Minnesota High School Coaches Association Spring Meeting Recap
April 23, 2018Outgoing President Doug Boonstra provides a recap on last weekend's Coaches Association Meeting in Mora. Highlights include: Coach of the Year Mary Claire Ryan, Brainerd; Asst Coach Scott Clark, Andover; and Volunteer(s) Mora Snow Farmers! Robb Lageson was elected as the new President.
2018 Collegiate Tally Board
April 10, 2018We've started up the 2018 collegiate tally board. Find out where some the seniors are going to be racing next season, and let us know your plans!
MNHSNSCA: Spring Meeting/Voting/Jessie
March 29, 2018The latest update from the Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Coaches Association features the schedule and agenda for the upcoming spring meeting (Apr 21), voting for awards and next president, and welcome home event for Jessie.
Victor C. Dunder Award Nominations Sought
March 15, 2018Have a first year skier on your high school team that could use assistance with skiing equipment? Submit their info by March 31st to enter into the Victor C. Dunder Awards.
Junior Nationals Coverage
March 12, 2018A summary of the coverage we featured on the 2018 Junior Nationals competition at Soldier Hollow, as well as some notes and even recipes from the cooks, Pete and Dollie Zweig.
Junior Nationals Relays Coverage
March 10, 2018Junior Nationals competition wrapped up on Saturday with 3x3K classic relay races at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. The Midwest had top ten results in the boys U20 (7th, 10th) and girls U20 (7th) races with the best result coming in the girls U18 race as the trio of Kelly Koch, Mara McCollor and Luci Anderson finished 5th. Results linked in, photosets from all six relays posted.
Junior Nationals Freestyle Coverage
March 9, 2018A fantastic day for the Midwest squad on Friday as they overcame some brutal conditions to place skiers on four of the six podiums and scored numerous of top 20 finishes in the freestyle mass start races at Junior Nationals. The top performance on the day was Anja Maijala breaking away with teammate Erin Moening by the midpoint of the race and going on to be crowned the National 10K U20 champion, with Moening taking third! Every bit exciting, the U18 girls race saw Mara McCollor take the race by the horns from the opening gun, eventually joined by Luci Anderson, they finished third and second respectively. Xavier Mansfield podium action going in the opening race, the boys U20 15K, where Mansfield and Patrick Acton skied with the lead pack, finishing third and fourth. As the temperatures skyrocketed into the 50s, Cooper Lennox survived the U16 slog through two 2.5K laps to take second. In the two races the Midwest did not podium, they came very close: Libby Tuttle was 4th in the girls U16, and Anders Sonnesyn notched 9th in the boys U18. Results linked in, big photosets (split into individual races) posted.
Junior Nationals Date Ski Day Coverage
March 8, 2018Part of the Midwest Junior Nationals tradition is a fun "date ski" event where juniors dress up crazy and ski with someone they might not know that well. This year, with the terrain park like features on the Soldier Hollow course, a lot of skiers also took a few shots to catch some air.
Junior Nationals Freestyle Sprints Coverage
March 7, 2018A stronger showing for the Midwest team on Wednesday in the freestyle sprint races. Luci Anderson had the top result, narrowly missing the podium in the girls U18 final to finish 4th. Torsten Brikema, U20, and Anders Sonnesyn, U18, made their respective finals, both finishing 5th. Anja Maijala, U20, also made the finals, finishing 6th. Other Midwest skiers making the B finals: Libby Tuttle, FU16; Foss Kerker, MU20; Peter Moore, MU18; Erin Moening, Samantha Benzing, FU20; Kelly Koch, Leah Rudd, Sarah Olson, FU18. Results linked in, along with photosets from qualifiers and heats.
Junior Nationals Classic Coverage
March 6, 2018Junior Nationals racing at Soldier Hollow in Utah fired up Tuesday morning with individual start classic races. Crisp temperatures overnight followed by a bright, sunny day provided a fast, firm course for the opening races, slowing down a little by the time the boys U18/20 field rolled out in the afternoon. Libby Tuttle scored the first Midwest podium, taking third in the U16 division. Other top 20 results on the day: Lauren McCollor, 20th, FU16; Mara McCollor, 15th, FU18, Kelly Koch, 18th, FU18, Luci Anderson, 19th, FU18; Erin Moening, 5th, FU20, Anja Maijala, 6th, FU20, Samantha Benzing, 19th, FU20; Victor Sparks, 13th, MU16, Cooper Lennox, 18th, MU16; Peter Moore, 20th, MU18; Xavier Mansfield, 7th, MU20, Patrick Acton, 11th , MU20, Mark Ousdigian, 19th. Results linked in, plus Midwest and Great Lakes photosets.
Junior Nationals Preview
March 3, 2018The 2018 edition of Junior Nationals fires up this week beginning on Tuesday. We highlight a few non-race changes this year and provide a breakdown on the team along resources for following the action.
