Endurance United: Junior Training Info Meeting May 4th
April 17, 2023Endurance United has scheduled an information zoom call on their Junior Programs for Thursday evening, May 4th. If you are interested in learning more or planning to join one of our many EU junior programs (summer, fall, D-team, JNQ support) for the upcoming season please mark your calendars and plan to listen in. Contact coach Liz Peterson for zoom call details.
Midwest Collegiate Ski Association: USCSA National Championships Recap
March 16, 2023Following the conclusion of the USCSA National Championships in Mammoth Lakes, CA, the Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association (MCSA) issued their final update of the season, offering a deep dive into how the contingent from the Midwest fared day-by-day, and a send-off for the 2023 edition of the competition.
Junior Nationals: Freestyle Mass Start
March 16, 2023Junior Nationals competition wrapped up Thursday at Birch Hill in Fairbanks, AK, with some incredible freestyle mass start races. Greta Hansen won the women's U20 division, crowned National Champion; Sydney Drevlow collected another podium with a third place finish in the U18 division. Other top performances - MU16: Logan Drevlow 6th; FU16: Anna Gilmer 24th; MU18: Oliver Miatke 6th, Daniel McCollor 9th, Davis Isom 13th, Tommy Simmonds 14th; FU18: Hanna Koch 4th, Lydia Kraker 5th, Fran Peterson 8th, Natasha Sortland 10th, Nina Fedje 15th; MU20: Ben Dohlby 7th, Ben Lewis 8th, Jonathan Saldin 9th, Victor Sparks 12th, Jonathan Clarke 13th, Aiden Van Straten 15th.
USCSA Recaps 44th Annual National Championships at Mammoth Mountain
March 14, 2023With four feet of snow more than they started the competition with, the USCSA National Championships in Mammoth Lakes, CA wrapped up on Thursday, cutting short some of the planned events in the face of inclement weather. Despite the early curtain call, a majority of the nordic events had already been run by the time the competition came to a close, and a finalizing of the results meant that the St. Olaf women's team would finish atop the combined standings on the back of a sweep of the events by Lily Hubanks. Similarly for the men's field, an early ending meant that the University of Minnesota Twin Cities' team would solidify their spot as the best from the Midwest, finishing 5th in the combined standings.
Junior Nationals: Freestyle Sprint Results
March 14, 2023Junior Nationals in Fairbanks, Alaska, continued Tuesday a full day of freestyle sprint competition. Midwest's Sydney Drevlow earned another podium, taking third in the FU18 division. Other top results included FU16: Anna Gilmer 17th; MU16: Logan Drevlow 17th; FU18: Nina Fedje 7th, Lydia Kraker 10th, Hanna Wilsey 15th; MU18: Miles Miner 11th, Davis Isom 12th; FU20: Greta Hansen 4th, Hailee Zimpel 15th; MU20: Benon Brattedo 8th, Jonathan Saldin 9th, Ben Lewis 11th. The final day of racing is Thursday with classic mass start races on tap.
Junior Nationals: Classic Results
March 13, 2023Junior Nationals competition got underway on Monday in Fairbanks, Alaska, with 7.5K classic interval start races. The Midwest came roaring out the door with a number of podiums: Sydney Drevlow won the FU18 title! Greta Hanson 2nd FU20, Logan Drevlow 2nd MU16, and Tommy Simmonds 2nd MU18. Other top performances: MU16: Quinn Holan 5th; MU18: Davis Isom 7th, Oliver Miatke 10th, Daniel McCollor 14th; MU20: Benon Brattebo 6th, Ben Lewis 9th, Jasper Johnston 10th, Andrew DeFor 11th, Ben Dohlby 15th; FU16: Helen Townley 10th; FU18: Lydia Kraker 5th, Hanna Koch 6th, Natasha Sortland 11th; FU20: Hailee Zimpel 6th, Lily Brown 8th, Jordan Parent 10th. Racing continues on Tuesday with freestyle sprints.
