Archives 2024
Weekend Racing
December 18, 2024Some holiday races on tap...
Dec 21 Winter Warm-Up - Put in some race laps at Elm Creek with 10K and 5K events.
Dec 21 Santa Ski Race - Ariens Nordic hosts a festive races, complete with Santa hats!
Dec 21-22 Coleraine JNQ - Two days of JNQ racing on the trails at Mt. Itasca.
Any updates we receive will be posted in the Racing Outlook.
Related:
Waxing Recommendations
Price Hike: Seeley Hills Classic
December 17, 2024The popular classic technique event, the Seeley Hills Classic is coming up on January 11th. Sign up by Thursday night to avoid the next price hike!
Holiday Relays Coverage
December 17, 2024A seasonal staple, Holiday Relays was held at Battle Creek on Tuesday for its second year following its reboot. With well over 100 relay teams participating across all competitions, there was plenty of excitement in the air, but perhaps none more than for the crowd from St. Paul Central who took home the title in both the boy's and girl's races by sizable margins. Second was also decisively decided in both races with the Stillwater boy's and girl's teams securing their spot on the podium while also picking up a third place position in the girl's race via their second team. Coming from behind, Irondale would lay claim to the final spot on the boy's podium in third. Results are up and linked in, plus video recaps of both the boy's and girl's varsity races.
Cable JNQ: Classic Coverage
December 17, 2024Nearly a week of racing at the American Birkebeiner trailhead wrapped up on Tuesday with 20K classic mass start races. In the men's event, APU's Luke Jager topped John Steel Hagenbuch, SVSEF, and Brian Bushey, UU, in a tight finish that saw 13 skiers finish within 36 seconds. Erica Laven, UU, continued a strong run with a victory in the womens event, just ahead of Tilde Baangman, Univ of Colorado, with Nina Seemann, BSF, taking third. Full results linked in, along with photos from the men's race by Jackie Schneider.
Cable JNQ: Freestyle Results
December 15, 2024Sunday featured freestyle interval 10K races at the trails at the American Birkebeiner start area. John Steel Hagenbuch (Senior) of Sun Valley SEF took the overall victory with Will Koch, University of Colorado (U23) second, and Remi Drolet (Senior), SMS T2, third. Tabor Greenberg from the University of Vermont led the U20 competitors, finishing 13th in the total rankings. Among the youngest racers, Logan Drevlow of Loppet Nordic Racing was the top U18 athlete, crossing the finish line in 36th place overall. On the women's side, Erica Laven (U23) from the University of Utah dominated, finishing first overall, the only skier to finish in under 25 minutes. Tilde Baangman, University of Colorado, topped the Senior category, securing second place. Nina Seemann (U23), BSF Pro Team, was third. Nina Schamberger, University of Utah, led the U20 group, placing fourth overall. In the U18 division, Elsa Lindfors of Endurance United lead the way, finishing 31st overall. Connor Reckinger and Linnea Ousdigian had the top U16 times in the 5K event. Full results linked in.
World Cup Davos: Classic Distance
December 15, 2024Sunday's interval-start 20K classic race was the final competition in Davos, Switzerland, and the final event of Period I of the World Cup circuit. While there were some absences from the lineup with a few athletes breaking early to prepare for the Tour de Ski, most of the big names were still there, including Therese Johaug of Norway who was a favorite to win the women's race. That honor would go to her teammate however, Astrid Oeyre Slind, who picked up her first World Cup victory at the age of 36, while Johaug would get bumped to third by Finland's classic superstar, Kerttu Niskanen. Equaling his sisters efforts, Finland's other classic superstar, Iivo Niskanen, would finish second in the men's race behind an impressive performance by Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway, and ahead of an inspiring third place finish by France's Hugo Lapalus, his first 'real' World Cup podium. Results from the American crowd was mixed on the day, with Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan posting the highest finishes of the women's team in 7th and 8th, while Gus Schumacher led the men's team in 21st. A well deserved rest awaits athletes now, with Period II of the World Cup, the Tour de Ski, starting up a few days before year's end on Dec 28th.