Midwest Juniors Team Sprints Coverage
February 28, 2018With the Midwest Junior National team flying out to Soldier Hollow, Utah, on Saturday, many of the skiers got together on Wednesday afternoon for one last group practice before packing up their gear. Using pairings assigned from the coaches to "level the playing field", the athletes did their best Jessie Diggins impression with team sprint relays. A cool down and some refueling, and many of the skiers went back out to pair up with MYSL skiers for a Skiing with the Stars fun race to wrap up the evening.
MNHSNSCA: Nominations, Spring Meeting
February 27, 2018The Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association is taking nominations for the Victor C. Dunder awards, as well as Head Coach, Asst Coach, and Volunteer of the Year awards. The Spring Coaches meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 21st.
Final Rosters for Junior National and U16 Championship Teams Named
February 22, 2018The Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC) together with the Midwest and Great Lakes Junior Committees are pleased to announce this year's Midwest and Great Lakes Junior National Teams that will be competing at the 2018 US Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Junior National Championship March 4-11th at Soldier Hollow (Utah), along with the U16 Championship Team competing at Gore Mountain Nordic Center in North Creek, New York.
Midwest Junior National and U16 Championship Teams Announced
February 19, 2018After the final JNQ races at Mt. Itasca on Sunday, the points were tallied up and the Midwest team was announced, along with the preliminary roster for the U16 Championships. Note that this list will likely change some as there may be a few collegiate skier additions, and possibly some declines.
State Meet Recap
February 18, 2018We look back on the Minnesota State Meet, providing a short recap and delving into some expanded stats, as well as reviewing predictions.
Coleraine JNQ Freestyle Races
February 18, 2018Wrapping up the JNQ series on Sunday, Mt. Itasca hosted 5K and 10K freestyle races. Luci Anderson skied to the top of the women's 5K field, posting the only sub 17 minute time with Mara McCollor just 3 seconds back. Showing the depth of the men's U18 field, Peter Moore took the 10K race today with James Schneider second, along with two Mt. Itasca skiers, Alex Kelling and State Champ Garrett Beckrich, who all skied under 30 minutes. U16 victories went to Cooper Lennox and Mia Case.
Coleraine JNQ Classical Sprints
February 17, 2018Mt. Itasca was host on Saturday for classical sprints in the Midwest Junior National qualifying. Mt. Itasca's own Alex Kelling won boys U20/U18 sprint final with Peter Moore, 2nd (top U18), and Ryan Mead third. The girls U20/U18 final was all U18 as State Champ Mara McCollor took the victory, followed by Triana Willmert and Regan Duffy. Daniel Huhtala and Libby Tuttle won the U16 finals.
Send Skinnyski Back to SOHO
February 13, 2018We are working on plans to cover Junior Nationals again this season, back at Soldier Hollow! However, this is a major financial commitment for us, so we're asking for your support. If you'd like to see us out at Junior Nationals with our usual coverage, please consider your contribution.
Minnesota State Meet Coverage
February 15, 2018Overcast with temps in the low 20s made for fast conditions for the morning skate races at the Minnesota high school State Meet at Giants Ridge. Mara McCollor, Wayzata, took the opening freestyle race but has some pressure from Luci Anderson, Armstrong, Hannah Bettendorf, Proctor/Hermantown, and Sarah Olson, Blaine, all within 30 seconds. The boys race was even closer with Grand Rapids star Garrett Beckrich the skate leader followed closely by Wayzata's Luc Golin and Peter Moore, SPA, both within 11 seconds, and another six skiers within 30 seconds! In the afternoon classical pursuit, Mara McCollor held the lead to the finish to win the girls title, followed closely by Hannah Bettendorf, with Sarah Olson, Blaine, taking third in a sprint finish with Regan Duffy, Forest Lake. In the boys pursuit, Garrett Beckrich kept his narrow advantage over the field and powered in to victory with Anders Sonnesyn, Wayzata and Luc Golin finishing second and third. The team races were a highly contested battle with the Wayzata boys just barely holding on to first, by two points, over Stillwater, Forest Lake third. The girls title was won by Stillwater, Forest Lake second and Robbinsdale-Armstrong third. Results posted, along with big photosets.
Minnesota State Meet Preview
February 13, 2018The Minnesota high school State Meet is this Thursday, Feb 15th, at Giants Ridge. We've got our breakdown on the top individuals and teams, including our picks, as well as some helpful resources.
Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Final
February 12, 2018The final Skinnyski.com Minnesota high school rankings are out, with some shakeup after sections. Anders Sonnesyna and Mara McCollor, both of Wayzata, remain the top ranked skiers, but Stillwater girls take over #1 team position, as the Wayzata boys glide on in front. State Meet Preview coming up hopefully Tuesday night.