NCAA Championships: Freestyle
March 11, 2023With temperatures hovering around freezing after a day where they were well above, the second half of competitions at the 2023 NCAA Championships resumed with two rounds of classic racing on Saturday. Flip-flopping with the men's field, it was ladies first for the 20K event as the field got on-course en mass. Looking dominant in the final push that would earn her a title sweep at this year's Championships, the University of Utah's Novie McCabe would finish first, followed shortly after by Hanna Abrahamsson of the University of Colorado Boulder, and another University of Utah Ute, Sophia Laukli. Following in the footsteps of the women's race, the men's race would also be decided late, with a Canadian from Harvard, Remi Drolet, securing the victory over second-place-sweeper John Steele Hagenbuch from Dartmouth. The men's podium would be completed with a third place finish by Jacob Nystedt from the University of Vermont. A more challenging day for Midwest skiers, the best results came from Northern Michigan University's Merle Richter who finished 21st, and Midwest native Zachary Nemeth of Colby College who finished 19th.
Junior Nationals Opens in Fairbanks
March 10, 2023Junior Nationals fires up Saturday in Fairbanks, Alaska, with opening ceremonies. The racing action is scheduled to begin on Monday with classic interval start distance events. Tuesday is freestyle sprints and then competition wraps up on Thursday with freestyle mass start races (no relays this season). Livestreaming is planned for all three races.
NCAA Championships: Classic
March 9, 2023An eventful day of freestyle racing at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg venue outside Lake Placid, NY encapsulated the first half of competitions at the 2023 NCAA Championships. With last year's all-around champion making a last minute decision to stay in Europe for the start of Period IV of the World Cup, the men's 10K event was anybody's race to win. The results, however, painted a very different picture as a Brit from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Joe Davies, took the title by a whopping 25-second margin, leaving Dartmouth's John Steele Hagenbuch to settle for second, and the University of Denver's Bernhard Flaschberger for third. Also taking the title with time to spare in the women's 5K event was Novie McCabe from the University of Utah, who kicked off her Championships the same way she did the previous year. Rounding out the women's podium were Jasmine Lyons of the University of New Hampshire and Anna-Maria Dietze of the University of Colorado Boulder. Of the athletes representing the Midwest, the day's top times came from two Michigan Technological University athletes, Skylar Patten and Anabel Needham, who both registered high placing results in 14th and 8th respectively. Following a break on Friday, the competition continues on Saturday with a 20K classic race for both the men's and women's fields.
USCSA Announces Results and Schedule Changes for National Championships
March 9, 2023In the midst of record setting snowfall, the schedule for the USCSA National Championships in Mammoth Lakes, CA has been ever changing to accommodate for the unprecedented weather. Through the first three competitions the Midwest has been well represented, with the most notable result being an ongoing sweep of the women's events by St. Olaf's Lily Hubanks, who's team is currently leading the overall standings. For the men's field, the University of Minnesota Twins Cities' team notched a pair of top-10 finishes in Wednesday's freestyle sprints and is currently sitting in 5th in the overall standings. As things stand, one more race remains at the National Championships: a classic team sprint.
NCAA Championships Preview
March 7, 2023In less than 48-hours time the best of the best from colleges across the US will be leaving it all out on the course at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Being held just outside Lake Placid, NY, at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg venue, two men's and two women's champions will be crowned over two days, with the first titles up for grabs in interval start freestyle races on Thursday. Our event preview has everything you need to know to get up to speed heading into the competition.
Junior National Teams Announced
March 6, 2023The full teams for the Midwest and Great Lakes Junior Nationals competition, March 11-16 in Fairbanks, AK, have been announced. Also posted are the teams for the Canadian Nationals.
USCSA National Championships March 7-11
March 4, 2023The pinnacle of collegiate club competition in the US, the Collegiate National Championship get underway this coming Tuesday in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Running through Saturday, over 500 athletes from 65 colleges and universities will be competing in the U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) sanctioned competition for titles in alpine, nordic, snowboard, and freestyle events.