Cable CXC Cup Livestream
December 15, 2024Hoigaards Relays Coverage
December 14, 2024Twin Cities racing picked up again Saturday morning with the annual Hoigaards Relays events at Elm Creek. The duo of Matt Liebsch/Jakob Ellingson topped the master field with Anders Sonnesyn/Luc Golin taking second and Jacob Dean/Joe Thuente in third. The pairing of Lillian and Emma Jamison had the best time in a sparse women's field. Caitlin Gregg and Andrew Brown teamed up to win the mixed field. The high school races featured teams ranging from two to four skiers for the 6 x 1.5K format. The Jamison gals hit the course again to take a second victory, with Cecilia and Madelynn joining Lillian and Emma. Erik Olsen/Finn Rodefeld combined for the best boys time. Full results posted, along with photos from Shannon Brault!
Cable JNQ: Classic Sprints Results
December 14, 2024The Gitchi Gami Games classic sprints featured a large field as over 500 skiers participated in a full day of racing. Erica Laven and Graham Houtsma took the open division victories with Elsa Lindfors and Tabor Greenberg winning the junior sprint finals. In the U16 division, Minnesota high school champ Linnea Ousdigian and Canada's Reid Thompson were the winners. Results linked in.
World Cup Davos: Freestyle Sprints
December 14, 2024For the second night in a row freestyle sprints were the main event in Davos for their World Cup weekend. Saturday's result were markedly better for US athletes with eight making the elimination round, and half of that group making it to the semifinals or further. That group included Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden, who both fought hard to advance to the finals but met tough opposition there, each finishing 6th. One other notable standout of that group was Alayna Sonnesyn who reached a new career high on the World Cup circuit, finishing 22nd. Winning the respective men's and women's finals were the standouts from yesterday's races, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway and Jonna Sundling of Sweden, who both crossed the line unchallenged. Joining either on the podium were France's Lucas Chanavat and Norway's Erik Valnes in the men's race, and two Norwegians, Mathilde Myhrvold and Julie Myhre, in the women's race. Tomorrow will feature an interval-start 20K classic race for the final day of World Cup racing in Switzerland.
World Cup Davos: Team Sprints
December 13, 2024A rarity on the World Cup circuit, athletes got to try their hand at sprinting as a team for the opening night of races in Davos, Switzerland. Of the four teams fielded, three made the cut for Team USA, but success was hard to come by in a fairly competitive field. The best results from the group were a pair of 7th place finishes by the men's and women's teams, with a second men's team finishing immediately behind the first in 8th. Favorites by far, Norway and Sweden claimed victory in the men's and women's races respectively, bolstered by a pair of sprinters that have been on a hot streak: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Jonna Sundling. Filling out the rest of either podium was an elated Swiss team and a team from Sweden on the men's side, and a Norwegian team and another excited team from Switzerland on the women's side. Athletes will now do it all again tomorrow with another round of sprinting on the books, this time competing individually.
World Cup Racing: Davos Schedule
December 11, 2024Another World Cup weekend is upon us with athletes migrating south to Switzerland for three days of racing in Davos. Switching things up a bit, the opening event on Friday will be a team sprint in the freestyle technique which will take place at 11:00 AM CST. The sprinting action then continues into Saturday with a round of individual freestyle sprints where the qualifiers will take place at 7:45 AM CST, and the heats at 10:15 AM CST. To close it all out, an interval-start 20K classic race will take place on Sunday, with the men's field going first at 4:30 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 7:00 AM CST.
