Regional Elite Group Teams Announced
April 26, 2022The Regional Elite Group (REG) teams for both the Midwest and Great Lakes divisions have been posted. The Regional Elite Group brings together the top juniors to train and receive feedback, educational materials, and a glimpse at the bigger picture of Nordic ski racing. The main training camp is scheduled for early July in Marquette, MI.
Minnesota High School Coaches Association Spring Meeting Set for Saturday, April 30th
April 23, 2022The Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association Spring Meeting is this coming Saturday, April 30th, at the Vasaloppet Center in Mora. Topics on the agenda included proposed changes to the elections for offices, discussion on scoring for sprints and sprint layout, alternate State Meet schedules, possible changes to season dates, and more. Lunch will be provided.
Moose Valuable Skier Award Program Returns
April 17, 2022Moose Nordic Ski Club is excited to announce the return of the Moose Valuable Skier (MVS) award. This award will be presented to a high school Nordic athlete (one male, one female) who lives out the four values of Moose Nordic: sportsmanship, humility, empowerment, and integrity. Nominations are being accepting up to April 30th.
CXC U16 Trip Recap
March 19, 2022Select Midwest and Great Lakes U16 juniors competed out west last week in the Western Championships. The crew scored a number of podiums and came away as one of the top teams as well. Ellen McCarthy has a brief recap and shares some photos.
Junior Nationals: Relay Coverage
March 12, 2022Junior Nationals wrapped up their weekend with mixed relays on Saturday as big crowds cheered on the skiers in their final event at Theodore Wirth. Once again the Midwest power was on show as teams in the U16 and U20 finished in second place: Miles Miner/Daniel McCollor/Inga Wing/Sydney Drevlow (MW-U16-1) 2nd; Adrik Kraftson/Davis Isom/Maggie Wagner/Molly Moening (MW-U18-1) 2nd; Cooper Camp/Jonathan Clarke/Jordan Parent/Greta Hansen (MW-U18-2) 4th; Ryan Thieme/Jakob Craig/Mia Case/Mae Whitcomb (GL-U20-1) 4th; Noah Erickson/Cooper Lennox/Linnea Urban/Grete Engels (MW-U20-2) 9th. New England won the Alaska Cup as the top team, but Midwest was not far behind in second place! Host club, Loppet Nordic Racing collected yet another club title. And St. Paul Highland Park scored second place in the school standings! Results linked in along with photosets from all three relay races.
Junior Nationals: Classic Coverage
March 11, 2022Another incredible day of racing, keep both athletes and parents out of breath as mass start classical races were the featured event at Junior Nationals Friday. Midwest U16 sensation Sydney Drevlow captured her second national title in dominating the girls 5K, and Molly Moening added another podium to her collection with third in the U18 girls 10K. Midwest skiers filled the leaderboards in a spectacular day of racing: Adrik Kraftson (MU18) 4th; Jonathan Clarke (MU18) 5th; Cooper Camp (MU18) 6th; Benon Brattebo (MU18) 8th; Cooper Lennox (MU20/Northern Michigan University) 8th; Maggie Wagner (FU18) 5th; Margo Nightingale (FU18) 6th; Jordan Parent (FU18) 7th; Hailee Zimpel (FU18) 9th; Mia Case (FU20 GL/College of St Scholastica) 4th; Gretchen Haggenmiller (FU20/Northern Michigan University) 8th; Lauren McCollor (FU20/Northern Michigan University) 10th; Miles Miner (MU16) 6th; Josh Frett (MU16) 8th; Hanna Koch (FU16) 6th; Inga Wing (FU16) 7th. Full results linked in, along with another round of huge photosets. Saturday wraps up Junior Nationals with mixed team relays!
