Archives 2024-2025
NewRacing Outlook
January 27, 2025Updates on the weekend races, including courses for City of Lakes Loppet and Wolf Tracks Rendezvous, and an update on the Birkie.
Minneapolis JNQ Freestyle Coverage
January 26, 2025The Minneapolis JNQ races wrapped up Sunday with mass start freestyle races at Theodore Wirth. The Greggs completed another family sweep as Caitlin won the women's 10K in dominating fashion while Brian had a more cagey race, marking moves in the lead pack and then pulling ahead in the final 250 meters for the victory. Chloe Angerman finished second overall in the women's race and was the top U20 finisher with Inga Wing third and top U18 while in the men's race, two Canadians rounded out the podium with Kendyn Mashinter and Adam Heale while Logan Drevlow was the top U18 in 5th and Eddie Snider U20 in 6th. In the 5K U16 races, Jack Rudolph and Linnea Ousdigian collected the titles. Results linked in, plus video recaps of the 10K races.
World Cup Engadin: Freestyle Distance
January 26, 2025After a sudden snowfall that left organizers scrambling to set the course, this weekend's World Cup action in Engadin, Switzerland drew to a close on Sunday with a mass-start 20K freestyle event. It was apparent early on in the men's race that Norway had adapted to the course conditions the best with nearly all of their athletes in contention as the field strung out, and it became increasingly clear that the nation would sweep the podium before the finish line was even in sight. Asserting himself over the rest of his countrymen, Johannes would take the victory, while Iver Tildheim Andersen finished second, with Didrik Toenseth third. Likewise, the women's race saw Astrid Oeyre Slind, also of Norway, get off to an early lead that would only ever really be contested by her teammate, Nora Sanness, but in the end Slind would not be denied her fourth World Cup win. A sprint finish from four would decide third with Jonna Sundling of Sweden taking the last spot on the podium, while Jessie Diggins would finish just a few seconds back in that group for 5th, the top result by an American. Zak Ketterson claimed the top finish by an American man in 30th. Another weekend in the books, the circuit heads south to Italy for the final races in Europe before heading back to Scandinavia with the World Ski Championships looming on the horizon.
Minneapolis CXC Cup Livestream
January 26, 2025Founders Classic Results
January 25, 2025The Mora Ski Club put on their annual Founders Classic races Saturday at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center. Three distance races were on the line: 24K titles went to Zach Nelson (photo finish ahead of Brock Lundberg) and Elspeth Ronnander, 12K to Bennett Lundberg and Kate Foley, 6K to Torsten Stenberg and Audrey Urbanowicz.
Minneapolis JNQ Freestyle Sprints Results
January 25, 2025A big turnout on Saturday for a long day of freestyle sprint racing at Theodore Wirth as skiers competed for Junior National Qualifying points. Minnesota high school state champions reigned in their respective divisions as Logan Drevlow won the U20/18 boys final and Linnea Ousdigian took the U16 girls final. Hanna Koch dominated the girls U20/U18 final and Jack Rudolph won the U16 boys final. Sunday will feature mass start freestyle races.
World Cup Engadin: Freestyle Sprints
January 25, 2025Freestyle sprints were the focus for World Cup athletes on Saturday as they attempted to advanced to the heats and beyond on a winding, lakeside course. The US team had a noticably better day in Engadin as eight made the cut from the qualifiers, including Jessie Diggins who lead that group with another sprint final appearance. Unfortunately, the race would get away from her early after a fall and a broken pole took her out of contention, but she would still earn a 6th place finish for her efforts. Winning that final was Sweden's Jonna Sundling who celebrated a hard fought victory over her rival, Kristen Stavaas Skistad of Norway, while Sundling's teammate Maja Dahlqvist held off an impressive Sonjaa Schmidt of Canada for third. To no one's surprise the men's final was won by the one and only Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway who has yet to lose a sprint this season. Sweden's Edvin Anger joined him on the podium in second, while France's Lucas Chanavat would be promoted to third after Italy's Frederico Pellegrino was relegated to last for obstruction. Making it as far as the semifinals, Ben Ogden led the US men in 12th, while Julia Kern also matched that result in the women's semifinals. A mass-start 20K freestyle race awaits all athletes tomorrow as the final featured event in Switzerland.
Minneapolis CXC Cup Livestream
January 25, 2025World Cup Engadin: Mixed Team Relay
January 24, 2025An opportunity for athletes to come together as a team, Friday was reserved for a mixed relay as the weekend's races in Engadin, Switzerland got underway. From the start there was separation as the field became stretched, and by the second lap the lead pack was just two, a team from Sweden and a team from Finland. The third lap saw that number reduced to one as the team from Sweden went it alone, ultimately remaining uncontested for the remainder of the race. Second was a different story however as the competition heated up in the closing K, and when the dust had settled it was a team from a Norway and a team from Switzerland who had made the cut for the final two podium positions. A disappointing day for the US squad, a 14th place finish and a 16th place finish by the two fielded teams meant the best North American results on the day went to our neighbors to the north who's first team finished just outside the top-5 in 6th. World Cup competitions continue tomorrow with freestyle sprints in Engadin.