ABR Opener High School Race Coverage
December 9, 2024Dale Fanney reports: About 100 high school skiers from the WNSL and the UP raced in the ABR Opener on Saturday. Snow and race conditions were excellent on the ABR 5k course. MadNorSki skiers Sasha Gusev and Kyra Vander Zanden placed First and 4th with Peak Nordic skiers Krin Blegen 2nd and Riley Grossklaus 3rd. In the boys race, Cole Mirek from Peak Nordic won a photo finish over Neils Stringer, MadNorSki, and Ben Dahlby, CVN. Results posted along with photos from Jonathon Rulseh.
World Cup Lillehammer: Skiathlon; Diggins Takes Third
December 8, 2024World Cup racing in Lillehammer, Norway came to a close on Sunday with the first skiathlon of the season. Historically a strong event for Jessie Diggins, Sunday's 20K race was no different as she skied smart to finish third just behind a defiant Heidi Weng of Norway. Well out in front in the women's competition however was another Norwegian, Therese Johaug, who erased any doubts about her post-retirement fitness with a statement win. The men's competition was a much tighter affair with the race coming down to the wire in a three-way sprint between three Norwegians: Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Jan Thomas Jenssen, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget. They would finish in that order, but not without an American hot on their heels, Gus Schumacher, who had a strong showing with a 5th place finish. Across the board the US team had markedly improved results on Sunday, with Sophia Laukli and Julia Kern also finding success with 11th and 20th place finishes respectively. It's on to Davos, Switzerland now for the third and final weekend of Period I of the World Cup, with the action getting underway on Friday with a team sprint event.
World Cup Lillehammer: Freestyle Sprints
December 7, 2024Saturday was for freestyle sprints which marked the second day of World Cup competitions in Lillehammer, Norway. Compared to last Saturday it was a more productive outing for the US team with five making the heats, including the top men's qualifier, Ben Ogden. The team's success would be limited however, as Jessie Diggins was the only athlete to advance, making it as far as the semifinals where she finished 8th. In the women's final it was a race for second as Sweden's Jonna Sundling skied away with the win, leaving her teammate Johanna Hagstroem to duke it out against Norway's Julie Myhre, with the pair finishing in that order. The men's final was no different as Norway's finest, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, left the rest of the field in his dust, so it was up to his teammate Even Northug and Italy's Federico Pellegrino to fight over the remaining two spots on the podium, finishing second and third respectively. Turning their attention to Sunday, athletes will be facing a 20K skiathlon event for the final day of racing in Lillehammer.
Skadi's Chase Coverage
December 7, 2024Great conditions - weather and snow - for the Skadi's Chase races at Elm Creek on Saturday morning, part of the Minnesota Nordic Opener. Matt Liebsch secured yet another title, pulling ahead of Sam Holt in the final stretch with David Joda rounding out the podium for the men. In the women's race, Gabby Vandendries took the victory over Cheresa Bouley with Nicole Eliasson in third. IN the 4K high school races, St. Paul Central's Elsa Lindfors and MPA's Eddie Snider topped the big fields. Results linked in, plus photosets from both races posted.
Biathlon: Campbell Wright Scores 4th Place in Kontiolahti
December 6, 2024US Biathlon team member and New Zealand native Campbell Wright finished fourth in the men's 10km sprint in Kontiolahti, Finland, on Friday, his best World Cup result to date. Wright shot a perfect 10/10 and finished just seconds off the podium.
Price Hike: Vasaloppet USA
December 6, 2024Snowmaking operations are well underway in Mora and the Vasaloppet USA has a price hike coming up on December 9th. Get your registrations in by Sunday night to save some cash!