Wisconsin High School Nordic Championship Freestyle Coverage
February 11, 2018The Wisconsin High School Nordic Championships wrapped up Sunday with exciting freestyle pursuit races. The girls race saw Abby Jarzin, Ashwaubenon, grab the lead early on and hold it into lap 2, but it was Olivia Dreger, Wausau, that reeled her in in the final kilometer to win the girls title with Mia Case, Lakeland, second and Lauren Lackman, Wausau third. Jackson Adler, Ashwaubenon, and Kieran Mullen, Lakeland, started the boys pursuit in a virtual tie and raced together throughout the two laps and brought the event to a sprint finish with Mullen taking the victory. David Ecker, Chippewa Valley Nordic, scored third. Wausau Nordic United girls team defeated Lakeland by just two points, with the Lakeland boys winning by six over Ashwaubenon. Results linked in, along with photosets from Sunday's high school races.
CXC Cup Seeding Rules
February 11, 2018CXC's Director of Athletics, Joe Haggenmiller, has issued an statement clarifying the CXC Cup seeding policies. The final Midwest JNQ will be next weekend at Mt. Itasca.
Wisconsin High School Nordic Championship Classic Results
February 10, 2018Ken Schoville reports: Saturday at the Wisconsin State High School Championships classic individual start was both a surprise and a thriller. A temperature delay of one hour had the wax techs pondering among 30 reasonable prospects as Johanna Craig, Lakeland was the girls' champion for the first race with a 6.5 second spread between the top four and Abby Jarzin chasing the top three. Freshman Mia Case (Lakeland) charged into second with Laura Lackman (Wausau United) right behind. Olivia Dreger (Wausau United) is also in the hunt in fifth place, just 23 seconds off the leader. In the boys classic race, history was made as Ashwaubenon's Jackson Adler bested Lakeland's Kieran Mullen by .1, the closest finish in Wisconsin history. Just behind was David Ecker (Chippewa Valley) by 27 seconds, Mark Raach (Wausau East/West) back 38 seconds, Guest Class Skier from Ironwood, MI Nick Niemeyer -56 seconds from the winner, and rounding out the minute, Kyle Thieme, Ashwaubenon just 59 seconds back from teamate Adler. Sunday will be some hot racing in cold temperatures.
Section 4 Coverage
February 8, 2018Battle royal in Section 4 Thursday on a very difficult Battle Creek course for the championship titles. Section sisters, Forest Lake and Stillwater, took the race down to line as Forest Lake's Regan Duffy overcame a small deficit to Stillwater's Libby Tuttle to win the girls individual title while Stillwater took the team title by eight points over Forest Lake. In the boys race Forest Lake flipped that result, taking the team title in front of Stillwater led by Ryan Mead, who pulled away in the skate race for the victory. MPA boys came within nine points of upsetting the Forest Lake/Stillwater dynasty. Results linked in, photos coming later tonight.
Section 2 Coverage
February 8, 2018In Section 2 championships at Theodore Wirth on Thursday, Edina girls nearly pulled off the upset of top ranked Minneapolis Southwest, coming up just 4 points short as both squads advance to State. Triana Willmert, Edina, answered the call in the girls race, kicking to a full minute lead, then extending it in the skate by another 25 seconds to become the section champion. The Minneapolis boys cruised to the boys title, led today by Henry Hall who had the top classical time. A realdog fight for second place team as Eden Prairie edges Edina by 5 points and Minnetonka by 6. Results linked in, plus photos from the morning classical races.
Section 7 Coverage
February 8, 2018Section 7 hit the State Meet courses on Thursday for their championship event at Giants Ridge. A sweep of the boys podium by Grand Rapids, led by Garrett Beckrich, gave them the team title by nine points over second place Ely. Hannah Bettendorf dominated the girls field, winning the individual title by over 1:30 using an incredible classic race to pull away. Duluth East secured the girls team title with rival Ely matching their boys team with second place. Results linked in along with photos from Joe Bianco.
Wisconsin High School Nordic Championship Predictions
February 7, 2018Once again we have Ken Schoville providing us with a breakdown on the Wisconsin State Meet this weekend in Cable. Check out his entertaining look at the event and predictions on the key players and teams.
Section 5 Coverage
February 7, 2018Section 5 held their Minnesota high school championships on Wednesday at Theodore Wirth. Blaine's Sarah Olson cruised to a dominating victory for girls race, with Mora's Cooper Lennox holding off a charge from Ben Olson, Sarah's brother, in the boys pursuit to claim the title. Mora boys won the team title, along with the Andover girls. There was tight competition for the second girls team with Mora edging out Elk River and Coon Rapids by 4 and 6 points respectively. Blaine boys advanced to State as the second place team. Preliminary results up now, along with photos from the pursuit races.