Junior Nationals: Sprints Coverage
March 9, 2022A full days work on the trails of Theodore Wirth on Wednesday as classic sprint titles were contested. The Midwest once again scored well, placing five athletes on the podium: Mia Case (FU20, GL) second place; Lauren McCollor (FU20) third place; Molly Moening (FU18) third place; Adrik Kraftson (MU18) third place; Miles Miner (MU16) second place. Other top Midwest results: Isak Nightingale (MU20) 13th; Jordan Parent (FU18) 7th; Maggie Wagner (FU18) 10th; Benon Brattebo (MU18) 4th; Cooper Camp (MU18) 6th; Jonathan Clarke (MU18) 7th; Andrew DeFor (MU18) 8th; Owen Williams (MU18, GL) 9th; Sydney Drevlow (FU16) 8th; Josh Frett (MU16) 8th; Daniel McCollor (MU16) 9th. Results linked in along with large photosets from the heats. Racing resumes Friday with mass start classic races.
Junior Nationals: Freestyle Coverage
March 7, 2022Junior Nationals fired up the competition at Theodore Wirth on Monday with individual start freestyle races. The Midwest had a very strong day, lead by Adrik Kraftson (MU20) and Sydney Drevlow (FU16) winning national titles and joining them on the podium were Maggie Wagner (FU18) second and Inga Wing (FU16) third. Additional top results: Jasper Johnston (MU20) 5th; Davis Isom (MU18) 6th; Lauren McCollor (FU20) 7th; Molly Moening (FU18) 10th; Sam Stertz (MU20) 10th; Mia Case (FU20, GL), Daniel McCollor (MU16) 14th. Other champions: Michael Earnhart (MU20, AK), Nina Seemann (FU20, NE), Ava Thurston (FU18, NE), and Tabor Greenberg (MU16, NE). Full results linked in, along with huge photos. Tuesday is a rest day, with classic sprints filling the schedule on Wednesday.
Junior Nationals: Opening Ceremonies
March 6, 2022The 2022 Junior Nationals competition held it's opening ceremonies on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Using the downtown skyline as a backdrop, the teams marched across the Stone Arch Bridge (after a length snowball fight), and then gathered in Father Hennepin Park for the national anthem, words of encouragement and tips from Olympian Lindsay Williams, and welcoming remarks from Loppet executive director Claire Wilson. Racing begins on Monday with individual 5K and 10K freestyle races at Wirth.
Junior Nationals Preview
March 4, 2022Junior Nationals returns to Theodore Wirth this week, Mar 6-12! We've got a bit of history and a look the big event, including some of the Midwest favorites. Make your plans to pack the courses and cheer the athletes on!
Midwest Juniors Team Sprints Tuneup
March 1, 2022Midwest Junior National athletes gathered at Theodore Wirth on Tuesday evening for a final tuneup event -- some fun team sprint racing on a short loop past the Trailhead. Junior Nationals, being held this year at Theodore Wirth, will have opening ceremonies Sunday with the first races on Monday!
Midwest, Great Lakes Junior National Teams Announced
February 24, 2022Earlier this week the teams for Junior Nationals, as well as U18 and U16 trips, were announced. Junior Nationals will be held in Minneapolis, at Theodore Wirth, March 6-12th.
Mayor's Challenge Coverage
February 21, 2022The Mayor's Challenge wrapped up two days of junior competition, and the end of the Junior National Qualifiers, at Theodore Wirth on Monday. Sunday featured classical sprints, with State champion Cooper Camp winning the boys final, and Molly Moening taking the girls final. U16 sprint victories were earned by Josh Frett and the other State champion, Sydney Drevlow. Monday was an individual start freestyle event, 10K for the U18/U20 and 5K for the U16. A number of athletes sat out the final race, but the day still saw some strong results. Adrik Kraftson topped the boys 10K field and Maggie Wagner had the best girls 10K time. Daniel McCollor and Sydney Drevlow won the 5K races. Results linked in, along with videos of the boys sprints and photos from the 10K freestyle races.