Price Hike: Vasaloppet USA
January 23, 2025The Vasaloppet crew has been hard at work forming a man-made snow loop for the Vasaloppet weekend races. The big Vasaloppet weekend features freestyle races on Saturday, classic events on Sunday. The next price hike is Saturday, Jan 25th, so register by Friday night to avoid the price increase.
World Cup Racing: Engadin Schedule
January 23, 2025With the Swiss Alps as a backdrop, the World Cup relocates to Engadin this weekend for three days of racing in Switzerland. The action commences on Friday with the first relay of the season, a 4x5K mixed technique event that will have teams alternating tags between men and women with the start slated for 9:00 AM CST. It's on to freestyle sprints the following day with the qualifiers for that event taking place at 3:45 AM CST, and the finals scheduled for a few hours later at 6:15 AM CST. Sunday brings the competitions to a close with another mass-start 20K race as the final weekend event, this time in the freestyle technique with the men's field going first at 5:30 AM CST, and the women's field following suit at 8:00 AM CST.
MNHSNSCA: Round 3 High School Rankings
January 19, 2025The Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association (MNHSNSCA) has released their third round rankings for the Minnesota High School Nordic ski season. Returning champs Linnea Ousdigian and Logan Drevlow continue at top of the rankings, with St. Paul Highland girls overtaking Washburn while Brainerd boys remaining first.
Ariens Nordic JNQ Freestyle Results
January 19, 2025Ariens Nordic hosted 5K freestyle JNQ races on a crisp Sunday in Brillion. The day's fastest times came from U18 skier Anders Giese (Norge Ski Club) with 12:33.8 in the men's field and U18 skier Krin Blegen (Peak Nordic) with 14:22.8 in the women's field. Division winners included: Connor Reckinger and Onika Colassacco (both Bay Nordic) in U16, and Sawyer Hansen and Ashley Derenne (both Bay Nordic) in U14. Bay Nordic showed impressive depth, claiming four division victories on the day.
World Cup Les Rousses: Classic Distance
January 19, 2025A mass-start 20K classic event wrapped up World Cup racing in Les Rousses on Sunday with athletes competing on a challenging, climbing-centric course. It was ladies first for the day, and from the start Sweden's Frida Karlsson was eager to lead the charge as she set the pace and strung out the field. Her efforts would net her nearly a minute and a half lead by the time she crossed the line, with her teammate Ebba Anderson the next skier in in second, and a content Teresa Stadlober of Austria finishing just behind her in third. Similar tactics were at play in the men's event, but a later push led to a closer finish with the race being decided in a three-way sprint between William Poromaa of Sweden, Iivo Niskanen of Finland, and Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway. They would finish in that order, with Poromaa collecting his first career World Cup victory. Top finishes for American athletes came from Ben Ogden in 12th, and Sophia Laukli in 16th. Hopping the border, next weekend's races will take place a few hours to the east in Engadin, Switzerland.
ABC Relays Coverage
January 18, 2025St. Paul Central claimed a nail-biting boys' team victory at the 2025 ABC Relays in Mora, edging Winona by just one second (35:47 to 35:48), while Minneapolis Washburn took the girls' team title in 39:53. In individual racing, Tanner Benson (Winona) won the boys' freestyle in 8:13 and Anders Decker (Armstrong) claimed the classic title in 8:38; Chloe Angerman (Minneapolis Washburn) dominated the girls' freestyle in 9:07 while Anna Gilmer (Winona) took the classic race in 9:58. The event featured 33 teams across boys and girls divisions, with each team fielding four skiers for the 3.2km relay segments. Results posted, along with photos by our photographer Shannon Brault.
Lapham Loppet Results
January 18, 2025Danny Sonnentag of Cambridge, WI captured the overall men's freestyle title at the 2025 Lapham Loppet Saturday morning with a time of 26:03, followed closely by Conner Nilsen just one second behind, while Madison's Alice House claimed the women's freestyle crown in 30:53. Gus Roche from Peak Nordic secured the men's classic division victory at the 10.5K event. The race drew 130 registrants with 108 finishers across multiple age groups and disciplines to Lapham Peak.
