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Per Nelson -- St. Paul, MN Per Nelson works as a Chemist at 3M/Dyneon. 2004-2005 Race Results: 6th Ridgenator 3rd Sawtooth classic 6th Sawtooth skate 1st Seeley Hills Classic 22k 2nd Masters Nationals Classic 30k 1st Mora Vasaloppet 35k 1st Trollhaugen Chili Bowl Equinox 56th American Birkebeiner During the summer, Per has enjoyed coaching the Finn Sisu Juniors evening group for about 7 years. The last two years he has benefited greatly from working with the Finn Sisu Vakava Racing group. He feels that the group has brought focus, camaraderie and a lot of fun to year round training.

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Margaret Nelson -- St. Paul, MN Margie Nelson works at Orthopedic Sports Inc. as a physical therapist. 2004-2005 Race Results: 2nd Ridgenator 1st Sawtooth classic 2nd Sawtooth skate 1st Elm Creek Classic 2nd Seeley Hills 42k 2nd Masters Nationals Classic 2nd Mora Vasaloppet 35k 47th American Birkebeiner Margie been racing since 8th grade for St. Louis Park, St Olaf, and now Skinnyski. She currently trains with Vakava Racing, and enjoys coaching Juniors in the summertime.

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Benjamin Popp -- St. Paul, MN Ben is a science teacher for Great River charter school in St. Paul MN. 2003-2004 Race Results: 15th City of Lakes Loppet 35K 12th Vasaloppet 58K 42nd Birkie 51K Ben coaches the Visitation High School ski team and is coming out of semi-retirement in the 2005 season. Along with teammate Dana Olson, Ben won the two-man division of the 2002 Race Across America (RAAM)

John Munger -- Minneapolis, MN John Munger is an attorney at the Smith Parker law firm in downtown Minneapolis. His practice is concentrated in litigation. 2004-2005 Race Results: 45th American Birkebeiner 51k John is the Race Director for the City of Lakes Loppet.

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David Nelson -- Medicine Lake, MN David Nelson is a circuit designer of radiation hardened satellite ASICs designer (a rocket scientist of sorts). 2004-2005 Race Results: 4th Ridgenator 2nd & 2nd Sawtooth Pursuit races 3rd Seeley Hills Classic 42km 44th American Birkebeiner 51km freestyle 554th Swedish Vasaloppet 90km David loves cold, snow and a little bit of suffering. He especially enjoyed last years Seeley Hills Classic race, which was just that sort of event. During the race it snowed several inches and David recalls, the best part was skiing down from the high point of the Birkie trail with 'both hands covering my eyes'. Currently David and Josie are building a new house at Medicine Lake and think that all the construction work should improve their strength for double poling.

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Josie Nelson -- Medicine Lake, MN Josie Nelson is a physical therapist at Novacare Rehabilitation in Minnetonka and Methodist Hospital in St Louis Park. 2004-2005 Race Results: 1st Ridgenator 1st & 2nd Sawtooth Pursuit races 1st Seeley Hills Classic 42km 28th American Birkebeiner 51km freestyle 64th Swedish Vasaloppet 90km Josie has a contagious joyful spirit. She often has been heard signing up the steepest hills on the Birkie trail or offering encouragement to other racers she sees. While over in Sweden this attitude got her into a bit of trouble. She was learning Swedish by listening to others speaking and started offering encouragement to other skiers by saying "Hey-do" to everyone she passed. Josie latter learned that instead of meaning "Hi" like she intended, her comment meant "Good-bye".

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Grant Nelson -- Duluth, MN Grant Nelson is a partner in a growing general dentist practice in downtown Duluth. 2004-2005 Race Results: 3rd Ridgenator 2nd American Vasaloppet 42km classic 1st Sawtooth classic 2nd Sawtooth skate 2nd Vinterloppet classic 80th American Birkebeiner 51k 616th Swedish Vasaloppet 90k Grant in his spare time has taken up carpentry by starting to build a house. As his brother, Dave & sister-in-law Josie have also found out, building houses tends to steal away time from other fun things like ski training.

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Maria Stewart -- St. Paul, MN Maria Stewart is finishing her MS in Nutrition at the U of MN and will be starting her Ph D in Nutrition in January. 2004-2005 Race Results: 1st City of Lake Loppet Sprints, citizen class 3rd Inga-lami 10k Maria coaches with the Gear West Wednesday night training sessions. When its not snowing, you'll probably find her on her bike.

Jay Richards -- Callaway, MN Jay Richards is one of the owners/operators and head groomer at Maplelag Resort. 2004-2005 Race Results: 11th Mora Vasaloppet 35k 73rd American Birkebeiner 51k Jay is an elite level Mountain Bike racer, taking 5th overall in the expert class and age class champion (35 and over) of the 2005 MNSCS series, as well as 11th at the 2005 Ore to Shore 48 mile race. Jay volunteers time to help area high school skiers with their training and was named MSHSNCA Volunteer of the Year in 2003.

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Paulette Niemi -- Ironwood, MI Paulette is the Transition Services Coordinator for the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermed. School District. 2004-2005 Race Results: 1st Stormy Kromer Pursuit-10KClassic/15K Free 2nd Seeley Hills Classic 22K 2nd Noquemanon 51K Freestyle 1st PreBirkie 26K Freestyle 25th Birke 51K Freestyle 1st Lakeland Loppet 25K Freestyle Paulette loves x-c skiing and racing and along with her husband, Ray, is teaching her two sons, Nick (5) and Anthony (3) to x-c ski. Nick will do his 2nd BarneBirkie this year. In the off-season, Paulette competes in 10K road races and enjoys swimming, biking, & hiking with family.

Mark Parman -- Wausau, WI Mark Parman teaches English and journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon Center in Wausau, Wisconsin. 2004-2005 Race Results: 1st Badger State Games 42km classic 2nd Seeley Hills 22km classic 2nd Heartland Nordski 12 km freestyle 2nd Lakeland Loppet 8 km classic 3rd North End Classic 3rd Rib Lake Hinder Binder 142nd American Birkebeiner Although cross country skiing is his favorite winter activity, Mark indulges in many winter sports: skijoring, snowshoeing, Telemarking and ice blading. In the brown months, he also believes in a well-rounded program of cycling, trail running, canoeing, fire wooding and upland hunting.