US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series Team Sprint Results
March 24, 2024The US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series switched to freestyle technique Sunday and paired up for team sprints. APU men lead the way with the tandem of Zanden McMullen and JC Schoonmaker taking the win as fellow teammates Michael Earnhart and Luke Jager edged out Canadians Julian Smith and Antoine Cyr for second. SMS T2's Lauren Jortberg and Alayna Sonnesyn blew out the women's field, winning by more than 15 seconds over APU's Renae Anderson and Novie McCabe, with Alex Larson and Margie Freed of Craftsbury taking third. All eyes turn to Tuesday for the marathon freestyle races as major snowfall is expected in the hours between.
US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series Classic Sprints Results
March 23, 2024Classic sprint titles were on the table Saturday for the US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series at Spirit Mountain in Duluth. The men's final featured a showdown of World Cup talent as Canada's Antonie Cyr and JC Schoonmaker faced off. Schoonmaker pulled off the victory with APU teammate Zanden McMullen moving in for second and Cyr taking third. Team Birkie's Zak Ketterson scored third for the US podium. The women's final came down to Erin Bianco vs Novie McCabe, both striding hard up the final climb and descending together, with McCabe moving ahead in the finishing stretch for the victory, Bianco second and Alayna Sonnesyn securing third. Racing continues Sunday with a freestyle team sprint format.
US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series Classic Coverage
March 21, 2024The Duluth organizers and Spirit Mountain staff delivered an excellent course for the opening day of the US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series on Thursday for 10K classic technique racing. World Cup skiers were on exhibition as temperatures stayed below freezing for the events. The women hit the trails first with Novie McCabe taking the victory followed by Sydney Palmer-Leger and Ely native Erin Bianco. Canada's Antonie Cyr topped the men's field with Johnny Steel Hagenbuch the top American in second, Zanden McMullen third and Minnesota's own Zak Ketterson fourth. Results linked in, photosets posted along with video recaps.
Junior Nationals Mixed Relays Results
March 16, 2024Junior Nationals wrapped up Saturday with the mixed relay freestyle events in Lake Placid. Warm and wet weather made for difficult conditions again, and while the Midwest didn't score any podiums they did have a number of top ten finishes: U20 6th (Hailee Zimpel, Davis Isom, Audrey Parham, Adrik Kraftson); U18 6th (Sydney Drevlow, Eddie Snider, Hanna Koch, Daniel McCollor); U16 8th (Linnea Ousdigian, Anders Decker, Elsa Lindfors, Logan Drevlow).
Junior Nationals Classic Distance Results
March 15, 2024A rocky start to the final day of individual racing on Friday at Lake Placid for the Junior Nationals mass start classic events with organizers changing the course and schedule after crashes during the U16 opening races. However, Midwest continued to capture podiums as Logan Drevlow completed his dominance of the week with another victory in the U16 field and Linnea Ousdigian taking the surprise win in the U16 girls field. Other top results: MU16 - George Nelson 12th; FU18 - Sydney Drevlow 6th; MU18 - Daniel McCollor 8th, Eddie Snider 14th; FU20 - Hailee Zimpel 5th, Greta Hansen 10th, Audrey Parham 12th, Lillian Franzen 13th, Ashley Grossklaus (IMD) 16th; MU20 - Ben Dohlby 5th, Adrik Kraftson 10th, Jonathan Clarke 12th, Davis Isom 18th.
MCSA Nordic at the 2024 USCSA National Championships
March 14, 2024Luke Dykowski reports on the recent USCSA National Championships: The St. Olaf Women bring home their third consecutive National Title; the University of Wisconsin-Madison Women finish second-place overall; the University of Minnesota-Duluth joins the fray, and the Midwest records no fewer than ten All-American finishers on each day of racing.
Junior Nationals Classic Sprints Results
March 13, 2024Junior Nationals in Lake Placid, NY, got steamy on Wednesday as the temperatures soared into the 50s by afternoon for a full day of classic sprints. Leading the way for the Midwest again was Logan Drevlow, racing a savvy final to take the boys U16 title! Sister Sydney Drevlow finished just one step back, taking second place in the girls U18 final. Miles Miner (NE) also scored a second place finish in the boys U18 division. Other top results: Hannah Koch 7th FU18; Jordan Parent 8th FU20; Linnea Ousdigian 10th FU16; Ben Lewis (NE) 12th MU20. Results linked in. Racing resumes on Friday with classic mass start races.
