Highlights
CXC Rollerski Championships Oct 21-22
September 13, 2023CXC's Rollerski series wraps up in late October with two days of racing on the new rollerski loops at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable. Saturday will feature individual start freestyle races, Sunday is classic sprints format.
Midwest MTB Report
September 7, 2023It's starting to feel like fall is in the air as we turn our calendars over to September and anxiously await the changing colors and cooler conditions it brings. While it may feel like the season is winding down for some, there's no shortage of goings-on for the month including last weekend's 33rd edition of the Laddies Loppet at Maplelag, and the Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival happening a little over a week out in Hayward, WI. Covering both of those events and a host of others in-between, this week's Midwest MTB report gets us up to speed for the start of Fall with highlights, recaps, photos, and more put together Jay Richards.
Jessie Diggins to Compete in 2024 American Birkebeiner
September 1, 2023Making an already big month of February even bigger, Jessie Diggins announced that she will be competing in the 2024 American Birkenbeiner, the 50th anniversary of the event, the weekend after the World Cup races in Minneapolis. With a nearly a two-week break in the World Cup circuit following the races at Wirth, Diggins said that she took the leap after the "stars aligned with [her] race schedule for the first time since [she] turned 18 years old".
NNF: Application for Trail to Gold Fellowship Open Through Sept 5th
August 22, 2023Coming off of a successful inaugural season that saw the likes of Minnesota natives Annika Martell and Caitlin Gregg make coaching appearances with the US Ski Team, NNF has officially opened the application period for their second class of Trail to Gold Fellows. Providing American women coaches and technicians the opportunity to gain international-level experience through an immersive internship with the US Ski Team, coaches working at any competition level of US skiing are encouraged to apply.
Midwest MTB Report
August 16, 2023Busy has been a recurring theme for the month of August and busy it was once again on the mountain biking scene this past weekend. Locally, there was the Ore to Shore in the UP and series racing in Minnesota, while a little further out there was the likes of the Leadville Trail 100 MTB in Colorado, and further out yet, the Mountain Bike World Championships overseas in the UK. Find coverage and exclusive interviews from those event in Jay Richards' Midwest MTB report for this week, and be sure to check out the look ahead too as the action doesn't let up there with a plethora of events still on the horizon.
Midwest MTB Report
August 9, 2023A week has already come and gone in the busy month of August which can only mean that it's time to check in with Jay Richards for another Midwest MTB report. Taking place in the span of that week was the Maah Daah Hey 100 in North Dakota which is the first feature of this week's report, highlighted by a race recap from Peder Arneson. There's plenty else to cover too, including additional trail building in Wisconsin, prep for the Leadville 100 Trail MTB by Jenna Rinehart, and a preview of the upcoming UCI Mountain Bike World Championships across the pond in the UK.
CXC Rollerski Series: Up, Up and Away Set for Aug 12th
August 9, 2023The next stop in the CXC Rollerski Cup will be August 12th at Blue Mound State Park in southern Wisconsin. There are 6K and 10K classic rollerski divisions, racing to the high point.
NNF: Applications Open for Summer Athlete Support Grants
August 7, 2023NNF is now accepting applications for its Athlete Support Grants which provide skiers with additional possibilities to pursue summer training opportunities, both within the US and abroad. Athletes who have qualified and participated in NNF Pillar Projects are encouraged to apply, with applications being accepted through August 18th.
Loppet Cup Tickets Sell Out in Less Than 24 Hours
August 3, 2023As many skiing fans have noticed, the Loppet Cup tickets sold out in less than 24 hours last week. The organization is working to increase capacity and hopes to have additional tickets available this fall.
Midwest MTB Report
August 1, 2023August has arrived and with it one of the busier months of the mountain bike season. Entering it's fourth consecutive week of racing the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series was in Detroit Lakes over the weekend for the Detroit Mountain Shakedown, while across the boarder in Wausau a full day's worth of racing was happening in the Wausau 24. This week's Midwest MTB report from Jay Richards features in-depth coverage from both events, as well as a look ahead at what's to come in the next few weeks, including the Maah Daah Hey 100, Great Deer Chase, and Ore to Shore.
Minnesota Voyageur 50 Coverage
July 29, 2023Tryg Solberg reports: Saturday's Voyageur 50 Mile Ultramarathon brought 235 starters that ran from Carleton to the Lake Superior Zoo and back. The well-marked course mostly followed sections of the Superior Hiking Trail and some gravel trail. Justin Stewart (bib 333) had a commanding lead by the turn-around and won with a 45 minute margin in the men's field. Stewart travelled from Illinois to race and completed the 50 miles in 6:38. Jill Wojita (bib 370) held her lead from the turn-around to the finish with nearly 18 minutes on second place. Wojita of Onalaska, Wisconsin finished in 8:14. The race highlighted the vast amount of trails in Duluth, only touching the western portion of the area's trails. Northern Minnesota Track Club puts on the Voyageur and it is organized and operated entirely by volunteers.