World Cup Lillehammer: Freestyle Distance
December 6, 2024The second World Cup weekend of the 2024-2025 season kicked off on Friday in the same way last weekend's competitions did: with a 10k interval-start race, this time in the freestyle technique. Taking place in Lillehammer, Norway, home field advantage was in full effect as the home team swept both the men's and women's podiums, with the most notable finish of the group going to Therese Johaug who picked up her first victory on the circuit since two years prior at the same venue. To either side of her on the women's podium where her teammates, Heidi Weng in second, and Astrid Oeyre Slind in third, while the men's podium, from the top down, was made up of Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, Simen Hegstad Krueger, and Haralad Oestberg Amundsen. After some sensational skiing last Sunday, the American results were more subdued, with Jessie Diggins leading the way for the team in 5th, while Sophia Laukli also posted a strong result in 15th. Tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities however as athletes will shift gears and warm up their fast twitch muscles for a round of freestyle sprints.
Mesabi East Invite Details Posted
December 5, 2024The huge Mesabi East Invite meet is scheduled for January 11th! Registration is now open with a deadline of Jan 6th. Full details on the event in the press release.
Weekend Racing
December 4, 2024The opening weekend of racing is here!
Dec 7 Skadi's Chase - Citizen race at Elm Creek as part of the Nordic Opener. And opening race of the Tour de Finn series!
Dec 7 Season Opener - Big snow in the UP and a fun, low key race to kick off the season.
Our Racing Outlook will have any event updates we've received.
Related:
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Holiday Relays Set for Dec 17th
December 4, 2024The high school Holiday Relays will be racing Tuesday, Dec 17th at Battle Creek West. True relay format, 4x2.5K with two classic and two freestyle legs. Up to 15 teams will be able to compete, register your high school team today!
World Cup Racing: Lillehammer Schedule
December 3, 2024After a thrilling opening weekend the World Cup circuit moves on to Lillehammer, Norway for the second stop of the season. The competition kicks off on Friday with an interval-start 10K freestyle race for all athletes where the men's field will be heading out first at 3:30 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 5:45 AM CST. Then freestyle sprints are on deck for Saturday, with a qualification round taking place at 2:00 AM CST, and the ensuing heats taking place at 4:30 AM CST. Finally, a 20K skiathlon will close out the weekend on Sunday, with the men's field again getting to go first at 3:00 AM CST, and the women's field getting their turn afterwards at 5:15 AM CST.
World Cup Ruka: Freestyle Distance; Diggins Does it Again
December 1, 2024Sunday was a big day for American athletes as four would finish within the top-10 in the day's 20K mass-start freestyle event in Ruka. Leading the group was Jessie Diggins who was a testament to "if there's a will there's a way," battling back to not only reel in a pair of Norwegian skiers that broke away late, but also pass them in the final few hundred meters for a fiery finish that earned her her first win of the season. She did so by out sprinting Jonna Sundling of Sweden, who had been hot on her heels for much of the race but had to settle for second, while Heidi Weng proved to be a better sprinter than her teammate Therese Johaug, finishing third. Not much further back was Sophia Laukli who finished an impressive 10th. Also impressive was the pair of Zanden McMullen and Gus Schumacher of the US men who finished 7th and 8th respectively, a career high for McMullen. There was a lot of red finishing in front of the two however, with five Norwegians in the top-6 which included the podium of Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Jan Thomas Jenssen, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget. Next up: athletes will be making their way to the other side of Scandinavia for three days of racing in Lillehammer, Norway, starting with a 10K interval-start freestyle race on Friday.
World Cup Ruka: Classic Sprints
November 30, 2024Classic sprints were the main event for the second day of World Cup racing in Ruka, a day that was filled with highs and lows. For the US team, it was a challenging day, with only two athletes qualifying for the heats, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan, who both struggled to advance out of their quarterfinals. The heats were also rife with crashes, knocking out a few of the favorites, but also leaving opportunities for a few of the up-and-comers. That group included Sweden's Johanna Hagstroem, who got her first victory in the women's final, and the runner-up, Norway's Julie Myhre, who got her first podium. Joining the pair on the podium was Maja Dahlqvist, also of Sweden. The men's sprint final had a different narative, with Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo maintaining his sprint status quo with yet another win, with his teammate Erik Valnes at his side in second. To the delight of the home crowd, Lauri Vuorinen rounded out the men's podium in third. The opening weekend of World Cup racing will conclude tomorrow with a 20K mass-start freestyle for all athletes.