Minnesota State Meet Day 2 Coverage
February 17, 2022Wrapping up the new two day format, the Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Championship on Thursday featured team sprint timed heats as well as freestyle pursuit races. Held as one big virtual time trial, the sprints still proved to be an exciting afternoon of team competition. Minneapolis Southwest boys tandem of Lars Brinkema and Sam Scott posted the only sub-15 time of the day to take the team sprint title with Duluth East second, Elk River/Zimmerman third. The girls team sprint came down to nearly a photo finish, if not for the fact that the two teams were in different heats. Duluth East's pairing of Liesl Cope-Schaeffer and Rowan Bixler bested Forest Lake by .25 seconds, with Stillwater third. The boys pursuit provided an awesome showcase of firepower as the top nine all started within 30 seconds. In the end, Minneapolis Southwest's Cooper Camp reigned supreme, taking the boys title by 25 seconds with Highland Park's Davis Isom moving up from fifth to take second in sprint over Edina's Andrew DeFor. The Southwest boys dominated the meet, winning the team title by over 25 points. Duluth East boys were second, Wayzata third. Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins, overcame a 22 second deficit to Edina's Maggie Wagner to take the girls title, Wagner second and St. Paul Highland Park's Molly Moening third. Highland Park girls took their second title in three years, beating Duluth East by just three points, Forest Lake finishing third. Results linked in, along with big photosets from the team sprints and freestyle pursuit races.
Minnesota State Meet Day 1 Coverage
February 16, 2022The Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Championship kicked off a new era on Wednesday with classic individual start races at Giants Ridge. Minneapolis Southwest's Cooper Camp posted the top time, but only by seven seconds ahead of Jon Clarke of Bloomington Jefferson/Kennedy, with seven more boys less than 30 seconds out of contention! In the girls classic, Maggie Wagner, Edina, led the field by a solid 22 seconds with Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins in second, and returning champ Molly Moening, Highland Park, third at almost 32 seconds back. Thursday's cold abbreviated schedule will feature timed team sprint heats followed by freestyle pursuit races on the famed Silver trail. Southwest boys and Highland Park girls hold the team lead after the classic races. Results linked in, photos from classic are up now along with some video clips of the top skiers.
Minnesota State Meet Preview
February 14, 2022The big Minnesota State Meet kicks off Wednesday afternoon at Giants Ridge. The first championship featuring the new team sprint format, it's sure to provide some major excitement across the two days of racing. We've got a full preview, including some of the favorites.
Check the Racing Outlook for major changes on Thursday!Related:
Waxing Recommendations
Victor C Dunder Ski Equipment Award Nominees Sought
February 14, 2022Nominations for Victor C. Dunder awards are due by March 31st. The Victor C. Dunder award is designed to get quality equipment to first year skiers in financial need.
Wisconsin State Championships Freestyle Coverage
February 13, 2022The Wisconsin State Championships concluded on Sunday with freestyle pursuit races, based off the classic times from Saturday. Lakeland's Casey Van Hefty held his lead in the pursuit, taking the overall boys title with teammate Jakob Craig finishing second, and Peak Nordic's Kaden Hacker third. Fran Peterson, Chippewa Valley Nordic, also went unchallenged to ski away with the girls title. Ashley Grossklaus and Anna Straka both used strong skate performances to move up, finishing second and third. Peak Nordic boys and Lakeland girls won the team titles. Results linked in, along with photosets from Kelly Randolph.
Wisconsin State Championships Classic Results
February 12, 2022Day 1 of the Wisconsin State Meet featured 6K classic races at the Birkie trailhead in Cable. Lakeland's Casey Van Hefty nabbed the pursuit lead, winning the Saturday race by over 30 seconds with Iola Winter Sports Club's Owen Williams second and Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team's Grant Rocheleau third. Fran Peterson, Chippewa Valley Nordic, had the best girls classic time, only 10 seconds ahead of Greta Hansen, Ashwaubenon, with Ashley Grossklaus, Peak Nordic, in third. The top five boys and top nine girls are all within one minute, setting up some exciting freestyle pursuit races on Sunday.
Michigan High School State Championships Results
February 12, 2022Michigan held their high school State Meet on Friday and Saturday, racing on the trail systems in Ishpeming. Team Vasa's Will Haapala skied to the top times in both the 5K freestyle and 5K classic to take the overall title for the boys. Arianne Olson, GRNST, had a dominating performance for the girls, combining skate and classic times to win the pursuit title by almost two minutes.