Minnesota Nordic GoFundMe Live for USCSA Nationals
February 28, 2023Earning a berth to the USCSA National Championships from their results at the Regional Championships competition, the collegiate team from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, dubbed Minnesota Nordic, is seeking assistance in making the to journey cross-country to Mammoth Lakes, CA for the competition. Receiving limited funding from the University, any and all donations will go a long way towards helping offset the cost for athletes to make the trip.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: American Birkebeiner Update
February 28, 2023As the dust settles on another year of racing at the American Birkebeiner, a new pair of champions were crowned over the weekend in the pursuit for the Midwest Collegiate Cup. Both hailing from the University of Minnesota school system, the women's title was awarded to the team from the Twin Cities, while the team from Duluth took home the men's title. Find out just what led up to both results, as well as how the remainder of the field shook out, in this week's update from the Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association (MCSA).
Kortelopet Coverage
February 24, 2023Bright sunshine, rising temperatures and a beautifully groomed Birkie Trail made for another awesome Kortelopet event Friday in Hayward. As tradition, junior skiers reigned on the day! Peak Nordic's Ben Dohlby, hot off his distance championship victory at the Wisconsin State Meet, broke away after Mosquito Brook to solo in for the men's title with Lakeland's Casey Van Hefty second and Jace Haerter third. On the womens side, Anne Straka completed the Peak Nordic sweep of the freestyle titles, with Fran Peterson, Chippewa Valley, second and Della Bettendorf third. In the classic division, Mpls Ski Club's Benjamin Martin striding to first, ANST's Noah Jahnke second, and Eliott Swanson, Mpls Ski Club, third. The Duluth North XC duo of Greta Hendrickson and Lydia Kraker skied to a friendly photo finish with Hendrickson awarded first. Rochester's Natasha Sortland was third. In the Prince Haakon, Devon Byers and Anna Peikert had the fastest times. Results linked in, along with big photosets and video recaps from the Kortelopet.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: Regional Championships Update
February 21, 2023The Midwest Collegiate Cup traveled to Rhinelander, WI this past weekend for the fourth of it's five scoring competitions, Regional Championships, which also served as a qualifier for USCSA Nationals. With just one additional race remaining on the calendar and Nationals berths on the line, the two-day event had major implications and lived up to expectations, serving up surprises along the way. Dive into this week's Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association's (MCSA) race summary for an overview of the results and an update on where teams stand heading into the final event of the Midwest Collegiate Cup: the American Birkebeiner.
Mayors Challenge Classic Coverage
February 19, 2023Another full day of racing at Theodore Wirth with an exciting array of mass start classic events for the Mayors Challenge on Sunday. Midwest World Cup stars shined brightly in the big 20K races as Zak Ketterson pulled away from the men's field and Alayna Sonnesyn topped the women's group. In the 10K races, State champion Benon Brattebo (U20) continued his winning form and St. Scholastica's Sophia Corkran (U20) cruised to victory. Top U18 times went to Daniel McCollor (3rd) and Natasha Sortland (2nd). In the U16 5K races, Logan Drevlow dominated the boys event and Helen Townley collected the girls title. Full results linked in, plus some big photosets.