World Cup Ruka: Classic Distance
November 29, 2024An exciting new World Cup season got underway on Friday at the Ruka ski resort in Finland, this time breaking the decades long norm with a 10K interval start classic race. Norwegian dominance was felt across the board as the nation secured four podium positions between the men's and women's races, but the top finish in both competitions went to a Finn and a Swede respectively—the hometown hero Iivo Niskanen, and Frida Karlsson. Therese Johaug, the returning retiree, and Astrid Oeyre Slind rounded out the women's podium in second and third, and Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget did likewise for the men's podium. Like no time had passed at all, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan led the way for the US team, both securing top-10 finishes in 7th and 9th respectively, while Gus Schumacher was the highlight of the men's squad, finishing just inside the top-20 in 18th. The second of three days of racing will bring a bout of sprinting action tomorrow, again in the classic technique.
Biathlon: Midwest Athletes Get Internationals Starts
November 25, 2024U.S. Biathlon announced the 16 athletes who will represent the United States on the World Cup and IBU Cup circuits for trimester one. Several Upper Midwest athletes will compete in the Biathlon World Cup and IBU Cup events including Deedra Irwin, Margie Freed, Jake Brown, Lucinda Anderson, Michaela Keller-Miller, and Luke Brown.
World Cup Racing: Season Preview
November 22, 2024With less than a week to go until the start of a new World Cup campaign we've put together everything you need to know to follow the action all winter long. It's going to be a high stakes season with the World Championships taking place in February, but there's plenty of reason to be exited for a US squad that's been firing on all cylinders the past few years. Dive into the coverage to find out where the team will be headed and who they'll be competing against when the season kicks off next Friday.
Wisconsin Nordic Ski League Matching Fundraising Effort
November 18, 2024The Wisconsin Nordic Ski League organizes events for 5th-12th grade athletes, including a high school and middle school skiing championship with over 450 participants from 25+ teams. Help support the league as they have a matching fundraising offer for donations received by Jan 15th!
Price Hikes: Sisu Ski Fest, Seeley Hills Classic
November 12, 2024Two price hikes coming this week:
Jan 11 Sisu Ski Fest - The big Midwest opener is filling fast! Register by Friday night, Nov 15th, to avoid the fee jump.
Jan 11 Seeley Hills Classic - Kick and glide from the Korte start. Register by Thursday night, Nov 14th, to avoid the fee jump.
Team Birkie Launches Sponsorship Initiative
November 12, 2024Team Birkie, with five Olympians and multiple Birkie victories, showcases the region's commitment to an active, outdoor lifestyle. Businesses can now partner with Team Birkie to connect with a health-conscious, upwardly-mobile population and support athletes inspiring the next generation in the upper Midwest.
Tour de Finn: 2024-2025 Updates
November 12, 2024The Tour de Finn is gearing up for its second season and has announced its lineup for the 2024-2025 season. Building off of last season, they're implementing a selection of rule changes to make their schedule more accommodating and to better account for race cancelations (which we saw plenty of this past winter), plus they've added two more offerings: the Dirtbag Series, and the Skiwerx Series.
U of M's ESPI Releases Report on Survey of Midwest Nordic Coaches
November 11, 2024The 2023-24 winter season in the Upper Midwest faced significant challenges due to warm temperatures and low snowfall. The Univ of Minnesota's Equitable Sport and Physical Activity Innovations (ESPI) Lab has published their survey of over 100 Midwest Nordic ski coaches. The survey revealed widespread disruptions to training, increased costs, and logistical challenges. Despite these difficulties, coaches remained resilient and adapted, though many expressed concerns about climate change's future impact. The report also contains number of suggestions.