Section 1 Coverage
February 6, 2018Brian Abery reports: The temperatures were cold but the racing hot at Hyland Park Reserve where the Section 1 Championship took place on Tuesday. In the Boy's event, Senior Gus Schatzlein of Prior Lake skied to almost a 1 minute victory over 2nd place finisher Bryant Ruff of Eastview with Burnsville's Thomas Ryan another 32 seconds back taking third. The team race was a close affair with Prior Lake taking the section title over Burnsville by 6-points. In the girl's race Winona Sophomore Anni Skillicorn skied to an impressive individual title with a 45-second win over Lakeville South Sophomore, Brianne Brewster with Brewster's teammate Junior Violet Tessier taking the third spot on the podium. The team race for the girls was even closer than for the boys. After Winona skied to a lead in the classic race, the Eastview Girls closed the gap with impressive performances in the freestyle event resulting in a tie for points for the Section Championship. Using MSHSL format (total time for each team's top 4 skiers) Winona won the tie- breaker to emerge as Section Champions on the back of Skillcorn's dominating performance.
Section 3 Coverage
February 6, 2018Racing on cold, firm trails at Theodore Wirth Tuesday, Section 3 titles were decided. Continuing the family tradition, 8th grade sensation Molly Moening of St. Paul Highland Park captured the girls title by posting the top classical and freestyle times. Teammate Celeste Alden (9th grade) held off Val Hart, SPA, to take second. In the boys race, as expected, Peter Moore, SPA, dominated the show, hammering out the fastest times on the day and winning by nearly two minutes. St. Paul Highland Park's Ben Earl-Moseley and Minnehaha Academy's Peter Carlen had a great battle, exchanging the lead with Earl-Moseley pulling ahead in the final stretch for second place. St. Paul Highland Park sweeps the team titles, with the Minneapolis South girls and Minneahaha Academy boys advancing to state as well. Results linked in, along with photo albums from the afternoon pursuit races.
Section 8 Coverage
February 6, 2018Jay Richards reports: Cold weather greeted racers in the Section 8 Nordic Ski Championships causing a delay in the start but temps quickly climbed along with sunshine to make for a great day of racing Tuesday. Strong performances in the classic pursuit by the top skiers in the girls race shook up the final results as Sadie Hamrin, Bemidji, moved up from fourth to take the individual title and lead her team to a state berth and section title. St Cloud Tech's Gabbi Hennes took the runner up position as teammate Wren Scott-Lumbar round out the podium. Alexandria girls rode strong skate performances to earn the second team slot. St Cloud Cathedral's Alex Nemeth put on strong skate race besting last years champion Hunter Zupko by 17 seconds. Zupko would close the gap down to 10 seconds in the classic pursuit and settle for second. Hunter's teammate Colton Yorek rounded out the podium. All three skiers lead their teams to state berths, respectively. Results posted, along with photosets.
Section 6 Coverage
February 5, 2018The Minnesota high school sections competition began on Monday with Section 6 racing at Theodore Wirth. Top ranked Mara McCollor, Wayzata, skated the morning 5K to a 33 second lead over Armstrong's Luci Anderson and then stretched it to well over minute in taking the victory. Anderson was second, with Mara's sister, moving up from a fifth place start to finish third. Anders Sonnesyn, Wayzata, the top ranked boy posted the best times for both skate and classic to win the individual title, with teammates Luc Golin and James Schneider rounding out the podium. Wayzata and Armstrong advanced both their boys and girls teams to state. Results linked in, along with photos from the pursuit races.
Minnesota Sections Preview
February 3, 2018Minnesota High School sectional meets start on Monday and run through Thursday. We've got our annual preview, outlining the schedule and our favorites in each section. The big State Meet comes up Thursday, Feb 15th! Note to skiers: Theodore Wirth will have all-day section meets Monday-Thursday.
Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Round 4
February 3, 2018Just in front of sections, we take one more crack at the rankings, taking in some of the conference championship data. Anders Sonnesyn takes over the top boys ranking with Mara McCollor in firm control for the girls. Wayzata boys and Mpls Southwest girls hold the team top spots.
World Junior/U23 Championships: Skiathlon/Relays Recap
February 3, 2018The World Junior/U23 Championships wrapped up the week with skiathlon and relay events, including another historic medal winning performance by the US squad! Read Caroline Brisbois recap of the action and quotes from athletes, along with some photos, in her final recap.
World Junior/U23 Championships: Classical Races Recap
January 31, 2018The US squad scored some impressive results in the classical races at the World Juniors/U23 Championships the last two days in Goms, Switzerland. Hailey Swirbul was only 14 seconds from victory, taking an historic second place finish in the women's 5K classic World Juniors race, with Ben Ogden also notching a top ten finish in the men's 10K. Caroline Brisbois provides a full recap on the classical races as well as a brief report from the Midwest's own Ian Torchia.