Mayors Challenge Freestyle Sprints Results
February 18, 2023Racing on some fast conditions Saturday at Theodore Wirth, skiers competed in freestyle sprints as part of the CXC Cup and SuperTour. In the men's open, the final featured a battle of NMU past and present as NMU alumni and World Cup skier Zak Ketterson faced off against NMU and US Nationals sprint winner Kristoffer Alm Karsrud. Coming over the bridge and into the final stretch together, Karsrud pulled ahead of Ketterson for the victory. Logan Diekmann was third. The women's final was equally dramatic, with World Junior Championships sensation Sammy Smith leading through the major climb, but it was SMS T2's Loren Jortberg coming over the bridge first with Team Birkie's Renae Anderson taking second, and the UP's own Sarah Goble third. In the U18 heats (minus those that raced in the open divisions), Daniel McCollor and Tayah Anderson won the sprint finals. U16 titles went to Jack Dahlby and Helen Townley. Sunday will be mass start classical races.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: Vasaloppet USA Update
February 13, 2023With three of the five races now in the rearview for the Midwest Collegiate Cup, this week's Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association's (MCSA) recap covers the results from athletes at the most recent event: Vasaloppet USA. Another race with 100+ collegiate participants, the competitions led to some significant results, including the highest ever single-day points haul by a team.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: Mt. Ashwabay Summit Skiathlon Update
February 7, 2023The second race of the Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association's (MCSA) Midwest Collegiate Cup, the Mt. Ashwabay Summit Skiathlon, took place over the weekend in Bayfield, WI. Frigid temperatures and a challenging course didn't deter upwards of 70 collegiate skiers from competing in one of the most demanding races of the season.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: Half Noque Update
January 31, 2023This past weekend's Half-Noquemanon race in the UP of Michigan served as the first scoring event of the season for the Midwestern Collegiate Ski Association's (MCSA) Midwest Collegiate Cup. With just over 100 collegiate athletes across 16 teams lining up for the race, it was the MCSA’s largest season opener to date, and one of the most productive as 11 out of 12 total podium spots were occupied by MCSA skiers.
Coleraine JNQ Classic Results
January 22, 2023Some exciting races on Sunday as classic mass start events were the format for the Coleraine JNQ at Mt. Itasca in Coleraine, MN. Sydney Drevlow completed the weekend sweep, taking the women's 7.5K classic race just in from of Greta Hansen and Hailee Zimpel. In the men's race, Andrew DeFor pulled away for the victory with Davis Isom second and Noah Erickson third. Top U16 performances on the day went to Mackenzie Thompson (CAN) and Logan Drevlow.
Coleraine JNQ Freestyle Coverage
January 21, 2023With temps in the mid 20s and a 5K course freshly groomed last night, conditions were top notch Saturday for the Junior Nationals qualifying races at Mt. Itasca. Sydney Drevlow posted the women's top 10K time, a full 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Davis Isom won the men's 10K, with the top nine all finishing within a minute. U16 titles went to Mackenzie Thompson (CAN) and Logan Drevlow. Results linked in, photo albums posted and along with video highlights.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Coverage
January 7, 2023The 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships wrapped up on Sunday with freestyle sprints the final action item. NMU's Kristoffer Alm Karsrud picked up his second win of the Championships in the senior bracket, completing his sweep of the men's sprints. Sharing the freestyle podium with him was Luke Jager in second and Tom Mancini in third. Hailey Swirbul finished her Championships with a shutout, winning all four competitions this week, including today's. She was joined on the women's podium by Novie McCabe and Lauren Jortberg, who finished second and third respectively. Of the athletes native the Midwest, the best were John Schwinghamer and Erin Bianco, with Bianco making it all the way to the final where she finished 5th. Lauren McCollor also had a standout result as the junior title winner out of the senior bracket. For the up-and-comers, Trey Jones and Sammy Legate were the ones to win the men's and women's finals in the junior bracket. Results are linked in, photos and videos will be up later tonight.