MNHSNSCA: Preseason High School Rankings
November 11, 2024The Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association (MNHSNSCA) has published their preseason rankings for the Minnesota High School Nordic ski season. Returning champs Linnea Ousdigian and Logan Drevlow get the number one spot, with Washburn girls and Brainerd boys the early favorites.
Birkie: Inaugural Shred de She Fat Bike Event Announced
November 11, 2024The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is hosting Shred de She, a new women's fat biking event Jan 3-5th in Cable. Modeled after the successful Ski de She series, the event aims to encourage female riders of all levels to explore winter fat biking, develop skills, and connect with a community of enthusiasts. The event will feature skill-building clinics, guided trail rides, and wellness workshops.
Loppet Foundation Welcomes New Executive Director Meghan Cosgrove
November 8, 2024The Loppet Foundation has named Meghan Cosgrove as its new Executive Director. Cosgrove, with a track record of making the outdoors more inclusive, looks to build on the organization's success and continue its mission of growing the cross-country skiing community through experiences that foster diversity and equity.
NNF Launches Officials' Grant to Boost TD Pool
November 7, 2024The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) has launched an Officials' Grant Program to support volunteers who officiate cross-country skiing competitions. The initiative aims to create a sustainable fundraising model and address the long-standing need for more FIS Technical Delegates (TD). The grant program seeks to reduce financial barriers for new officials, with a focus on recruiting recently retired athletes and others motivated to stay involved in the sport.
Midwest Racing Season Preview
November 7, 2024After a warm start to fall, a chill has entered the air which can only mean one thing—winter is coming. Despite a subdued 2023/2024 season on the racing front, each new season brings a renewed sense of excitement to see the first flakes fly, and we're looking to bottle some of that excitement as we preview the Midwest racing scene for the 2024/2025 season.
Price Hike: Fat Bike Birkie
November 5, 2024Set for March 8th, the Fat Bike Birkie provides the one-day unique experience of racing Fat Bikes on the famous American Birkebeiner trail. The event offers a wide range of categories and distance -- something for everyone. The next price hike is midnight Thursday, Nov 7th, so get your registration in by Thursday night!
Ariens to Host First U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals
November 4, 2024Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion, WI, will host the inaugural U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals and NorAm Masters Championships on February 14-16th. The event offers midwest cross-country skiing and biathlon enthusiasts, including masters athletes from the region, a chance to compete at a world-class venue. Medals will be awarded in five age categories, plus an "Open" division for athletes under 30.
Price Hikes: Sisu Ski Fest, Birkie Week Events
October 29, 2024Two notable price hikes coming Friday, so sign up by Thursday night to save:
- Jan 11 Sisu Ski Fest
- Feb 19-22 Birkie Week Events
Sisu Ski Fest: Races Over Half Full, Price Hike Coming Friday
October 28, 2024Registration is now open for the 16th annual SISU Ski Fest. The ski races will take place Saturday, Jan 11th in Ironwood, MI. Sign up before Friday, Nov 1st and save on this quality early season race on natural snow in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
CXC Rollerski Championships Coverage
October 27, 2024The CXC Rollerski Championships were held over the weekend on the asphalt trails at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable. Team Birkie and World Cup athletes Alayna Sonnesyn and Zak Ketterson showcased top form on the weekend, with Ketterson taking the 10K skate and classic sprint titles and Sonnesyn also winning the 10K skate and coming in second in the sprint final. Full results linked in, along with classic sprint photos from Bryce Kryzer.
Coaching Positions
October 15, 2024High school Nordic ski season starts in less than a month and there are still some coaching positions open. Also posted, Coach Development Coordinator with the Loppet Foundation.
Price Hike: Birkie Tour, Night Race
October 15, 2024The Birkie Tour and Night Race weekend is scheduled for Saturday, January 25th. Save some on fees by registering by Thursday night.