Ariens Nordic JNQ/CCSA Classic Results
January 18, 2025Northern Michigan University's Victoria Dybwad Klevan and College of St. Scholastica's Leevi Tarjanne captured the overall victories Saturday at the Ariens Nordic JNQ/CCSA Invite, with times of 37:16.0 and 32:20.6 respectively. Dybwad Klevan led a strong NMU women's performance, while Tarjanne edged out NMU's Luke Fricker by just 6.4 seconds in the men's race. The U20 and U18 categories saw impressive performances from emerging talents, with UW-Green Bay's Lillian Franzen and Zaine Braaten taking top honors in their respective U20 divisions, while Lakeland Nordic's Stella Meza and Hayward Nordic's Neel Dums claimed the U18 titles.
She de Ski Results
January 18, 2025Over 200 women competed Saturday morning in the She de Ski races on the snowmaking trails at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable. Margie Nelson captured the women's 20K classic title while Chelsey Youngberg won the 30K freestyle.
World Cup Les Rousses: Classic Sprints
January 18, 2025After the fast conditions yesterday in Les Rousses, France, World Cup athletes were geared up for another round of rapid racing with classic sprints on deck for Saturday. In the women's competition it was a star-studded show with almost all of the favorites making the final, but chief among them was Sweden's Jonna Sundling and Norway's Kristine Stavaas Skistad who's rivalry had them neck and neck to the finish. Ultimately it was Skistad who would be victorious on the day, with a surprise surge from another Swede, Maja Dahlqvist, relegating Sundling to third. The men's final finished in a similar style, albiet with less history and the nations reversed as Edvin Anger of Sweden took home his first World Cup victory over two Norwegians, Ansgar Evensen and Erik Valnes. A slight deviation from the norm, the standout for the States was on the men's team with JC Schoonmaker also making the men's final where he finished 5th, while Ben Ogden just missed the cut, finishing 9th. Rosie Brennan led the women's team with a 26th place finish. Sunday wraps up racing in Les Rousses with a mass-start 20K classic race as the final event.
World Cup Les Rousses: Freestyle Distance; Diggins and Ogden Go 1-3
January 17, 2025Period III of the World Cup circuit got under way in Les Rousses on Friday, but desipte the weekend's competitions taking place in France, it was a day to celebrate for Les Red, White, et Blues. Taking part in an interval-start 10K freestyle event, Jessie Diggins showed her mettle, fighting through foot pain to take the win over some of the season's strongest so far: Astrid Oeyre Slind of Norway and Victoria Carl of Germany. She would credit her performance to the impressive Ben Ogden on the men's team, who just a few hours earlier put in an incredible solo effort to secure a third place finish in the men's race, his second World Cup podium and first ever in a distance event. His finish would put him under 10 seconds back from the men's race winner, Iver Tildheim Andersen of Norway, and less than 5 seconds out from second, Paal Goldberg, also of Norway. American fans had at least one more name to celebrate on the day however, Sophia Laukli, who also bounced back from injury to an 8th place finish. Looking to tomorrow, classic sprints will be the subject for Saturday.
Noquemanon Ski Marathon Cancelled Due to Low Snow
January 16, 2025The 2025 Noquemanon Ski Marathon in Marquette, Michigan has been cancelled due to insufficient snow and poor trail conditions. Organizers cited safety concerns for the 800 registered racers. The race plans to defer registrations to 2026. Skiers are encouraged to still visit the area and explore other trails like Big Bay, Saux Head, and Valley Spur.
World Cup Racing: Les Rousses Schedule
January 14, 2025World Cup racing returns this weekend for Period III of the circuit, a prologue for World Championships which are just over a month out. A trip to Les Rousses, France will start off the cycle with competitions getting underway on Friday. First up is an interval-start 10K freestyle race which will be taking place at 6:30 AM CST for the men, and 8:45 AM CST for the women. Then classic sprints take center stage on Saturday, with qualifiers taking place at 5:15 AM CST, and the knockout rounds happening afterward at 7:45 AM CST. Finally, the weekend's activities come to a close on Sunday with a mass-start 20K classic race for both the women's and men's fields which will start at 4:20 AM CST and 8:45 AM CST respectively. In addition to Jessie Diggins and Alayna Sonnesyn who were present for Period II, the Tour de Ski, and will be returning for Period III, Midwest supporters should be on the lookout for Luci Anderson, Emma Albrecht, Erin Bianco, and Zak Ketterson who may all be making appearances in the coming weeks.
Racing Outlook
January 13, 2025A lot of changes already on the weekend calendar as most, but not all, events have been rescheduled or cancelled. Still on events at Ariens Nordic, Eau Claire, Cable, and Lapham Peak!