World Junior/U23 Championships: Freestyle Sprints Recap
January 29, 2018The World Junior and U23 Championship events in Goms, Switzerland started up over the weekend with freestyle events on tap first. Caroline Brisbois has the breakdown on how the US fared, plus insights from the Midwest skiers.
Nordic Junior Ski Competition: Racing Recap
January 28, 2018Minnesotan Kelly Koch and the rest of the U18 squad from the US wrapped up their Nordic Junior Competition racing in Vuokatti, Finland on Sunday. Caroline Brisbois provides a recap on the racing and talks with Koch on her races and trip experiences.
World Junior/U23 Championships: Preview and Update
January 26, 2018Caroline Brisbois provides an in-depth look at the upcoming World Junior and U23 Championships in Goms, Switzerland starting Sunday, Jan 28th and running through Feb 3rd. The teams have strong Midwest representation with Hannah Rudd, Zak Ketterson, Ian Torchia, Andrew Egger and Nicole Schneider all competing. Read some of their first impressions and view some great photos. Plus, links for livestreaming!
Nordic Junior Ski Competition: U18 Trip Update and Race Preview
January 24, 2018Caroline Brisbios reports on the upcoming Nordic Junior Competition (U18 Trip) in Vuokatti, Finland, where the Midwest is represented by Burnsville native and LNR skier Kelly Koch.
Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Round 3
January 23, 2018Another round of rankings are up, this time with some significant shuffling in the individual rankings after last weekend's JNQ races in Cable, WI. However, the top remains set: Mara McCollor and Luc Golin, both of Wayzata, validate their #1 rankings while the Wayzata boys and Minneapolis Southwest girls continue as the top teams.
Cable JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Coverage
January 21, 2018Sunday in Cable, WI, skiers participated in mass start freestart races on the trails at the Birkie start area. The men's 15K event came down to a sprint finish with Michigan Tech's Tom Bye besting Kjetil Banerud, NMU, in a photo finish with Gaspard Cuenot, MTU, third, just two seconds behind. Caitlin Gregg completed the weekend sweep in taking the women's 10K with NMU's Vivian Hett finishing best of the chase pack, teammate Anikken Alnaes third. Sarah Olson, LNR, notched an impressive 7th place, top high school finisher. The boys 10K race was a showcase of Wayzata power as Anders Sonnesyn took the victory, James Schneider second, and Luc Golin, fourth. Peter Moore, EU, broke up the podium sweep, taking third. Cooper Lennox and Libby Tuttle won the U16 5K races. Results linked in, photos coming later.
Cable JNQ/CCSA Classical Coverage
January 20, 2018A big weekend of racing in Cable at the new Birkie start area with Junior National qualifying races as well as Central Collegiate Ski Association. Jacob Ajax, UWGB finished second in the mens 10K race, breaking up an NMU sweep as Kjetil Banerud and Mathias Rolid, went first and third. Ryan Mead, Nordicwerks, was the top high school skier in the field finishing 11th. The women's race had an impressive more impressive result as #1 ranked Mara McCollor of Wayzata finished second only to Caitlin Gregg in the women's 5K, with NMU's Vivian Hett third. U16 victories claimed by Cooper Lennox and Gretchen Haggenmiller. Results linked in, along with photos from Jackie Schneider.
NNF: Nordic Juniors Competition Team Named
January 18, 2018The official team for the Nordic Juniors Competiton (U18 Nations, Scando trip) has been announced by National Nordic Foundation, the major underwriter of the trip. Burnsville's Kelly Koch from LNR will be representing the Midwest as the team competes in Vuokatti, Finland, Jan 26-28th.
ABC Relays Results
January 13, 2018Charlie Rietschel reports: A chilly start, but the low winds, sun, and the wonderful people of Mora made for a great day of racing at ABC Relays. Victories were earned by the Mora boys and Armstrong girls. Top times on the day: Ben Olson, Blaine, in classic, Cooper Lennox, Mora, in the boys freestyle; Luci Anderson, Armstrong, for the girls classic, Maes Barnes, Armstrong, in freestyle.
Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Round 2
January 9, 2018Finally, round 2 of the Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing rankings. We've shaken up the rankings for both individuals and teams, but the top holds: Mara McCollor and Luc Golin for the individuals, Minneapolis Southwest girls and Wayzata boys for the teams.