Moose Valuable Skier Nominations
March 12, 2024Moose Nordic is giving out the MVS Award again this year with the help of Finn Sisu, Madshus, and Salomon. Two Minnesota high school skiers will be chosen for living out the values of sportsmanship, humility, empowerment, and integrity. Each winner's high school team will receive a pair of Madshus Redline race skis, boots from Finn Sisu, and Salomon skate skis. Nominations deadline is March 24th.
Junior Nationals Freestyle Coverage
March 11, 2024Junior Nationals competition in Lake Placid, NY, had a stormy start Tuesday as snow fell most of the morning, giving way to sunshine and strong winds in the afternoon. Minnesota State champion Logan Drevlow shined brightest for the Midwest on opening day as he earned the U16 boys crown by five seconds. Linnea Ousdigian nearly made it a Midwest sweep of the U16 titles, finishing second by less than three seconds! Also making the podium Tuesday, Ben Dohlby second and Davis Isom third in the boys U20 race. Other top 20 performances: MU16 - Connor Reckinger 8th, Soren Winikoff 9th, Jack Rudolph 12th, Dylan Little 20th; FU18 - Sydney Drevlow 5th, Hanna Koch 14th, Greta Dickman, 18th; FU20 - Hailey Zimpel, 9th, Ashley Grosslaus (IMD) 10th, Ella Niznik 18th, Audrey Parham 20th; MU20 - Adriak Kraftson 13th, Ben Lewis (NE) 16th, Jonathan Clarke 19th. Results linked in, along with links for photos and livestream replay.
NCAA Championships: Classic
March 9, 2024The 2024 NCAA Championships drew to a close on Saturday with the second and final day of racing in Steamboat Springs, CO. Another set of titles were up for grabs, and athletes were up to the task in the day's contest, a mass-start 20K race. Between the men's and women's competitions two very different approaches were offered to reach that ultimate goal, with the women's winner, Jasmine Drolet of Dartmouth University, coming from well behind to take home a title in the women's race, while the University of Colorado Boulder's Magnus Boee broke away early in the men's race to never be caught, landing himself a title of his own. Joining the two titlists on the respective podiums were Haley Brewster from the University of Vermont and Sydney Palmer-Leger from the University of Utah in the women's race; and Florian Knopf of the University of Denver and Will Koch of the University of Colorado Boulder in the men's race. Last but certainly not least, Elizabeth Tuttle of the University Vermont, Roger Anderson of the University of New Hampshire, Skylar Patten of Michigan Technological University, and Ben Dohlby of the University of Alaska Fairbanks head home with the top results of those representing the Midwest, all finishing within the top-20 in 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th respectively.
Racing Outlook: US Nationals Spring Series
March 9, 2024Believe it or not, but there is still one major race event in the Midwest this season: The US Nationals Spring Series/Supertour, happening at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, March 21-26th. Organizers are planning to shift to the event to the top of Spirit Mountain to utilize the snow at the top of the alpina runs.
Junior National Teams Announced
March 7, 2024With less than a week to go before the big event, CXC has formally announced the full Midwest and Great Lakes team lineups for the upcoming Junior Nationals competition in Lake Placid, NY. Selected athletes will be competing Match 11-16 against some of the best in the US. Another group of U18/U16 athletes will also be heading north to compete at the Canadian Ski Championships being held March 10-16.
NCAA Championships: Freestyle
March 7, 2024The opening day of competitions at the 2024 NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, CO had the air of picking up exactly where the previous year's competitions left off. After settling for second in both of last year's races, Dartmouth University's John Steele Hagenbuch triumphantly took the men's title in the day's main event, an interval-start 7.5K freestyle race, prevailing over last year's short distance champion, Joe Davis of the University of Utah, and another staple from the same institution, Tom Mancini. A strong skier all season, Michigan Technological University's Skylar Patten led the way for the Midwest men in 14th. Up to the task of filling the massive shoes left behind by her teammate, Novie McCabe, who was last year's women's short and long distance champion, Sydney Palmer-Leger of the University of Utah dominated the field in the women's race, coming back from an early deficit to take the title by over 20 seconds. Finishing second and third were Haley Brewster the University of Vermont and Jasmine Drolet of Dartmouth University. An impressive top-10 performance by Luci Anderson, who currently competes for the University of New Hampshire, saw her ski to 9th, the best finish by a woman with ties to the Midwest. After a day of rest on Friday the 2024 NCAA Championships will conclude on Saturday with a mass-start 20K classic race for both the men's and women's fields.