Low-pet Law-pet Challenge Coverage
January 12, 2025A couple of inches of fresh snow overnight slowed the conditions just a little for the Low-pet Law-pet Challenge (aka Pre-Loppet) race on the snowmaking trails at Theodore Wirth Sunday morning. The men's 10K raced featured a fairly large pack before juniors Eli Andre, Dylan Little and Daniel Gladkov pulled ahead with Andre taking the photo finish over Little. The women's 10K race was a close battle for the two St. Olaf stars, Liesl Cope-Schaeffer and Lily Ward, vs. Laura Cattaneo, Cattaneo making her move in the final kilometer to take the victory, Cope-Schaeffer second, and Ward third. The 5K race was largely a junior race with Peter Schulz and Louisa Lindfors posting the top times. In the 15K fat bike race, Sean Cooley and Laura Bednarski were champions. Results linked in, photos from the 10K and 15K events posted.
Seeley Hills Classic Freestyle Results
January 12, 2025For the first time in race history, the Seeley Hills Classic offered a freestyle race Sunday. And like Saturday, it was a family affair as Marit Ross-Sonnesyn and Nick Ross took the women's and men's titles out of a field of just over 150 skiers. Sarah Widder and Maggie Bowman rounded out the women's podium, with Sam Holt and Anders Sonnesyn second and third for the men. Results linked in.
Mesabi East Invite Results
January 11, 2025Utilizing the same man-made snow course as the previous season, the Mesabi East Invite still drew well over 750 skiers to race on Saturday at Giants Ridge. Owen Kalmes, Mounds View, took the boys 5K classic win, just 5.5 seconds ahead of Wayzata's Hudson McMillan while Eddie Snider, MPA, dominated the boys 5K freestyle event. On the girls side, Della Bettendorf, Proctor Hermantown, finished just 4.7 seconds in front of St. Paul Highland Park's Hannah Koch for the classical title, as Elsa Lindfors, St. Paul Central won the freestyle race just over 6 seconds ahead of Washburn's Chloe Angerman. Team score champions were the Brainerd boys and Highland Park girls. Full results linked in.
Seeley Hills Classic Coverage
January 11, 2025Day one of the Seeley Hills races, held at the Birkie trailhead this year, as skiers pounded out laps on the 5K snowmaking loop for 20K and 35K classic races. The premiere 35K race came down to a three way sprint for the podium positions with Brian Gregg besting Dave Joda and Matt Liebsch for the victory by just two seconds. Caitlin Gregg completed the family sweep in taking the women's title ahead of Chelsey Youngberg and Vivian Johnson. Champions of the 20K race were Drew Huotari and Charlotte Brown. Sunday will feature first time freestyle races for Seeley Hills. Results linked in along with photos from Jackie Schneider.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Results
January 7, 2025Tuesday was the fourth and final day of competitions in Anchorage, Alaska for the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships, and despite temperatures well above freezing the show would go on for the day's planned freestyle sprints. Although a national title was not up for grabs in the final event of the Championships, that did not deter athletes from competing like it was which was especially evident in the senior women's final. With just 4 hundredths of a second separating the two, Team Birkie's Mariel Merlii Pulles would take the win over Erica Laven of Sweden, while just a couple seconds back from them was the third place finisher, Kate Oldham, who was the first American. Oldham was joined on the all-American podium by Luci Anderson, another Team Birkie athlete and a Midwesterner, and Samantha Smith. A slightly more decisive race, the senior men's final finished with Michael Earnhart crossing the line first, followed by Walker Hall a half second back from him, and Carl Rune, another Swede, hot on Hall's heels. Earnhart and Hall would take the top two steps on the all-American podium, while Reid Goble, also a Midwesterner, would be promoted to the third and final step after finishing 4th overall. To note: two more athletes with Midwest ties made it at least as far as the semifinals—Kristoffer Alm Karsrud of Northern Michigan University in 8th, and Erin Bianco in 9th. Wrapping it all up, top junior times went to Mia Stiassny and Justin Lucas who both won with almost exactly 2 seconds to spare.
Racing Outlook
January 6, 2025Weekly evening race series are starting up at Lapham Peak and Theodore Wirth. Seeley Hills offering freestyle races, plus events for high school and middle school skiers. Plus updates on the Mesabi East races.
Battle Creek Fifty K Coverage
January 5, 2025Nearly 90 skiers turned up Sunday morning to start in darkness and subzero temps, skiing 50K and accumulating 4000 ft of climbing, for the Battle Creek Fifty K race. Spencer Davis prevailed over the men's field in a surprisingly close finish as Isaac Wieber was just 59 seconds back with Ryan Rogers taking third. Callie Knapp was the women's champion, again in a tight contest with Kitty Earl-Tornianen only 59 seconds behind. Nicole Nueno took third. Results posted along with photos.