MNHSNSCA Fall Meeting Minutes
October 15, 2024The annual Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association meeting was last weekend in Mora. Some highlights from the published meeting minutes: discussion on proposed changes to State Meet qualification, proposal update on season dates; update on State Meet venues; update on head gear rules.
USCSA: Collegiate Nordic Teams Guide
October 8, 2024USCSA is promoting a new guide to help skiers get the most detailed information on collegiate skiing opportunities around the US. Produced by a student/athlete, the guide contents team descriptions from actual athletes and coaches, from all the divisions.
Biathlon: Sixteen Athletes Named to Final Pre-Season Camp in Vuokatti
October 7, 2024U.S. Biathlon has announced the roster for the European pre-season camp to take place in Vuokatti, Finland, which includes a bevy of Midwest skiers. The final on-snow camp will later determine the trimester one IBU World Cup and IBU Cup rosters.
Team Birkie Announces 2024-2025 Development Team
October 3, 2024Team Birkie's Regional Development Team adds six Minnesota athletes: Adrik Kraftson, Benon Brattebo, Colin Freed, Greta Hansen, Maggie Wagner, and Morgan Richter. All are NCAA skiers with strong local backgrounds, supporting Midwest talent development.
US Ski Team: 2024-2025 Cross-Country Team Announced
September 12, 2024The U.S. Ski & Snowboard named 27 athletes to the 2024-25 Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. A big roster with a number of Midwest skiers selected: Jessie Diggins, A Team along with Kevin Bolger and Zak Ketterson, B Team. Plus coaches and support staff: Eli Brown, Chris Hecker and Paul Choudoir, World Cup Service; Kristen Bourne, D Team Coach.
Birkie Trail Run Film Festival
September 5, 2024New this year, the Birkie is offering a Friday evening film festival at Mount Telemark Village. As part of the Trail Run weekend, Sep 27-28th, the event is open to all and your ticket includes Mt. Telemark Hike, complimentary beverage, fun and games, campfires and s'mores.
Out There: Citizen Race Service
September 5, 2024Out There ski shop is offering race service for a number of local ski races this winter, including the Seeley Hills Classic, City of Lakes events, SISU Ski Fest and more. Sign up to get more details on the packages they'll be offering this winter.
NNF: Application for Trail to Gold Fellowship Open
August 27, 2024The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is excited to announce that the application period for Trail to Gold Coaching Grants is now open. The Trail to Gold Coaching Grant program provides American women coaches and technicians the opportunity to gain international-level experience through an immersive internship with the US Ski Team. Application deadline is Sept 9th.
Utah Will Host 2034 Winter Olympics
July 24, 2024Salt Lake City, Utah has been selected to host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, a decision made during the 142nd International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Paris, France. The historic decision marks the fifth time the Winter Olympic Games have been held in the USA and 32 years since Utah last hosted the world.
Shoreline Sprints Coverage
July 17, 2024Out There's big two-day rollerski festival, the Shoreline Sprints, were held last weekend in Rice Lake. In the 15K classic race on Friday, Mariel Pulles and Zak Ketterson took the victories. Saturday's freestyle sprint titles went to Zak Ketterson in a tight finish over Julian Smith and Mariel Pulles again for the women. Check out a full recap, results, photos and video clips!
Out There: Shoreline Rollerski Races This Weekend
July 7, 2024The Shoresline Sprints rollerski features two days of racing, including a classic distance race on Friday and then skate sprints on Saturday. Pro, senior and junior athletes from the US, Canada and Estonia are expected to compete. Races are this Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th -- spectators encouraged to come out and cheer!
CXC: Rollerski Cup Series
June 29, 2024CXC Rollerski Cup is on again this summer, starting July 10th in Cable. Additional stops include Blue Mounds, Duluth and back in Cable.
Birkie's Ben Popp Elected as Worldloppet President
June 16, 2024At the recent General Meeting for the Worldloppet, held this year in Sapporo, Japan, the American Birkebeiner's Executive Director Ben Popp was elected as the new Worldloppet International Skifederation President. The Birkie was the place of birth of the Worldloppet concept back in 1978.