US Nationals: Classic Distance Coverage
January 6, 2023The sun finally broke through on Day 3 of the 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships, delivering optimal racing conditions for the scheduled mass-start classic races. Securing his second consecutive title these Championships, Luke Jager crossed the line first in the men's 20K, just over a second in front of the runner-up, David Norris, and third place finisher, Zanden McMullen. Aiming for her third consecutive title, Hailey Swirbul had her work cut out for her as the women's 20K came down to a sprint in which she just edged out Sydney Palmer-Leger. Novie McCabe glided in shortly after to lock in the last remaining spot on the podium. Top Midwest results were earned by Reid Goble (7th) and the pair of Hannah Rudd (11th) and Margie Freed (12th). Of the juniors, Ava Thurston and NMU's Adrik Kraftson held the top times in the 10K races. Saturday marks the final competitions of the 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships with the program calling for freestyle sprints. Results are linked in, photos and videos are online.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Coverage
January 4, 2023Day 2 of the 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships called for classic sprints, a tall order for wax techs with flurries on the air. Battling back late in the final, NMU's Kristoffer Alm Karsrud was first across the line of the senior men, although Luke Jager would be the one to cross the line as the first American and national champion, finishing third overall. Second overall went to Magnus Boee, while Will Koch and Zanden McMullen rounded out the all-American podium. On the other side, Hailey Swirbul was crowned the national champion and was the overall winner, with Mariel Merlii Pulles and Tilde Baangman standing to either side of her on the overall podium, and the same for Sydney Palmer-Leger and Kendall Kramer on the all-American podium. Top results for athletes with Midwest roots came from Reid Goble and Margie Freed, while top junior results came from Hugo Hinckfuss and Samantha Smith in the senior heats, with NMU's Adrik Kraftson and Emma Charles the winners of the junior heats. The second half of the 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships start on Friday with classic mass-start distance racing. Results are linked in, big photosets posted along with videos recaps.
US Nationals: Freestyle Distance Coverage
January 2, 2023The sky was overcast and temperatures were hovering around freezing as the 2023 US Cross-Country Ski Championships got underway in Houghton, Michigan on Monday. For the first of four days of racing, the best in the US faced a 10K freestyle course in an interval-start format, with the women up first on the two lap course. A stacked field was whittled down to a standalone group of three for the podium: Sydney Palmer-Leger in 3rd, Novie McCabe in 2nd, and Hailey Swirbul as the national champion. With a similarly competitive field, the podium for the men's race consisted of Skylar Patten in 3rd, David Norris in 2nd, and Johnny Steel Hagenbuch as the national champion; although a Norwegian, Andreas Kirkeng, posted the fastest time. Top junior results went to Nina Schamberger and Philipp Moosmayer, while top results for skiers native to the Midwest came from the Gobles: Sarah (4th) and Reid (11th). The Championships continue on Wednesday with classic sprints. Results are linked in, photos and videos posted.
Houghton JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Sprint Results
December 18, 2022Sunday was a full day of freestyle sprint racing on the Michigan Tech trails for the Houghton JNQ/CCSA event. In the men's open, Kristoffer Karsrud (NMU) collected his second freestyle sprint title of the season followed by Adrik Kraftson (NMU, MU20), and Luke Fricker (NMU). Daniel McCollor was the top U18, finishing 5th the open quarterfinal. Jack Dahlby also repeated as freestyle sprint champ in the boys U16 division. On the women's side, Anabel Needham (MTU) continued the trend of repeat freestyle sprint champs with Katerina Hyncicova (NMU) second and Merle Richter (NMU) third. Catherine Stow had the best U20 result, finishing 5th in the final. Inga Wing was the top U16, making all the way to the women's open semifinals (5th). Lily Ward was best of the U18 girls finishing 4th the in open quarterfinal, All thoughts now turn to US Nationals, back in Houghton, Jan 2nd-7th.
Houghton JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Results
December 17, 2022Skiers descended on Houghton, MI, this weekend for a US Nationals preview with JNQ and CCSA racing. Saturday featured freestyle races and in the mens 10K, Skylar Patten (MTU) took top honors with Adrik Kraftson (NMU, MU20) second and Tryg Solberg (MTU) third. On the women's side, Olivia Laven (MTU) had the only sub-31 minute time, Victoria Dybwad (CSS) came in second, Anabel Needham (MTU) third. Other top performances: Greta Hansen 1st FU20, Audrey Parham 1st FU18, Davis Isom 1st MU18, Lauren Cartlon 1st FU16, Ben Buchmann 1st MU16. Sunday's event will be freestyle sprints.