US Nationals: Classic Distance Results
January 5, 2025The third of four days of racing at the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships in Anchorage, Alaska took place on Sunday, with the focus of the day being a mass-start classic race. Senior skiers were subjected to a 20K course which largely led to close finishes across both the men's and women's competitions. Junior skiers on the other hand, had half that distance to handle. Andreas Kirkeng of Norway was once again the fastest of the senior men's field, winning out by just under 10 seconds over the top American and second place finisher, John Steel Hagenbuch, with Luke Jager finishing just behind him in third as the second fastest American. Finishing 5th, Will Koch completed the all-American podium, while Team Birkie's Christopher Kalev was the top Midwesterner in 12th. An even closer contest, the seniors women's race was decided by less than 3 seconds with Kendall Kramer crossing the line just ahead of Erica Laven of Sweden. A little over 30 seconds back from those two were Lauren Jortberg and Kate Oldham who, along with Kramer, made up the all-American podium. Narrowly missing the podium in a sprint finish with Jortberg and Oldham, Erin Bianco was the top Midwest woman in 5th, while Renae Anderson and Emma Albrecht also had strong showings in 7th and 14th respectively. Junior titles on the day went to Jack Leveque and Lena Ponduska. Another rest day will take place tomorrow before the final event of the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships on Tuesday: freestyle sprints.
Tour de Ski: Stage 7 Freestyle Distance; Diggins Finishes Third in Tour
January 5, 2025Seven stages later the Tour de Ski drew to a close on Sunday with one final climb up Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Covering a total of 10K, the race only really got underway once athletes reached the bottom of the downhill area, but that did not make the competition a sprint by any means. By the time they reached the summit, most were out of breath and on the ground, but not Norway's Therese Johaug, the women's winner both on the day and in the overall standings. Her all out blitz to the summit would leave her teammate Astrid Oeyre Slind behind to fight for second, which she did successfully, securing second in the overall standings as well. The third and final spot on the stage podium went to Heidi Weng, completing a sweep by Norway. Norway did not sweep the overall standings however, with that last podium position going to Jessie Diggins who dug deep to fend off the rest of the competition, finishing 6th and earning herself a piece of hardware. Taking home the overall title of the men's field was another Norwegian, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who was not the first to the top of the climb, but did enough to hold onto his lead. That honor of fastest man on the day went to Simen Hegstad Krueger who brought with him Mika Vermeulen of Austria and Friedrech Moch of Germany, rounding out the men's stage podium, with Vermeulen also being rewarded with a second place finish in the overall standings for his efforts. Just missing the stage podium in 4th, France's Hugo Laplas would instead make the men's overall podium, finishing third. Crossing the line in rapid succession, Zanden McMullen and Ben Ogden led the way for the US men in 19th and 20th respectively. Athletes now will have a chance to get some well earned R&R before gearing up for Period III of the World Cup which kicks off Jan 17th in France.
Seeley Hills Classic Expands, Adding Freestyle Races
January 5, 2025With the cancellation of the Sisu Ski Fest, Seeley Hills Classic has expanded their offerings, adding high school and middle school classic races, plus a 20K freestyle race and shorter junior freestyles races on Sunday morning.
First Chance Results
January 4, 2025Mora hosted the First Chance races on a brisk Saturday morning at the Vasaloppet Center, utilizing their snowmaking trails to provide a roughly 3K loop course. In the 10K race, Mitch Campbell won the sprint finish over Paul Olson with Louis Sirota in third. Lisa Garretson pulled ahead of her female competitors for the womens victory with Erica Kazin second and Emma Jamison third. Cece Jamison won the 5K race with Weston Pirki posting the top men's time. Full results linked in.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Results
January 4, 2025Day 2 of the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships afforded athletes an opportunity to flex their fast twitch muscles with classic sprints on the menu in Anchorage, Alaska. Erica Laven of Sweden was the top finisher of the senior women, winning the women's final by nearly 5 seconds over Mariel Merlii Pulles of Estonia, with Samantha Smith finishing third as the top American and national champion. The Midwest's own Erin Bianco joined Smith on the all-American podium in second, finishing 5th in the final, while Nina Seeman stood a step down in third after finishing 6th. Again represented well in the women's field, the Midwest had an additional seven skiers who made the heats which included Emma Albrecht and Renae Anderson who both made the semifinals, finishing 8th and 11th respectively. The senior men's final was a much closer contest with Andreas Kirkeng of Norway just edging out Luke Jager for the win, although Jager would still earn the title of national champion as the top American. Finishing third was Michael Earnhart who was also the second American, and the third and final spot on the all-American podium went to Murphy Kimball who finished 5th. Kristoffer Alm Karsrud of Northern Michigan University led the way for the Midwest men in 10th. Both of the junior competitions came down to tight finishes, with Dane Karch and Neve Gerard ultimately emerging victorious in their respective men's and women's finals. Looking ahead to the third day of racing at the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships, Sunday will feature a mass-start 20K classic race for the senior skiers, and half that distance for the juniors.