Section 6 Coverage
February 10, 2022Minnesota high school Section 6 held their championships on the snowmaking trails at Hyland Lake on Thursday. Wayzata's Daniel McCollor used the second best classic and freestyle times to collect the individual pursuit title for the boys as Miles Miner, Orono, finished second and Brenden Hyvare, Wayzata, skied up to take third. Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins, shined above all, taking the girls title by over a minute and half. Audrey Parham, Wayzata, was second with Elsa Bergman, Hopkins, third. Wayzata took the team sprint victories over Hopkins in some very close finishes.
The girls team battle tested the new rulebook, as Wayzata and Hopkins tied! Tie breaker went to Hopkins with the two fastest pursuit times. Teams advancing to State: Wayzata and Robbinsdale-Armstrong boys along with St. Louis Park and Hopkins girls. Hopkins boys and Wayzata girls sprint teams advance as well. Results linked in, photos from the morning classic races are up.Section 4 Coverage
February 10, 2022For a fourth straight day, Theodore Wirth hosted a Minnesota high school section championships, this final one featuring Section 4 perennial powerhouses Stillwater and Forest Lake. Forest Lake nearly completed a sweep of titles, winning the team sprints and taking the overall team titles for boys and girls. Isak Nightingale, MPA, broke the Forest Lake streak, besting Noah Erickson, Forest Lake, for the victory with Stillwater's Jonny Saldin third. Jordan Parent, Forest Lake, skied to a solid victory with Margo Nightingale, MPA, a minute back in second and Lily Ward, Stillwater, third. Spring Lake Park/SAV boys and Mahtomedi girls advance to State in the team sprints, and Stillwater boys and girls full teams also advance as runner ups. Results posted, along with photos from the pursuit races.
Wisconsin High School Nordic Championship Predictions
February 9, 2022Ken Schoville is back with his annual breakdown on the Wisconsin high school Nordic skiing Championship contenders! The big event is this Saturday and Sunday at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable.
Section 8 Coverage
February 9, 2022Jay Richards reports: Two days of roller coaster weather that featured above freezing temps, glazing track, fresh snow and falling temps with wind did little to restrict the competition level of the Section 8 Nordic ski racers. Constantly changing weather on day one created some challenging waxing as Connor Grant, Little Falls, and Lily Schaeffer, Brainerd, took top classic honors. Day two featured the skate pursuit, and in what would be the exciting highlight of the two days, the sprints. Bemidji stole the team sprint show with Louis Morrissey putting in the move in the final straightaway on the last leg to secure the boys win as the perseverance of Ella Simlu, who endured two crashes, worked her way to the front on the most technical course in the state for the win in the girls race. Both sprint events would decide the final outcome on the team results with Brainerd and Bemidji girls punching their way to state and Little Falls and Brainerd boys taking first and second respectively. Bemidji boys and Moorhead girls earned the slots for sprint state. Grant protected his classic lead in the pursuit with Zaine Braaten, Moorhead, coming in second and Ethan Yorek, Little Falls, third. All three boys are juniors, setting up another year of battle. Schaeffer continued her dominance in Section 8 over Mary Beth Andrews of Bemidji and Jaelyn Miller of Alexandria to secure top individual honors. Results linked in, along with photos.
Section 7 Coverage
February 9, 2022Racing on the State Meet courses, Section 7 showcased northern teams at Giants Ridge Wednesday. Much like Highland Park on Tuesday, Duluth East dominated the meet, taking all of the titles - top individuals, team sprints and team titles! Duluth East senior Lily Brown overcame a five second deficit to pass Proctor/Hermantown's freshman Della Bettendorf and capture the girls pursuit title. Ely's Zoe Devine was third. Oliver Miatke, Duluth East, used a stellar classic race to hold off teammate Paavo Rova for the boys title, with Aiden Van Straten, Proctor/Hermantown, less than 10 seconds back in third. Mora's sprint teams punched their ticket to State in finishing second to Duluth East. Proctor/Hermantown boys and Ely girls full teams also qualified for the big show. Results linked in, along with some freestyle pursuit photos from Kim Kosmatka.