Detroit Lakes Invite Coverage
January 9, 2018Jay Richards reports: After enduring some of the coldest temperatures in the country in the recent cold spell, skiers from Northwest MN and Section 8 were greeted to balmy conditions for the 24th running of the Detroit Lakes Invitational hosted by Maplelag Resort. The course was changed from recent years for Varsity skiers whom competed on a 8km double tracked classic course utilizing the outer trail North Loop after crossing the Goat Ranch road. Fresh off his top three finish at Mesabi, Hunter Zupko dominated the boys field, posting the only sub 25 time and putting exactly a minute over fellow teammate Colton Yorek. In Girls Varsity, Sadie Hamrin of Brainerd had an impressive result in the girls race, posting the only sub 30 minute time, almost 2 minutes to the next finisher, Kate Ludwig of Moorhead.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Recap
January 8, 2018Winding down a big week of racing, Mary Kozloski provides a recap on the classical sprint races along with some quotes from Midwest skiers, and recaps all the Midwest juniors that qualified for the international trips.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Coverage
January 8, 2018US Nationals wrapped up on Monday with classic sprint events at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. The men's sprint final was a Midwest vs. Alaska showdown with three Midwest skiers: Zak Ketterson, Kevin Bolger and Ben Saxton. Reese Hanneman collected his second sprint title of the week, followed closely by yesterday's winner, Tyler Kornfield, with Saxton moving ahead of the chase pack to take third. Felicia Gesior advanced to the women's semifinal before getting bumped out. The unstoppable Caitlin Patterson scored yet another title in taking the girls final with Jasmi Oensuu second and Kaitlynn Miller third. Results linked in, recap and some photos late tonight.
US Nationals: Classical Distance Recap
January 7, 2018Mary Kozloski has interviews with some of the top Midwest performers and a recap of the senior classical distance races at US Nationals on Sunday.
US Nationals: Classical Distance Coverage
January 7, 2018US Nationals held their premiere event on Sunday with the mass start classical distance races at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. In the women's 20K classical, Caitlin Patterson was yet again the top American, finishing second only to Hedda Baangman of Sweden, with a groundbreaking performance by the Midwest's own Rosie Frankowski finishing third (and 2nd American). Alayna Sonnesyn, another Minnesota native, also had a stellar performance, finishing 6th (4th American)! The men's 30K saw a large lead pack eventually come down to a sprint finish with Tyler Kornfield taking the win, followed by Eric Packer and Eivind Kvaale. Adam Martin cracked the top 10 finishing 9th. Hannah Halvorsen won the women's 5K with Hannah Rudd completing a great week with 8th today. The men's 10K was won by Hunter Wonders as Reid Goble had the top Midwest finisher at 9th. US Nationals comes to a completion on Monday with classical sprint events. Results linked in, along with some great photosets from Jackie Schneider.
Tour de Ski: Stage 7 Finale
January 7, 2018The Tour de Ski series wrapped Sunday with the incredibly difficult uphill finish skate stage. Norway's Heidi Weng dropped her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg en route to victory, with Jessie Diggins skiing strongly to take third. In the men's event, Switzerland's Dario Colnago held on to win, but the story of the day was Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby moving up from 6th place to take second, with Canada's Alex Harvey moving up one to collect third!
Loppet Invite Coverage
January 6, 2018Crisp temperatures with bright sunshine for the Loppet Invite at Theodore Wirth on Saturday. In the classical race, Mae Barnes, Armstrong, and Ben Olson, Blaine, came out on top. Freestyle victories were earned by Highland Park's Molly Moening and Bloomington's Matthew Clarke. Highland Park girls Celeste Alden and Maeve Moening took the sprint relay title, and Eden Prairie's David De Jong and Austin Morrow took the boys crown. The Highland Park Girls and Boys teams won the team titles. Results linked in, photosets posted.
Mesabi East Invite Results
January 6, 2018Over 900 juniors participated Saturday afternoon in the Mesabi East Invite at Giants Ridge. Cold weather delayed the start until noon, and then had skiers going out every 15 seconds. In the classical races, Stillwater's Siri Bohacek strided away with the title with Grand Rapids Emma Stertz second, Duluth East's Gretchen Haggenmiller third. Grand Rapids (and biathlon) star Garrett Beckrich showed some kick with a victory in the boys classical race, Ryan Mead, Forest Lake, second, and Hunter Zupko, Little Falls third. Hannah Bettendorf, Proctor/Hermantown (and #2 ranked) crushed the girls skate field, winning by nearly 30 seconds, Libby Tuttle, Stillwater second and Regan Duffy, Forest Lake, third. Peter Moore, SPA, scooped up the boys freestyle title, Alex Kelling, Grand Rapids was second with Matthew Bourne, Mounds Park Academy, third. Team titles went to the Forest Lake boys and Stillwater girls.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Recap
January 5, 2018Mary Kozloski provides a recap, along with interviews from a number of top Midwest skiers, on the second day of US Nationals which saw skiers competing for titles in the freestyle sprint races.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Coverage
January 5, 2018Much better conditions Friday for US Nationals for the freestyle sprints on Friday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, as temperatures cooled off and the course firmed up. Reese Hanneman, APU, took the men's sprint title with Midwest native Kevin Bolger, Sun Valley, second and Tyler Kornfield, APU, third. NMU's Zak Ketterson was fourth. Anne Hart, SMS T2, posted the fastest women's qualifier, by nearly two seconds, but was bumped out in the semifinals. Caitlin Patterson picked up her second victory in taking the women's sprint title with Jasmi Joensuu second and Petra Hyncicova third. In the junior division sprints, Scott Shulz, NYSEF and Sydney Palmer-Leger, Sun Valley, collected the titles. Minnesota Kelly Koch made the junior final, finishing 6th. Top qualifiers on the day included: Alayna Sonnesyn 3rd FU23 (7th overall), Nicole Schneider 6th FU23, Sarah Bezdicek 7th FU23; Hannah Rudd 3rd FU20, Anja Maijala 7th FU20; Abigail Jarzin 3rd FU18, Leah Rudd 8th FU18, Mara McCollor 10th FU18; Andrew Egger 1st MU23, Zak Ketterson 3rd MU23 Tom Bye 5th MU23, Ian Torchia 10th MU23; William Kerker 10th MU20; Anders Sonnesyn 9th FU18. Photos by Jackie Schneider of the sprint heats up now.