Tour de Ski: Stage 6 Skiathlon
January 4, 2025As a grueling prelude to the final stage up the side of Alpe Cermis, Saturday held athlete's attention to a 10K classic, 10K freestyle skiathlon, the last opportunity to increase their standings before tomorrow's big climb. The men's race took place first and stayed competitive until the very end when, on the final uphill heading into the stadium in Val di Fiemme, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway rocketed to the front of the field and shattered the group. No one would catch him on his was to yet another World Cup victory, although Italy's Frederico Pellegrino and another Norwegian, Jan Thomas Jenssen, gave it the old college try, finishing second and third respectively. In the women's race Therese Johaug, also of Norway, decided to act earlier, putting the hammer down at the start of the final lap and leaving nothing to chance on her way to victory. Her win propelled to her to the top of the Tour de Ski standings, with Teresa Stadlober of Austria finishing second, and one of Johaug's direct competitors and teammates, Astrid Oeyre Slind, finishing third. Suffering from a bout of plantar fascitis, Jessie Diggins dug deep to deliver a 5th place finish and keep her hopes of a Tour de Ski podium alive, moving up to third in the overall standings. Equally impressive on the day was Julia Kern who put forth her best distance result to date, finishing 7th. Zanden McMullen led the US men in 17th. The Tour de Ski comes to its dramatic conclusion tomorrow with the climb up Alpe Cermis the final act of Period II of the World Cup.
Sisu Ski Fest Canceled Due to Low Snow
January 3, 2025The Sisu Ski Fest in Ironwood, Michigan, has been canceled due to insufficient snowfall. The lack of snow makes it impossible to hold a safe race. Registered skiers can ski free at ABR on race day and pick up race packets. The Depot Dash for kids will still take place on Friday.
Tour de Ski: Stage 5 Classic Sprints
January 3, 2025Much was still at stake on Friday as the Tour de Ski entered the final three stages of the competition in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Stage 5 was dedicated to classic sprints, and some crucial seconds were up for grabs in the pursuit of the overall men's and women's titles. When the dust had settled the women's title race had only grown closer, with the top 5 athletes in the overall standings all qualifying for the heats, but only one advanced to the final, Norway's Heidi Weng, where she secured an important third place finish. Winning that final was a defiant Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland who took the lead early in the women's final and was rewarded for it, while Linn Svahn of Sweden slotted in behind her for her first podium of the season. As one of those top 5 athletes, Jessie Diggins' important 14th place finish led the way for the US women and kept her within striking distance of the title. With yet another sprint final victory, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo widened the gap in the race for the men's title, largely leaving it a race for second. Second on the day in the men's sprint final went to Even Northug of Norway, while third went to Marcus Grate of Sweden, his first career podium. The US men's top finisher was Ben Ogden who finished 17th. Two stages remain in the Tour de Ski, with the first taking place tomorrow in the form of a 20K skiathlon.
US Nationals: Freestyle Distance Results
January 2, 2025The new year presented new opportunities for national champions to be crowned as Thursday marked the start of the 2025 US Cross-Country Ski Championships. An individual-start freestyle event covering 10K on the trails at Kincaid Park opened the competition in Anchorage, Alaska, and John Steel Hagenbuch would be the first to take home a title, winning out by less than a second over Andreas Kirking of Norway in the men's race. Joining the pair on the overall podium was Walker Hall in third who was the second American, while Luke Jager rounded out the all-American podium in third as the fourth overall finisher. The women's race shook out much more decisively, with Kate Oldham taking home a title with over 10 seconds to spare. Kendall Kramer would join her on the overall podium as the second overall finisher and second American, while Erica Laven of Sweden also claimed a spot on the overall podium in third. Finishing 4th overall as the top Midwest athlete on the day, Luci Anderson would complete the all-American podium in third, topping off a host of impressive finishes by Midwest women which included Erin Bianco in 11th, Emma Albrecht in 14th, Margie Freed in 17th, and Michaela Keller-Miller in 19th. Reid Goble posted the fastest time of the Midwest men, finishing 9th overall. Of the juniors, Lucas Wilmont was the fastest man in 26th, while Samantha Smith was the fastest woman in 12th. After a day off tomorrow the competition continues on Saturday with classic sprints.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 5, 6, and 7 Schedule
January 1, 2025The final three stages of the Tour de Ski are upon us with some of the most exciting races of the competition ahead. Shifting southeast just a few hours from the site of the first four stages, the final leg of the Tour will get started in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Friday with classic sprints. Qualifiers for those sprints will take place at 5:15 AM CST, while the sprint finals will take place a short while later at 7:45 AM CST. A 20K skiathlon is then the focus of Saturday where the men's field will be competing at 4:00 AM CST, and the women's field at 8:30 AM CST. Caping off the competition is the infamous climb up Alpe Cermis which will take place on Sunday as a mass-start 10K freestyle race and will see the men's field head up the hill first at 7:15 AM CST, followed shortly after by the women's field at 8:30 AM CST.