NCAA Championships Preview
March 5, 2024The 2024 NCAA Championships are upon us and it's time to crown a new set of men's and women's champions! Whether you've been following the action across the conferences all season long or are just now tuning in, get up to speed on the competitions being held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with our event preview. Racing begins Thursday morning!
USCSA National Championships
March 4, 2024The U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) will host its 5-day long annual U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard National Championships from March 4-9th, 2024 in Lake Placid, NY. This year, over 600 competitors will roll into the home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Games to compete for National collegiate titles in alpine, Nordic, snowboard, and freeski events.
MCSA: Birkie Recap
March 1, 2024Luke Dykowski reports: The 2024 Midwest Collegiate Cup concludes its season on the American Birkebeiner podium, with the St. Olaf Women maintaining their season-long lead to clinch their first ever Midwest Collegiate Cup title, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth narrowly holding off UW Madison and St. Olaf to secure their third consecutive Cup victory.
Kortelopet Freestyle Coverage
February 23, 2024After a fresh grooming by the Birkie crew, Kortelopet skiers raced the machine-made snow course in the afternoon in freestyle technique for the 20K event. The podium had a distinctive Minnesota vibe: Recently crowned Minnesota high school champion Logan Drevlow, Golden Valley, sailed away for the boys victory with Jace Haerter, Edina, second and Eric Anderson, Frontenac, third. On the girls side, Wayzata's Audrey Parham collected the title with Sydney Drevlow second, and Cloquet native Anja Maijala third. Results linked in, photos and video recaps now posted.
Kortelopet Classic Coverage
February 23, 2024Kortelopet classic racing kicked off Friday morning, with the U20/Elite fields starting things off. The field did two laps of a fast 10K machine-made snow course as temperatures were much cooler, running in the mid 20s. Charlie Vater, Iola, was the first to cross the line in taking the mens U20/Elite race, followed by Neel Dums, Hayward, and Henry Brandt, St. Paul. Teammates Lydia Kraker and Greta Hendrickson, Duluth, came in 1-2 for the womens U20/Elite field with St. Paul native Alex Pundsack third. Results linked in, photosets along with recap video posted.
MCSA: Mt. Ashwabay Summit Recap
February 4, 2024Luke Dykowski reports: A rocket-fast day in Bayfield on a shortened, 12k skate course saw close finishes and some surprising upsets, with the Badger Men securing their first MCSA victory since the 2020 Birkie. With the Vasaloppet USA canceled, team and individual regional championships results - and USCSA Nationals qualifiers - are also included.
MCSA: Half-Noque Recap
January 30, 2024Luke Dykowski reports: 12 of 12 Half-Noque podium spots went to MCSA skiers, and 5 of 12 to freshmen. With the University of Minnesota-Duluth Men leading St. Olaf by a single point, and the St. Olaf Women only 14 points ahead of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, the chase for the Collegiate Cup should be even more hotly-contested than usual in this hotter-than-usual winter.
Coleraine JNQ Classic Results
January 21, 2024Under warming temperatures, the JNA/CCSA racing picked up again Sunday with classic mass start races on the snowmaking trails at Mt Itasca in Coleraine. Canada continued to reign this weekend, with Cedric Martel, U18, taking mens 10K and Clara Hegan, U20, the women's. Alexander Bertonneau, CSS, U20, was second overall in the 10K with U16 star Logan Drevlow racing up take third! Hanna Koch, U18, was best of the Americans taking second with another Canadian, Mya Marshall, third. Winners of the 5K U16 races were Peter Hackney and Linnea Ousdigian. The CCSA 15K races were being held this afternoon.