Section 5 Coverage
February 9, 2022Warmer temperatures gave way to cold, gusty winds by afternoon for the Minnesota high school Section 5 championships on Wednesday at Theodore Wirth. Blaine's Ben Lewis captured the boys pursuit title by just over a minute in front of Myles Brown, Maple Grove, with Aaron Casey, Coon Rapids, in third. Hailee Zimpel, Elk River/zimmerman, put together a pair of strong races to win by nearly two minutes. Irondale's Siri Stolen moved up to take second with Lilah Gilyard, Coon Rapids, third. The team sprints provided some exciting matchups as Elk River/Zimmerman boys and Maple Grove girls came out on top. Osseo boys and Andover girls sprint teams advance to State. In the battle for the team titles, Champlin Park boys cruised to the victory with Maple Grove runners up. On the girls side, just four points separated the top three teams, with Elk River/Zimmerman and Maple Grove advancing. Results linked in, along with photos from the team sprints and freestyle pursuit races.
Section 1 Coverage
February 8, 2022Minnesota High School Section 1 Championships utilized the snowmaking loops at Hyland Lake Tuesday, which came in very handy as temps rose into the 40s by late afternoon. Lakeville's Grete Engels put down a strong classic leg to anchor her victory in the girls pursuit race over Anna Gilmer, Winona, with Emily Percival, Eagan Eastview, taking third. Prior Lake placed three in the top four overall in the boys pursuit with Evan O'Connor taking the title, Tommy Simmonds coming in second, and Northfield's Sam Folland third. Team titles were earned by Eagan Eastview girls and Prior Lake boys with Winona girls and ISD 196 boys qualifying in second. The team sprints were won by Rosemount girls and ISD 196 coop boys, with the Eagan boys also qualifying. Results linked in along with photos from the freestyle pursuit races.
Section 3 Coverage
February 8, 2022Hitting the trails at Theodore Wirth Tuesday were the Minnesota High School Section 3 schools. The short summary is, a thorough domination by St. Paul Highland Park as they won everything - team titles, team sprint titles, and individual titles. Minneapolis South boys and St. Paul Academy girls collected the runner-up team qualifications while St. Paul Central boys and Minneapolis South girls qualified as the third sprint teams. Davis Isom won the individual title by almost a minute, with Charles Ostergren, St. Paul Central, second and Cody West, Minneapolis South, was third. Returning State champion Molly Moening bested Inga Wing, SPA, by more than a minute with Math and Science Academy's Greta Hansen a close third by just one second! Results linked in along with photos from the classic races.
Section 2 Coverage
February 7, 2022Minnesota high school section championships got underway on Monday with the Section 2 championships at Theodore Wirth. This was the first year of the new format that includes team sprints. Starting off the day, the boys competition lived up to the hype as Jon Clarke (Jefferson/Kennedy) took the lead in the classic by just 4/10s of a second over Benon Brattebo (Eden Prairie), with Cooper Camp (Mpls Southwest) just 3 seconds back, followed by Andew DeFor (Edina) less than a second behind Camp. In the pursuit skate race, the four boys immediately formed a pack and raced that way until the final kilometer when Camp broke free to win by 10 seconds over DeFor, Clarke taking third. The girls race was far less dramatic has Edina's Maggie Wagner crushed the field two minutes in the morning classic competition, then plowed on in the freestyle pursuit to win overall by over 2:30. Courtney Fussy (Eden Prairie) was second with Elaina Griffiths (Mpls Washburn) second. Washburn swept the new team sprint titles. Minneapolis Southwest and Washburn boys teams along Washburn and Eden Prairie girls teams advance to State. Photos up from the team sprints and freestyle pursuit races.
Minnesota High School Sections Preview
February 4, 2022Minnesota high school sections start this coming Monday, Feb 7th! And with the official inclusion of sprinting into the format, expect some big changes and long days of racing. We breakdown the changes and outline the sections schedule.
