FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Michigan State High School Championships - Day 1

Houghton MI -- Zach Wagner of the Superiorland Ski Club (based in Marquette) took home the 2009 Michigan State High School Cross Country ski championship Saturday by 46 seconds. His Superiorland teammate Ellen Wiitala took the girls title in a sprint finish against Kaitlyn Patterson of Cadillac.

The races are being held at the Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Trails in Houghton.

The race was a pursuit format, which means skiers compete in a classic-style race in the morning and a freestyle race in the afternoon. The start position for the afternoon race is based on the morning finish. So, a racer finishing 15 seconds behind the morning leader starts the afternoon race 15 seconds back.

In the boys contest, Wagner won the classic race in the morning while Kai Sharp, of the Copper Country Ski Tigers, was crowned freestyle champ in the afternoon. When totaling the time from both races, Wagner took the overall title, with Sharp second.

In the girls race, Patterson won the classic title, 10 seconds ahead of Ellen Wiitala of Superiorland. But Wiitala made up that time and more to take the afternoon freestyle race and the overall title (by four seconds).

Sunday will bring the sprint competition, an exciting format with skiers going head-to-head, six at a time on a short course. The top two move to the next heat, until the final six meet for the final.

After one day, the Traverse City Trojans lead the overall team competition, with 203 points, Copper Country twenty points back in second and the Superiorland in third. Traverse City leads the girls team competition, as well, and Superiorland ranks first in the boys category. Team points will also be scored during the sprints and the team champions will be crowned Sunday afternoon.