Hiihto Relays Coverage
January 1, 2025Finn Sisu hosted the Hiihto Relays, a two person tag team event with racers each skiing a pair of 2.5K loops for a total of 10K, on the snowmaking loop at Battle Creek on Wednesday. On the men's side, the combo of Dave Joda and Jay Woodbeck edged out Mitch Campbell and Ryan Rogers for first place. Sisters Emma and Lillian had the best women's time. And the pairing of Alex and Julia Reich posted the fastest mixed time. Nearly 50 teams participated. Full results linked in, video recap posted.
Racing Outlook
January 1, 2025Weekend races are still on; Mesabi East will revert to snowmaking course (two laps of 2.5K).
Tour de Ski: Stage 4 Classic Distance
January 1, 2025World Cup racing in Toblach wrapped up on Wednesday with Stage 4 of the Tour de Ski, a 15K classic race in the pursuit format. Picking up where they left off the day before, Norway's Astrid Oeyre Slind and Harald Oestberg Amundsen were the first out, and also happened to be the first in, both picking up important victories that elevated the former to the top of the Tour standings, and the latter to a potential podium position in those same standings. Joining Slind on the day's pursuit podium was another Norwegian, Therese Johaug, and a Finn, Kerttu Niskanen, replicating the women's results from yesterday, while the men's results offered a little more variety with Edvin Anger of Sweden and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway joining Oestberg on the men's podium. Of the US skiers, Jessie Diggins took back her title as the top North American finisher, crossing the line in 6th, while Gus Schumacher led the American men in 17th, a result equaled by Sophia Laukli on the women's side. After a travel day World Cup racing will pick up again on Friday in Val di Fiemme for the final three races of the Tour.
Tour de Ski: Stage 3 Freestyle Distance
December 31, 2024The Tour de Ski marched on on Tuesday for the last World Cup race of 2024. An interval-start 20K freestyle race was the featured event for the third stage of the seven stage Tour, and it was Norway's day to shine as they claimed two of the three available podium positions in both the men's and women's competitions. For the second time this season Astrid Oeyre Slind stood atop the women's podium, narrowly knocking off her teammate Therese Johaug, while Finland's Kerttu Niskanen prevented a Norwegian sweep by finishing third. In the men's race Harald Oestberg Amundsen got his third win of the season, putting a 20+ second gap on the rest of the field which included his teammate, Simen Hegstad Krueger, who finished second, and Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave, who finished third. A slew of top-20 finishes were the highlight of the American athletes, with the like of Jessie Diggins, Ben Ogden, Sophia Laukli, and Julia Kern finishing 6th, 9th, 10th, and 13th respectively. Also worth noting was an impressive performance by Katherine Stewart-Jones of Canada who had the top North American result on the day, finishing just off the women's podium in 4th. The fourth and final event of the Tour in Toblach, a pursuit-style 15K classic race, will take place tomorrow.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 3 and 4 Schedule
December 29, 2024After an exciting two days in Toblach the Tour de Ski continues on Tuesday with another two days of racing at the same venue in Italy. First up is an interval-start 20k race in the freestyle technique where the men's field is slated to go first at 4:30 AM CST, with the women's field following suit at 7:45 AM CST. Then it's on to a pursuit-style 15K classic race the following day where athletes will be taking to the course in the same order: with the men's field racing at 3:30 AM CST, and the women's field racing at 5:30 AM CST.
Tour de Ski: Stage 2 Classic Distance; Diggins Does it Again
December 29, 2024Over her decade long career of racing on the World Cup circuit Jessie Diggins has won freestyle sprints and distance races, but never a classic race. That all changed on Sunday when she crossed the line ahead of some of the best athletes in the world, winning a race she doubted she would ever win. On the way to her 26th World Cup victory she beat the likes of Kerttu Niskanen of Finland, who finished second and who's last name is synonymous with classic skiing, and Astrid Oeyre Slind of Norway, who had already had three podium finishes this season and picked up a fourth today. Diggins led a strong group of American athletes, with the likes of Gus Schumacher, Rosie Brennan, and Zanden McMullen all also finishing within the top-20 in 7th, 14th and 17th respectively. While Schumacher ended the day in 7th, he finished well within striking distance of the men's podium as the race came down to a mass-finish. Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made no contest of that finish, crossing the line in first, and was followed by two more of his teammates, Erik Valnes and Haavard Moseby. Athletes will now get a one day reprieve from the racing action before the Tour de Ski resumes on Tuesday. (Photo: Leann Bentley)
Great Bear Chase Offers Improved Junior Bear Chase Experience
December 28, 2024Junior skiers and their families will find improvements to this year's event: The Junior race has been moved to Saturday afternoon and fees are waived (via anonymous donor). Price hiking coming Jan 1st, so register for events before 2024 ends.