MCSA Midwest Collegiate Cup: Season Preview
January 21, 2024Luke Dykowski reports: With the Half-Noquemanon next Saturday marking the start of the chase for the MCSA Collegiate Cup, this bad boy has it all - a reflection on five years of the MCSA, a breakdown of this year's scoring and schedule, infallible predictions for Team Standings, and, per usual, color commentary from our athletes themselves.
Coleraine JNQ Freestyle Results
January 20, 2024Junior Nationals qualification, along with the collegiate CCSA series, resumed on Saturday with freestyle racing action at Mt. Itasca in Coleraine. In the men's 7.5K, Colin Freed, MTU, bested Matt Liebsch by just eight seconds with NMU's Kristoffer Arm Karsrud only two additional seconds back in third. Top U20 male was Wes Campbell in 5th; Canadian Cedric Martel had the best U18 finish in 12th. Clara Hegan from Thunder Bay won the women's 7.5K race (and was the top U20!), Anabel Needham, MTU, second with Victoria Klevan Dybwad, NMU, third. Top U18 result was claimed by Hanna Koch in 13th. Champions of the 5K U16 races were Anders Decker and Linnea Ousdigian. Sunday will feature classic mass start races.
Moose Nordic Junior Nationals Scholarships
January 19, 2024Moose Nordic will be giving out two scholarships for Team Midwest athletes attending Junior Nationals in Lake Placid this year. The application deadline is January 31st.
Saint Paul JNQ Classic Sprints Coverage
January 13, 2024Battle Creek hosted classic sprint races Saturday as part of the Junior National Qualification series. The sprint course utilized much of the Prairie loop, including the infamous A climb. Miles Miner collected the U20/U18 title, just ahead of Anders Westanmo and Josh Frett. Sydney Drevlow dominated the girls final, finishing a full 10 seconds ahead of the field as Hanna Wilsey took second and Lydia Kraker third. The U16 champions were Logan Drevlow and Elsa Lindfors. Results linked in, video recaps from the U20/U18 races posted.
US Nationals: Classic Sprints Results
January 7, 2024The 2024 US Cross-Country Ski Championships drew to a close on Sunday with classic sprints as the final event. The Midwest was well represented once again among the senior women, with Alayna Sonnesyn showing her sprinting prowess as the second overall finisher and first American. She would finish just behind Karianne Olsvik Dengerud of Norway who had won the freestyle sprints earlier in the week, while another Midwesterner, Merle Richter, would finish just behind the two of them in third. All together nearly a third of the women who qualified for the heats had some tie to the Midwest, including Margie Freed who also reached the final, finishing 6th, and Erin Bianco and Renae Anderson who both reached the semifinals, finishing 10th and 11th respectively. Luke Jager was the top American in the men's final, winning outright over Tom Mancini of France and another American, Michael Earnhart. And picking up another nod as the best of the Midwest senior men, John Schwinghamer ended his day in the quarterfinals, finishing 16th, while Reid Goble also broke into the top-20, finishing 18th. Finally, the winners among the junior crowd included Finegan Bailey and Maeve Ingelfinger, with Ingelfinger also mirroring her result in the freestyle sprints.
US Nationals: Freestyle Distance Coverage
January 5, 2024Friday marked the second distance competition of the 2024 US Cross-Country Ski Championships, a mass-start freestyle race with the senior athletes racing 20K and the junior athletes 10K. The senior women's race would only be decided by a handful of seconds with Haley Brewster taking the victory, and with it the title of national champion. Kendall Kramer and Margie Freed would finish behind her, completing the all-American podium, which landed Margie Freed her second all-American podium finish of these Championships, a fantastic showing by the Midwesterner. Also representing the Midwest well were Erin Bianco, Renae Anderson, and Alayna Sonnesyn who each broke into the top-20 with 12th, 16th, and 17th place finishes respectively. In contrast to the senior women's competition, the top finisher in the men's race, John Steel Hagenbuch, would do so by a healthy margin of 40 seconds over the next fastest skier, Tom Mancini of France. Rounding out the senior men's overall podium was Great Britain's Joe Davies, and the next two skiers, Peter Wolter in 4th and Elijah Weenig in 5th, would complete the all-American podium with Hagenbuch as the national champion. A 21st place finish by Reid Goble was the highlight of the Midwest senior men, while junior titles in today's distance event went to Neve Gerard and Jack Lange, with Lange claiming his second title of these Championships. One final event, classic sprints, awaits athletes on Sunday.