Coleraine JNQ/CCSA Classic Coverage
January 23, 2022Classic mass start races were contested Sunday at Mt. Itasca in Coleraine, MN. Emil Book Bratbak,CSS, bested Kjetil Banerud, NMU, in a photo finish in the 10K race with Kristoffer Karsrud, NMU, just behind in third. MTU's Henriette Semb came in a half second in front of teammate Anabel Needham with NMU's Merle Richter third for the women's 7.5K race. Jordan Parent topped the U18/U20 field, finishing 4th overall. Adrik Kraftson completed the weekend sweep, taking the men's 7.5K race. Best performances from the U16 field came from Anders Westanmo (11th overall) and Sydney Drevlow (9th overall). Photos from Dave Zoll linked in.
Coleraine JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Coverage
January 22, 2022Saturday at Mt. Itasca featured individual start classic races on a challenging course. In the CCSA races, Kjetil Banerud took the men's 15K and Anabel Needham the women's 10K. Adrik Kraftson posted the top 10K time in the U20/U18 race, while Sydney Drevlow crushed the 5K U16/U18/U20 event. Sunday will feature mass start classic races, with the events being delayed two hours due to forecast cold weather. Photos from Dave Zoll linked in.
U18 Nations Trip Cancelled
January 15, 2022In an email to the coaches and parents, the US announced it was cancelling the U18 Nations trip to Norway at the end of January due to covid concerns.
ABC Relays Results
January 15, 2022A big turnout Saturday morning in Mora for the ABC Relays, racing on the trails at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center. The event came down to a battle between hometown Mora and Minneapolis Washburn. Washburn took the boys title by just three seconds over Mora, with Washburn's Derek Waddick and Nico Alexander posting the top classic and freestyle times respectively. Mora won the girls title in front of Washburn by 10 seconds, as Coon Rapids Lilah Gilyard had the best classic time while Johanna Perry, Washburn, had the fastest skate time.
Midwest Juniors Earn International Competition Trips
January 10, 2022The US Cross-Country Ski Championships had a bonus for juniors: selection criteria for the U18 Nations, World Junior and U23 World Championships, all being held in Norway later this winter. Midwest juniors earning their way onto the teams include Adrik Kraftson and Molly Moening for the U18 trip, and Abigail Jarzin, Luci Anderson, and Anabel Needham on the U23 World Champs trip. Cooper Camp was named first alternate for the U18 trip.
Mesabi East Invite Coverage
January 8, 2022Another race returning from a year off, the massive Mesabi East Invite took place on Saturday at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minnesota. On a day in which over 800 skiers participated in all competitions, Nico Alexander of Washburn and Greta Hansen of Math & Science were crowned champions of the 5K classic races in the morning. The afternoon 5K freestyle races were won by Ian Morse of Duluth East and Molly Moening of Highland Park, with both of the aforementioned high schools also taking home the overall team titles. Results linked in, photos from Dave Zoll.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Coverage
January 7, 2022The final event of the US Cross-Country Ski Championships, classic sprints, took place on Friday in Midway, Utah with temperatures soaring into the 50's. Ian Torchia was the Midwest's top skier on the men's side, making it all the way to the final where he would finish 5th to a Magnus Boee victory. Championing the Midwest on the women's side were Hannah Rudd and Margie Freed, who both made the final. Rudd went on to claim a spot on the podium, finishing third to Katherine Ogden and Caitlin Patterson, and Freed ended the day in 6th. Peter Hinds and Nina Schamberger were the top of their class in the junior men's and women's races, with Hayden Ulbrich (17th) and Mia Case (13th) having the best performances for the Midwest. Results are posted.
US Nationals: Classic Distance Coverage
January 6, 2022Returning from a day off, the US Cross-Country Ski Championships resumed on Thursday with classic distance races. The men's race was won by the Midwest's own Adam Martin, and Adrik Kraaftson was the fastest Midwest junior in 55th. For the women, Caitlin Patterson crossed the line first, with Hannah Rudd (8th), Rosie Frankowski (9th), Margie Freed (12th), Abigail Jarzin (16th), and Michaela Keller-Miller (17th) all top 20 finishers for the Midwest. In addition, Molly Moening was the fastest Midwest junior in 61st. Friday will feature the final races and only SuperTour event of the the US Cross-Country Ski Championships, classic sprints. Photos of today's races from Jackie Schneider and Linda Kerker are up, and results are linked in.