US Nationals: 10K, 15K Freestyle Coverage
January 3, 2018US Nationals got underway in Anchorage, Alaska Wednesday morning with 10K and 15K freestyle races. After being snowstarved most of the season, organizers set the course on a 2.5K snowmaking loop only to receive a bombardment of wet snow today. Caitlin Gregg showed she is still on form, taking second place overall, 20 seconds back of winner Caitlin Patterson, with Chelsea Holmes third, and Minnesota native Rosie Frankowski in fourth. Father and shop co-owner Matt Liebsch had an incredible performance, skating to third place in the mens 15K with only Scott Patterson and Noah Hoffman, both skiers with World Cup starts this season, in front of him. Full recap by Mary Kozloski, plus photos from Jackie Schneider.
US Nationals Preview
December 31, 2017US Nationals competition starts on Wednesday in Anchorage, Alaska. We've put together a short primer on the event with loads of web links, as well as a brief review of the Midwest skiers.
Mora Invite Results
December 22, 2017Peter Larsen reports: We had 440 racers from 11 teams come out to Mora on Thursday to race on a 2km manmade snow reinforced thanks to the Vasaloppet "Snow Farmers". Varsity races were 1.1km sprint format, finishing under the lights outside the Vasaloppet Nordic Center. Varsity Champions were James Woolhouse and Johanna Schwinghamer, both from Mora.
Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Round 1
December 19, 2017The first Junior National Qualifier races have been held, along with a few early season meets, so we've taken a pass at the first round of in-season rankings. Mara McCollor and Luc Golin, both of Wayzata, continue at the number one ranking. The Wayzata boys and Mpls Southwest girls remain the top ranked teams.
CXC: Year End Drive Under Two Weeks
December 19, 2017CXC Year End Fundraiser Drive is quickly running down with under two weeks left. Check out the special message from Brian Gregg and consider making your contribution today.
Houghton JNQ/CCSA: Classical
December 17, 2017A beautiful day of racing Sunday on the Michigan Tech trails as the weekend series wrapped up with classical mass start events. In the men's 15K, NMU swept the top five places with Zak Ketterson 1st, Ian Torchia 2nd, and Lars Soensterud 3rd. CXC's Felicia Gesior and NMU alumni held off her previous teammates for the women's 10K win, Vivian Hett 2nd and Kris Bourne 3rd. Top juniors on the day: Mara McCollor, FU18, 11th; Amanda Kutzer, FU20, 10th; Alex Nemeth, MU18, 15th; Reid Goble, U20, 8th. Results linked in and photosets from Jackie Schneider and Chris Schmidt are up.
Houghton JNQ/CCSA: Freestyle Sprints
December 16, 2017Houghton lived up to it's reputation Saturday as snow continued to fall across the UP for the freestyle sprint races at Michigan Tech. In the mens senior division, Kevin Bolger held off NMU's Zak Ketterson for the victory with Ian Torchia third. NMU exchange student skier Anikken Alnaes topped the womens sprint final with teammates Vivian Hett second and Sarah Bezdicek third. U20/18 heats were won by Ryan Steger (CSS) and Megan Schiferl (CSS). And in the U16 division, Sam Stertz won for the boys, Elsa Viren for the girls -- both skiers from Mt. Itasca Nordic. Results linked in now, along with great photosets from Jackie Schneider and Chris Schmidt.
Hoigaards Relays Coverage
December 16, 2017Another big turnout for the annual Hoigaards Relays, racing at Elm Creek on Saturday morning. Teams did 6 x 1.8K relay, usually in teams of two skiers. Organizers report: The duo of Andy Brown and Matt Liebsch held off The Morgan Brothers Cole and Jake for victory in the Men's Masters Relay, while a competitive Mixed Masters field was topped by Daisy Richmond and Spencer Warejoncas. In the Junior Boys Relay, Stillwater Area High swept the podium, with Carl Bohacek and Brian Olson taking the win. Southwest Minneapolis' Zoe Camp and Katy Scott took honors in the Junior Girls Relay. In the Mixed Juniors Race, Osseo's Nick Kjome and Maple Grove's Ally Hammann teamed up for the win. Results posted, along with photos from the Junior race.