US Nationals: Freestyle Sprints Coverage
January 4, 2024The 2024 US Cross-Country Ski Championships continued on Thursday with the crowning of the national champions in freestyle sprints. A strong day for the Midwest women, a third of the qualifiers for the heats had some tie to Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. In the senior women's final the Midwest's own Alayna Sonnesyn earned the title of national champion as the first American to finish, placing second overall to Karianne Olsvik Dengerud of Norway. The third and fourth skiers in the final, Hayley Brewster and Alexandra Lawson, joined Sonnesyn on the all-American podium. Two other Midwesterners also made it as far as the semifinals: Erin Bianco, who finished 7th, and Merle Richter, who finished 10th. There was no foreign influence on the overall podium in the men's final, with the top three finishers comprising the all-American podium of Will Koch, the national champion, and Logan Diekmann and John Steel Hagenbuch. Two Midwest representatives qualified for the heats in the senior men's competition, with John Schwinghamer making it as far as the semifinals, finishing 11th, and Kristoffer Alm Karsrud advancing to the final, finishing 6th. Lastly, top results in the junior sprints came from Maeve Ingelfinger and a Michigan Tech skier, Wes Campbell. Another set of national champions will be crowned on Friday following mass-start freestyle races.
US Nationals: Classic Distance Coverage
January 2, 2024The skies were clear and the weather comfortably warm for the start of the 2024 Cross-Country Ski Championships on Tuesday. The opening event of the competition in Midway, Utah was a 10K classic race which saw the women's field take to the trails first. Tilde Baangman of Sweden crossed the line with the fastest time in the individual-start event, while Sydney Palmer-Leger posted the next fastest time as the top American and national champion. Third overall went to Karianne Olsvik Dengerud of Norway, and just behind her was Margie Freed who proudly represented the Midwest as the runner-up to the national champion. Completing the all-American podium was Nina Schaumburger who finished 7th overall as the top junior. Additional standout results by skiers with ties to the Midwest included Renae Anderson in 14th, Hannah Rudd in 16th, Alayna Sonnesyn in 19th, and Sarah Goble in 20th. For the men's race, the overall podium consisted of Andreas Kirkeng of Norway, Joe Davies of Great Britain, and Luke Jager who was the top American and national champion. Joining Jager on the all-American podium where Peter Walter and David Norris who finished 4th and 7th overall, while Jack Lange was the top junior in 15th. Skylar Patten would claim the best result for the Midwest men, finishing 29th. Freestyle sprints will be the focus on Wednesday and Thursday for the second event of the 2024 US Cross-Country Ski Championships. Results posted, along with a selection of photos by Tryg Solberg.
Biathlon: 12 Athletes to Compete at 2024 Youth/Junior World Championships in Estonia
January 1, 2024The World Junior and Youth Trials wrapped up on Sunday at Mt Itasca in Coleraine with athletes earning the right to represent the US in upcoming championships overseas. From the Midwest, Alexandra Rud and Matej Cervenka will be competing at the Youth and Junior World Championships in Otepää, Estonia beginning in late February and Evelyn Hurdrik headed to the Junior IBU Cup and Junior Open European Championships in Jakuszyce, Poland at the start of February.
Biathlon: World Junior and Youth Trials - Day 1
December 29, 2023Hard work, including a lot of snow hauling, allowed Mt Itasca to salvage their snowmaking course and host the first day of competition for World Junior and Youth qualifications on Friday in Coleraine. Top Midwest results: Matej Cervenka 6th MJ; Eric Anderson 4th MY; Kasia Bosek 3rd WJ; Evelyn Hudrlik 2nd WY.