Duluth JNQ/CCSA Classic Coverage
December 11, 2022Sunday wrapped up the weekend racing at Grand Ave Nordic Center in Duluth with a day of tricky waxing conditions as fresh snowfall intermittently plagued the race course. The women raced first, with the top seeds in the open class going out first. Henriette Semb, MTU, posted the top time with Merle Richter, NMU, second and Anabel Needham, MTU, third. Hailee Zimpel lead the U20 field (fourth overall), with Della Bettendorf best of the U18 and Inga Wing the top U16 skier again today. Skylar Patten, MTU, claimed the victory in the open division with Wes Campbell (U20), MTU, second and Kristoffer Karsrud, NMU third. Davis Isom was the best of U18 field, Ben Buchmann won the U16 division. Results linked in, photos and video clips from the 7.5K classic races posted.
Duluth JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Sprints Results
December 10, 2022Grand Ave in Duluth was the destination this weekend for a pair of JNQ/CCSA events. Saturday featured freestyle sprint races. The men's open division race had NMU's Kristoffer Karsrud taking the win with teammate Luke Fricker second and Michigan Tech's Adam Witkowski third. On the women's side, Michigan Tech's Anabel Needham glided easily into first, NMU's Katerina Hyncicova second, and Scholastica's own Mia Case (U20) third. A number of U20, U18 and U16 athletes competed in the open division with Wes Campbell (U20) finishing 5th in the men's final, Davis Isom (U18) 6th in the men's semifinal, Inga Wing (U16) 6th in the women's semifinal and Hannah Koch was the top FU18, making the open quarterfinals. Jack Dahlby was best of the U16 boys, dominating the U16 boys sprint final. Sunday will be classic technique 7.5K races.
NNF: Drive for 25 Targets Achieved
November 29, 2022The National Nordic Foundation expresses it's gratitude to the entire Nordic community for helping reach their fundraising targets in the Drive for 25 campaign. All totaled, over $300K was generated!
US Nationals Waxing Facility Reservations Open
November 4, 2022Teams and groups planning to participate at the 2023 US Cross Country Ski National Championships can now reserve their waxing facilities, with three options available: self-provided wax trailers, rented portable wax trailers, and provided wax rooms. Reservations for the latter two must be made by Dec 28th.
NNF: Applications Open for U23/World Juniors Coaches
October 18, 2022US Ski and Snowboard is now accepting applications to coach at this season's World Junior/U23 Ski Championships taking place in Whistler, Canada from Jan 25th-Feb 2nd. The deadline to apply is Oct 31st.
MCSA Season Preview
October 5, 2022Back for their fourth season after another successful year, the Midwest Collegiate Ski Association (MCSA) unveiled their official schedule for the 2022-2023 season, with one of the more notable updates being the inclusion of a sprint competition for the first time. Kicking off on Dec 17th - 18th with the Michigan Tech Pre-Nationals CXC Cup races, their season will run through Feb 25th, concluding with the American Birkebeiner.
College of St. Scholastica Nordic Ski Team Week of Giving
September 29, 2022The College of St. Scholastica Nordic ski team is taking on the rest of the CSS athletics in a fundraising drive through this weekend. Participation will be measured by the total number of gifts, so even the smallest donation helps them win.
US Cross Country Ski Championships Return to Houghton
August 3, 2022Michigan Tech will host the 2023 Toyota U.S. Cross Country Ski National Championships at the Tech Trails from January 2-7, 2023. The championship spans a week and consists of three different national championship race days and concludes with a SuperTour race day. Events include skate 10K interval start distance, classic sprints, and classic 10/20K mass start distance, and skate sprints.
Junior CXC Cup Schedule Published
July 10, 2022CXC has published the preliminary schedule for the Junior National Qualifying CXC Cup this season, with stops in Duluth, Houghton, Coleraine, Traverse City, and Minneapolis.
2022 Collegiate Tally Board
May 2, 2022We've fired up the collegiate tally board, tracking high school Nordic skiing seniors and their future plans. Find out who's skiing in college, and contribute to the board.