US Nationals: Freestyle Distance Coverage
January 4, 2022Tuesday marked Day 2 of the US Cross-Country Ski Championships in Midway, Utah. Scott Patterson took home the top prize in the men's distance freestyle race, followed closely by Midwest skiers Adam Martin (4th) and Ian Torchia (5th). Rosie Brennan, home from the World Cup, dominated the women's field and easily took the victory. Second place was a much closer contest with Rosie Frankowski coming out on top. Margie Freed, Hannah Rudd, and Abigail Jarzin all pulled out top 10 results as well. In the junior women's race, Kate Oldham won and Inga Wing (20th) was the top athlete for the Midwest, finishing as the second overall U16 skier. The junior men's race was won by Walker Hall, and Adrik Kraftson, Colin Freed, and Roger Anderson all rounded out the top 20 for the Midwest. Results linked in, photos posted from Tryg Solberg and Jackie Schneider.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Coverage
January 2, 2022The US Cross-Country Ski Championships opened on Sunday in Soldier Hollow, albeit a bit delayed due to cold weather, with freestyle sprint races. JC Schoonmaker, fresh off the World Cup circuit, took the victory in the men's division. John Schwinghamer was the top Midwest skier, finishing 12th. On the women's side, Caitlin Patterson claimed the sprint title as Rosie Frankowski earned her way into the final, finishing 6th. Junior final victories went to Finegan Bailey and Kendall Kramer. Top Midwest results came from Cooper Camp (6th) and Lauren McCollor (4th). Results linked in, along with photos from Jackie Schneider.
Mesabi Invite Update
January 2, 2022Registration closes tonight, Jan 2nd at 7 pm, for the Mesabi East Invite. Plus read updates on restrictions and other event info.
Biathlon: Youth, Junior Teams Named for International Events
January 1, 2022Seventeen youth and junior athletes have been selected to represent Team USA at upcoming international events, including the 2022 IBU Youth/Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow, Utah, Feb. 23-March 2. Among those selected are Minnesotans Cheresa Bouley, Emma Stertz, and Matej Cervenka along with Duluth's Alexandra Rud (Norway).
South Suburban Conference Meet Coverage
December 14, 2021Brian Abery reports: The South Suburban Conference kicked off its regular season on Tuesday with a 5 KM Freestyle race at a warm and wet Valleywood Golf Course. Showing no residual tiredness from a weekend of JNQ racing in Hayward WI, Sophomore Emily Percival of Eagan-Eastview, Senior Lydia Jacobson of Rosemount, and Senior Greta Engels of Lakeville distanced themselves from the remainder of the field to finish in 1 st through 3 rd place. Eagan-Eastview bested Rosemount for the team title. On the Boys side, a trio of Juniors led by Sam Folland of Northfield, Evan O’Connor of Prior Lake, and Hayden Zoll of Lakeville finished on the podium with Folland the only skier to break eighteen minutes on the slow wet course. Results posted, along with photos from Dave Zoll.
Cable SuperTour/JNQ Classic Distance Coverage
December 12, 2021The Gitchi Gami Games wrapped up a long weekend of racing with classic distance races on Sunday. Midwest skiers continued their run of great performances as Adam Martin won the men's 15K event with Zak Ketterson second, and Canadian Philippe Boucher third. Alayna Sonnesyn captured the women's 10K title, Becca Rorabaugh second and Rosie Frankowski third. Top U20 skiers were Brian Bushey and Avery Tolbert, U18 best was Jonathan Clarke and Lily Brown. Josh Frett and Hanna Koch won the U16 5K races. Results linked in, photos of the 15K and 10K races by Jackie Schneider posted.