Cable JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Results
December 17, 2023With slightly drier conditions on Sunday, skiers hit a challenging 2.5K man-made snow loop at the Birkie Trailhead for day 2 of JNQ/CCSA competition. In the women's 10K, NMU's Merle Richter scored a weekend sweep with the victory with Anabell Needham, MTU, second and Olivia Laven, MTU, third. Audrey Parham had the top U20 time in 11th, and Sydney Drevlow was best of the U18 women at 12th. Skylar Patten, MTU, skied to the men's 10K title with NMU's Kristoffer Karsrud second and MTU's Wes Campbell third (and top U20 skier). Daniel McCollor cruised to the U18 best time, finishing 12th. In the 5K U16 races, Linnea Ousdigian and Logan Drevlow both had dominating wins, completing their own weekend sweep. Results linked in, photos posted, video clips coming Monday.
Cable JNQ/CCSA Classic Sprints Results
December 16, 2023While rain and warm weather melted any remaining natural snow, the Birkie Trailhead still provided a good man-made snow base for classic sprint races Saturday in Cable. In the women's division, NMU's Merle Richter repeated as sprint champion with teammate Henriette Nilssen second and St. Scholastica's Mia Case third. For the men, Kristoffer Karsrud kept it locked up for NMU with Michigan Tech's Axel Aflodal second followed by Ivar Dragerengen, St. Scholastica. Top junior results: FU20 Greta Hansen, semifinal 6th; FU18 Helen Townley, semifinal 5th; MU20 Cooper Camp, 5th final; MU18 Anders Westanmo, semifinal 5th. In the U16 sprints, Linnea Ousdigian and Logan Drevlow earned victories. Full results linked in.
Duluth JNQ/CCSA Classic Coverage
December 10, 2023A great day of classic racing on a man-made snow loop at Spirit Mountain Sunday for the JNQ and CCSA events. In the mens 7.5K race, NMU swept the podium with Adrik Kraftson double-poling to victory (and the top U20 to boot), Mathias Haugen taking second (top senior), and Luke Fricker, third (top U23). Eddie Snider lead the U18 field, finishing 24th overall. A similar story for the womens 7.5K race as NMU again collected all the podium positions: Lauren McCollor the victor (top U23), Merle Richter second, and Henriette Nilssen third. Jordan Parent was the best of the U20 division, taking 8th overall, Emma Stertz was the top senior at 12th, and Hanna Koch was champion of the U18 skiers and 13th overall. Results linked in and big photosets posted. Video recaps have been uploaded as well.
Duluth JNQ/CCSA Freestyle Sprints Results
December 9, 2023Competition for spots on the Junior National team, along with collegiate racing, began Saturday with freestyle sprint races at Spirit Mountain Nordic Center in Duluth. In the top event, the NRL sprint finals, MTU's Alex Aflodal bested NMU's Kristoffer Karsrud and Mathias Haugen, while NMU's Merle Richter had the top time over St. Scholastica's Mia Case followed by NMU's Lauren McCollor. Best of the U20: Adrik Kraftson, 4th, and Greta Hansen, 7th. Top U18 finishers were Carl Morse, 24th, and Helen Townley, 16th. U16 victories were earned by Connor Reckinger and Elsa Lindfors. Results linked in, along with the livestream video.
US Ski Team: Staffing for the WJC/U23 and U18 Winter Trips
November 22, 2023The U.S. Ski Team is seeking coaches and support personal for the upcoming 2024 U18 Scandinavian Trip and World Junior/U23 Championship Team. Positions include coaches, ski technicians, medical/PT support, and a Director of Service. Application deadline is Dec 1st.
Midwest Coaches Sought for March Junior Trips
October 1, 2023CXC is seeking candidates for the March junior trips, including Junior Nationals in Lake Placid, NY, and U18/U16 trip to Canadian Nationals in Nakkertok.
Jessie Diggins Athlete of the Year Awardee: Anabel Needham
July 19, 2023CXC's Jessie Diggins Athlete of the Year Award is awarded to the outstanding athlete who displayed excellence in the sport of cross-country skiing and whose character serves as a role model for developing skiers throughout the Central region. This year's winner is Anabel Needham of Michigan Tech.
USCSA Announces 2023 Award Recipients and Election Results
July 15, 2023With the 2022-2023 season in the books, the USCSA recently announced the winners of several awards for the season including Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and the Keystone Award. In addition, several new members were nominated to the Board of Directors for the positions of President, Executive Vice President, and Executive At Large.