Midwest MTB Report
May 31, 2024May has come and gone, and despite a lot of rain throughout the Midwest the mountain bike scene has been going strong. June brings with it warmer temps and even longer days, so to give us some inspiration of what to do with those extra minutes Jay Richards has for us another installment of his Midwest MTB report.
Team Birkie Regional Team Announced
May 26, 2024Emma Stertz, Dolcie Tanguay, Connor Roberts, and David Ronnevik join Team Birkie's Regional Team for post-collegiate ski racing development. The experienced athletes, including former biathletes and a state high school standout, aim to benefit the Midwest ski community. Aidan Ripp joins the Continental Team after a stellar USCSA career.
Midwest MTB Report
May 23, 2024Bouncing back after a tough break with a wrist injury a month back, Jay Richards returns this week with a new Midwest MTB Report. Covering the start of the series season in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, this week's report includes highlights from race #1 in the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series and race #2 in the Wisconsin Off-Road Series, plus news and notes related to the trails at Telemark, racing at Split Rock, and World Cup at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.
World Cup Returns to the US - Lake Placid 2026
May 16, 2024At the US and Snowboard Spring Congress earlier this week it was unveiled that Lake Placid will host the World Cup Finals in March 2026. Nordic Insights reports on the tentative agreement.
Team Birkie: Junior Development Education
May 10, 2024Team Birkie offers Champions Corner to educate junior athletes through monthly Zoom sessions with ambassadors David Norris and Jessica Yeaton. The elite skiers share insights on training, nutrition, technique and race tactics. Designed to empower athletes of all levels, the interactive series also offers valuable life skills. Recordings are available.
Twin Cities Natives Bolster Team Birkie Marathon Squad
May 6, 2024Team Birkie's Marathon Team gets a big boost with the addition of three former standout Loppet Nordic Racing junior skiers - Abigail Drach, Nicole Eliasson (Schneider), and Vivian Johnson (Hett). The Twin Cities natives bring impressive credentials from junior/collegiate national teams and NCAA All-American honors and will be led by Team Birkie High Performance Manager, Chad Salmela. Note: Team Birkie still has registration open for the College Summer Program.
Ariens Nordic Center to Host Inaugural Biathlon Masters Nationals in 2025
May 6, 2024The Ariens Nordic Center in Wisconsin will host the inaugural U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals and North American Masters Championships on Feb 14-16, 2025. In collaboration with Biathlon Canada, this first-ever event is expected to bring one of the largest gatherings of masters biathletes from across North America for sprint, mass start, and individual competitions across five age groups.
Snake River Canoe Race Results
May 4, 2024With an early ice out this year, water sports have been off to a quick start which was no more evident than at this year's Snake River Canoe Race. Well over 200 participants took part in the 43rd running of the event, its largest turnout post-Covid. The top times in the Pro Boat division went to the teams of Dana Henry/David Nelson (male), Patricia Bohaty/Jessica Kozarek (female), and Kira Stolen/Jeremiah Menk (mixed); while the fastest finishers in the Open Racing division were the teams of Blake Ferree/Jake Hway (male), Kari Henry/Krista Matison (female), and Chris Broderson/Emily Broderson (mixed). A full breakdown of the results, including additional division winners, is linked in below.
2023-24 Season Highlights
May 1, 2024Catch highlights plus full results and photos from the 2023-2024 collegiate racing season.
2023-24 Season Highlights
May 1, 2024Catch highlights plus full results and photos from the 2023-2024 high school racing season.
Birkie Registration Now Open
May 1, 2024Registration for the Slumberland American Birkebeiner, Kortelopet, Prince Haakon, Birkie Tour, and Open Track events opened on May 1st. Secure your wave placement and get in on early pricing by registering now!