Spooner High School Meet Results
December 12, 2017The Midwest high school racing got underway on Tuesday evening with Wisconsin kids racing in Spooner. David Ecker of Chippewa Valley Nordic won the boys 4.4K freestyle race, while 7th grader Fran Peterson, 4591 program, won for the girls.
Mesabi East Invite Registration Now Open
December 5, 2017Meet information and online registration are now available for the 2018 Mesabi East Invite, coming up on Jan 6th at Giants Ridge.
2017-18 Minnesota High School Coaches Waxing Policy
December 4, 2017The Minnesota High School Coaches Nordic Ski Association has posted their waxing policy for the 2017-18 season.
Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Preview and Preseason Rankings
December 3, 2017While much of the state is still awaiting snow, the Minnesota high school Nordic ski season is underway. We take a brief look at a few changes on tap this winter and take a first crack at the rankings for individuals and teams.
NNF Drive for 25 Campaign - Where the Money Goes
November 14, 2017The National Nordic Foundation has released a slick video highlighted the impacts NNF funding has had on some of the top juniors. Please show your support by contributing to one of the fundraising campaigns of your favorite Midwest ambassador:
- Jessie Diggins
- Bryan Fish
- Team Gregg
- Nicole Schneider
- Yuriy Gusev
- Ian Torchia
- Abby Jarzin
- Loppet Nordic Racing
- CXC Team
- Northern Michigan Univ
- Adam Loomis
- Ben Loomis
Opening Day: Winona High School Nordic Ski Team
November 13, 2017Minnesota's high school Nordic skiing season started on Monday! We dropped in on Winona High School for opening day practice. Under the guidance of new head coach Jacob Teichroew, the team briefly met for some introductions then headed out for a short warmup run around part of Lake Winona. Skiers then participated in a strength test session to establish a an initial benchmark for the season. The test included sets of pull ups, sit ups, box jumps, push ups and bench dips. Practice wound down with locker assignments and general first-day paperwork. The team plans to be out on their fleet of rollerskis by mid-week, and hopefully on snow at St. Mary's University by early December.
LNR JNQ and Collegiate Racing Presentation
November 6, 2017Loppet Nordic Racing is presentation this Sunday, Nov 12th, for those interested in learning about Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) racing and XC skiing in college. LNR Coaches Chris Harvey and Piotr Bednarski led the discussion with Q&A afterwards - skiers and parents are invited!
Minnesota High School State CC Meet Coverage
November 4, 2017A rather dreary day for the Minnesota High School State Cross-Country Championships at St. Olaf College in Northfield Saturday. Temperatures stayed in the upper 30s under cloudy and misty skies. However, the racing action was still strong. In the girls AA, Minneapolis Washburn's Emily Covert topped returning champion Anna Fenske, Farmington, less than 5 seconds. Wayzata's Khalid Hussein pulled away from Roseville's Acer Iverson in the final 500m to take the victory in boys AA. Wayzata swept the AA teams titles. In the afternoon girls A race, Tierney Wolfgram, Math and Science Academy, took the lead from the starting gun and never looked back, winning by over 45 seconds. La Cresent reversed last year's finish, taking the victory in a sprint over Declan Dahlberg, Mounds Park Academy. Perham also pulled off the sweep, taking the class A titles -- the girls winning by a single point over Winona-Cotter!
Minnesota Fall Coaches Association Meeting Recap
October 14, 2017A brief recap on the Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Coaches Association Meeting held Saturday at the Vasaloppet Center in Mora. Big topics on the day included waxing restrictions, rule book development, and future state meet venues.
Annual Fall Coaches Meeting
September 27, 2017The annual Minnesota High School Coaches Association Fall Meeting will be held Saturday, Oct 14th at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center in Mora. Topics on the agenda include waxing policies, pole length implementation, rules book clarification, Adaptive Nordic, CXC Coaches Education, and voting for the next Association President.
Wisconsin State Meet Update
September 25, 2017An update on the Wisconsin high school state meet including discussion on format and schedule changes, updates at the Birkie start area, trail changes, and living streaming again.
Midwest JN and U16 Coaching Openings
September 12, 2017CXC and Midwest junior committee has posted openings for Midwest Junior National and NENSA U16 Coaching positions for the big events coming in March 2018. Application deadline is mid-October.
Voting Open for High School Nordic Coach, Assistant Coach and Volunteer of the Year
May 26, 2017Minnesota 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.
2016-17 Season Highlights
May 1, 2017Catch highlights plus full results and photos from the 2016-2017 high school racing season.