MNHSNSCA: Round 2 High School Rankings
December 28, 2024The Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association (MNHSNSCA) has published their second round rankings for the Minnesota High School Nordic ski season. Returning champs Linnea Ousdigian and Logan Drevlow hang one to the number one spot, with Washburn girls and Brainerd boys still the favorites.
Tour de Ski: Stage 1 Freestyle Sprints; Diggins off to a Winning Start
December 28, 2024Stage one of the Tour de Ski saw the US Team get off to a spectacular start on Saturday with a total of eight athletes making the heats in the freestyle sprints. That group included the defending champion from last season's Tour de Ski, Jessie Diggins, who put her best foot forward by winning the women's sprint final in dramatic fashion over Jasmi Joensuu of Finland and Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland. On the men's side another American made the final, Ben Ogden, but his attempt at a second career podium was cut short by a broken pole. Starting the Tour after a two year hiatus, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made the men's final a race for second yet again, cooly winning out over Lucas Chanavat of France and Janik Riebli of Switzerland. For the US squad, additional notables included Julia Kern and Gus Schumacher who both made it as far as the semifinals, and Alayna Sonnesyn who reached a new career high, finishing 19th on the day. Tomorrow athletes will be switching gears and techniques as they tackle a mass-start 15K classic race.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 1 and 2 Schedule
December 25, 2024This weekend the World Cup circuit starts back up again for the annual Tour de Ski. Spanning seven stages and all of Period II, this year's Tour is entirely in Italy and will take place in Toblach for four stages, and Val di Fiemme for three. The first two stages are Saturday and Sunday, with freestyle sprints on the former and a mass-start 15K classic event on the latter. Qualifiers for the sprints will begin at 5:00 AM CST on Saturday, followed by the finals at 7:30 AM CST. Sunday's classic race is slated for a 5:30 AM CST start with the women's field out first, followed by the men's field at 7:45 AM CST. Due to its grueling nature, a smaller crowd will be competing at the Tour de Ski which will include Midwest representatives Jessie Diggins and Alayna Sonnesyn.
Coleraine JNQ: Individual Classic Results
December 22, 2024Sunday was the second and final day of Midwest JNQ racing in Coleraine, MN where skiers were greeted with warmer temperatures than the day before. Logan Drevlow (U18) of Loppet Nordic Racing cruised to victory in the men's 7.5K race, winning the individual-start classic competition by 20 seconds over yesterday's sprint champion, Declan Hutchinson (U23) of Saint Michale's College, while Oliver Miatke (U20), also of Saint Michael's College, rounded out the men's podium in third. Opting to compete in the U18/U20/Sr division, Loppet Nordic Racing's Linnea Ousdigian (U16) proved she made the right decision, winning the women's race by just under 10 seconds over her teammate, Sydney Drevlow (U20), with a virtual tie splitting third between Zoe Devine (U20) of Saint Michael's College and Hanna Koch (U20) of Minneapolis Ski Club. The top U18 skier in the women's competition was Elsa Lindfors of Endurance United, and Reid Thompson of Big Thunder Nordic had the top time in the U16 boy's 5K race. Results are linked in.
Race Closing: American Birkebeiner
December 21, 2024Thinking about participating in the Birkie on Feb 22nd? If so, you'd better act quickly -- the race is nearly full and organizers have announced registration will close on Monday night!
Coleraine JNQ: Freestyle Sprints Results
December 21, 2024With temperatures in the teens the second batch of Midwest JNQ racing got underway on Saturday with a round freestyle sprints at Mount Itasca. Declan Hutchinson (U23) of Saint Michael's College was the fastest of the Men's field, besting Loppet Nordic Racing's Logan Drevlow by three seconds, who in turn bested his teammate Anders Westanmo (U20) by three seconds. Loppet Nordic Racing put two more on the podium in the women's competition, with Helen Townley (U18) taking the top spot over her teammate Sydney Drevlow (U20) by two seconds, and Elsa Lindfors (U18) of Endurance United joined them a second later in third. Winning the U16 girl's final in dominant fashion was Linnea Ousdigian, while Jack Rudolph came out on top after a tight finish in the U16 boy's final. Both represented Loppet Nordic Racing. Results are linked in.
Winter Warm-up Results
December 21, 2024Crisp temperatures did little to slow down a very competitive field for the Winter Warm-up Saturday morning at Elm Creek. In the 10K race, Cooper Camp dethroned Matt Liebsch in a sprint finish with Jose Miguel Fresco Hanlon in third. Morgan Richter topped the women's field with Ingrid Thyr second and Ella Niznik third. The 5K champions were Matthew Jenneke and Grete Engels. Full results posted.
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.
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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.
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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!