choices athletes make (inflect?) while striving to be their best.
Swag and Bibs - Vakava Racing's Elspeth Ronnander shares what they do with all their racing treasures.
Why I Love Rollerskiing - Gear West's Speedy McCollor lists the reasons he loves rollerskiing.
FIS Changes - FIS has approved a number of changes for the upcoming racing season. as well as the full calendar.

The 2017 Borah Epic is in the books
June 4, 2017
A record field traversed the Borah Epic point-to-point course Saturday on ideal trail conditions to finish in Hayward. Top spots for the Full Epic included women's champ, Kyia Anderson, posting a time of 3:08.48, while Jesse Lalonde sealed the men's title once again, at 2:38.47.

New Bri Tri Coverage
June 3, 2017
Warm conditions for the 12th annual New Bri Tri at Long Lake Park in the north metro Saturday morning. One of the season's early events, the triathlon consisted of a 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike and 3 mile run.
Related:
Photoset: Swim - 16 photos, Bike - 156 photos, Run - 83 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
Results: New Bri Tri

Vasaloppet Seeking Race Coordinator
June 2, 2017
The Vasaloppet USA organizers in Mora are seeking candidates to help the organization with race coordination. Position is part-time, with full-time hours in January/February.

Hoigaard's Paddle Derby Results
June 2, 2017
Hoigaard's Paddle Derby kickoff on Thursday night drew more than 60 participants for a warm evening of racing on the chain of lakes in Minneapolis. In the racing division, the mixed team of Kate Ellis and Devin Arenz just edged out the mens pairing of Chris Broderson and Joe Manns by a single second for the win.
Related:
Results: Hoigaards Paddle Derby

Chippewa Triathlon One Week Out
June 1, 2017
The popular Chippewa Triathlon in Cass Lake is coming up next weekend, June 10th. In addition to the usual paddling, mountain bike and trail run triathlon, this year they are offering paddling races on Sunday.

Midwest MTB Report
May 30, 2017
Jay Richards Midwest MTB report this week covers the Ride the Keweenaw event, trail building in Fargo-Moorhead, upgrades coming for Cuyuna, teaching MTB skills in Duluth (help wanted), incredible MTB action in Peru, and the usual look ahead to upcoming events.

Hoigaard's Paddle Derby Starts Thursday
May 30, 2017
Hoigaard's annual Paddle Derby series fires up this Thursday, June 1st at Lake Calhoun. Registration begins at 5:45 pm, the starting gun goes off at 6:45 pm. Organizers are expecting gorgeous weather for the first of ten paddlesport races. Canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are all welcome.

Head Nordic Coaching Position Open at Benilde-St. Margaret's
May 30, 2017
Candidates are been sought for the Benilde-St.Margaret's head Nordic coaching position.

Web Roundup
May 29, 2017
Still Snowing - Alaska was receiving fresh snowfall over the Memorial Day weekend.
Sleep Workout - Perhaps not surprising to most athletes, exercise helps reduce problems with insomnia.
Men vs. Women - A look at some of the scientific reasons why male athletes tend to be faster than female.
Solid Start - How starting blocks democratized track races.
Urban Cycling - Tips for cyclists on surviving city street riding.

Joy Memorial Criterium Coverage
May 29, 2017
Cool temperatures, breezy conditions with even a few sprinkles were on tap Monday for the Joy Memorial Criterium. The course consisted of an almost entirely flat loop around a quick industrial park in New Hope. Photos from the morning races.
Related:
Photoset: Womens 4/5, Junior Women - 40 photos, Mens Cat 4/5 - 58 photos, Masters 50/60 - 35 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
Results: Joy Memorial Criterium

Voting Open for High School Nordic Coach, Assistant Coach and Volunteer of the Year
May 26, 2017
Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Coaches Association members can now vote on the candidates for the high school coach, assistant coach and volunteer of the year awards. Voting will closed at noon on Wednesday, May 31st.

LNR College Program Training Session
May 25, 2017
Thursday morning the new LNR College Training Program successfully navigated the major Afton road construction to hold time trial and interval classical double pole set on the big coulee.
Related:
Photoset: 151 photos
Photoset: Top Picks (high res)
Video from LNR: Time Trial