Midwest MTB Report
July 26, 2023July is heating up -- this week's MTB report by Jay Richards includes a first hand recap from the Lumberjack Singletrack, a report from the Miners Revenge, highlights of the Minnesota and Wisconsin series, a Jr MTB camp at WinMan trails, tips on riding in poor air quality and a look ahead as August approaches with an even busier schedule.
Machinery Hill Rollerski Criterium Coverage
July 25, 2023Giving an added punch to strong ticket sales for the Loppet Cut, the Machinery Hill Criterium featured exciting evening rollerski races on the famed Minnesota State Fairgrounds. In the women's race, Luci Anderson topped the field with Greta Hansen edging out Alice House for second. The men's race saw Norwegian Markus Bryan Groethe pull away for the victory with veterans Brian Gregg and Matt Liebsch rounding out the podium. Photosets and video recaps posted.
Minneapolis World Cup Ticket Sales Start Tuesday, July 25th
July 22, 2023Tickets for the huge Loppet Cup races, Feb 17-28, 2024, will open for sales this Tuesday, July 25th, beginning at 9 am CST! The Loppet Foundation will be celebrating the launch of the World Cup ticket sales at the Machinery Hill Rollerski Criterium rollerski races on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Tuesday evening. Come out to cheer on local skiers and celebrate the upcoming Loppet Cup! Update: Due to warm weather/air quality, races will begin at 8 pm on Tuesday.
Midwest MTB Report
July 13, 2023The days are flying by as we're now in the month of July and well into the meat of the racing season. In the desert southwest the Life Time Grand Prix wrapped up its third race of the series this past weekend, while on the opposite side of the country the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships were being held in Pennsylvania. Find recaps from both events, as well as a healthy dose of updates from some of the ones back home, all served up in this week's Midwest MTB report from Jay Richards. Plus dont forget to check the Looking Ahead section to stay up to date on a selection of upcoming events.
Shoreline Events Coverage
July 12, 2023Out There has extensive coverage of their Shoreline rollerski races from last weekend, including full results and big photosets.
Out There: Shoreline Rollerski Races This Weekend
July 6, 2023The Shoresline Sprints rollerski features two days of racing, including a classic distance race on Friday and then skate sprints on Saturday. Pro, senior and junior athletes are all invited to participate, with spectators encouraged to come out and cheer! Races are this Friday and Saturday, July 7th and 8th.
Loppet Rollerski Criterium at Machinery Hill Scheduled for June 27th, July 25th
June 18, 2023As part of the CXC Rollerski Cup, The Loppet Foundation will be hosting a pair of rollerski crit events on June 27th and July 25th out at Machinery Hill within the State Fair Grounds. Chip timing will be available for both events, with same-day registration available online for either date as well.
Midwest MTB Report
June 15, 2023We're only halfway through June and yet it already feels like we're well into the summer. Bigger bike events are starting to pop up with this week's Midwest MTB report from Jay Richard covering one from just this past weekend, the Epic Bike Fest in northwestern Wisconsin, as Jenna Reinhart offers her firsthand thoughts on her two races there and reflections from the Unbound Gravel in Kansas. Accompanying the report are a few series racing recaps, an article touting the toughest races in the world, and an extensive look ahead with plenty of racing action still on the horizon.
NNF: NNF Summer Series Returns
June 12, 2023With summer training in full swing NNF has announced their series of camps, trips, and training that they will be supporting through the fall. Included in the list of events is a new National U16 Elite Camp in Lake Placid, NY where the best U16 skiers in the country will train together all at once, as well as the currently ongoing NTG Camps in Park City, UT which are being attended by a selection of U20 standouts from the Midwest including Davis Isom, Jasper Johnston, Trey Jones, Lauren McCollor, Anabel Needham, and Tommy Simmonds.
Midwest MTB Report
June 2, 2023Temperatures are rising and so is traffic as more and more riders head to the trails to escape the summer heat. Keeping up with the surge, Jay Richards has the latest on Midwest racing news in addition related links and upcoming events in this week's Midwest MTB report. Included in this edition: a post by John Wessling on his journey to earning his first UCI points; a race recap from Badlands Ramble by John Peter; mountain bike related links; and a preview of the next Life Time Grand Prix event, the Unbound Gravel.