Mesabi East Invite Details Posted
December 12, 2021The huge Mesabi East Invite meet is scheduled for January 8th! Registration is now open with a deadline of Jan 2nd.
Cable SuperTour Classic Sprints Coverage
December 11, 2021A full day of racing on the challenging terrain at the Birkie trailhead in Cable as skiers competed in classic sprints. Midwest's own Zak Ketterson dominated the men's open (top 30), taking the sprint title. Not to be outdone, Alayna Sonnesyn skied a smart sprint final to take the women's final. In the junior open, Benon Brattebo and Inga Wing took their U18/U20 finals. Results linked in along with photos from Jackie Schneider of the top 30 heats and some of the U18/U20.
Cable SuperTour Freestyle Coverage
December 10, 2021The SuperTour arrived in Cable, WI, Friday for a pair of 15K freestyle races on a World Cup category course. Canadian Philippe Boucher snatched victory in front of two Midwest rooted skiers as Adam Martin and Zak Ketterson rounded out the podium. Rosie Frankowski and Alayna Sonnesyn continued the Midwest theme, finishing 1-2 for the women with Mariah Bredal taking third. Results linked in, photos from Jackie Schneider posted.
Detroit Mountain Invite Results
December 7, 2021The first high school results are in! Detroit Mountain Invite was held Tuesday, with varsity skiers competing in a 5.1K freestyle race. Connor Grant, Little Falls, took the boys field and Liliana Schaeffer, Brainerd, topped the girls field. Brainerd swept the team titles.
Duluth SuperTour/JNQ Freestyle Distance Results
December 5, 2021Dodging major snowfall, the SuperTour/JNQ series in Duluth raced freestyle format Sunday. Rosie Frankowski topped the women's field, posting the only sub-19 minute time in the 5K race. In the men's 10K, Zak Ketterson skated to the best time. Victoria Dybwad and Michael Earnhart had the top U20 times, Grace Zanni and Trey Jones were best of the U18 field. U16 victories were earned by Anna Peikert and Daniel McCollor. The CXC Cup series moves to Cable next weekend.
Duluth SuperTour/JNQ Freestyle Sprints Results
December 4, 2021A near perfect day for racing Saturday on a man-made snow loop at Grand Avenue in Duluth, as the SuperTour and JNQ qualifying began. Taking the SuperTour freestyle sprints on the day were APU skiers Tyler Kornfield and Becca Rorabaugh. Brian Bushey won the boys U18/U20 title with Grace Zanni first for the girls. U16 titles went to Daniel McCollor and Inga Wing. Sunday could be interesting with heavy snowfall expected for the freestyle distance events.
NEG Camp Report: Cooper Camp
November 9, 2021Midwest elite junior, and Mpls Southwest skier, Cooper Camp participated in the National Elite Group training camp in Park City, Utah last month. Read about his experiences with this unique group of upcoming junior athletes.
Minnesota High School Coaches Meeting Agenda Posted
October 28, 2021The Minnesota State High School Nordic Skiing Coaches Association annual fall meeting is this Saturday, Oct 30th, in Mora. The full agenda has been posted. Make sure you RSVP if you are planning to attend, especially those via Zoom!
Minnesota High School Nordic Coaches Meeting Set for Oct 30th
October 7, 2021The annual Minnesota State High School Nordic Coaches Association fall meeting will be held on Saturday, Oct 30th at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center in Mora, MN. An option for coaches to attend virtually via Zoom will be available. Primary topics include: State Meet 2-day format, Charlie Banks Relay status, and various MSHSL updates.
Midwest Coaches Sought for March Junior Trips
September 26, 2021CXC is seeking candidates for the March junior trips, including Junior Nationals in the Twin Cities,, U18 trip to Maine and U16 trip to Idaho.
NNF: Double the Drive for 25
August 29, 2021While still a few months until the start of the Drive for 25, the National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is already planning big goals including doubling their $25 donations and unlocking a large matching grant. One of the ways you can help with this prep is becoming an ambassador fundraiser.
2020-21 Season Highlights
May 1, 2021Catch highlights plus full results and photos from the 2020-21 high school racing season.