Minnesota Skinnyski Series

After one of the coldest opening stretches in Minnesota Skinnyski Series history, Mother Nature finally relented in her war on the MiSSeries for the Nordic Spirit Race in Duluth this past Sunday.  The skies opened up to sunshine, little wind, and much warmer temperatures than originally predicted to help create perfect conditions for the 25k classical race.  As the temperatures rose, so too did the competition for this year’s MiSSeries.

For the race itself, nearly 200 skiers turned out to take in the hidden Magney-Snively trails behind Spirit Mountain.  For the MiSSeries 25k classical, Paul Schommer topped Nikolai Anikin for the title on the mens side, while on the womens side the top time was posted by Finn Sisu Vakava skier Kathleen DeWahl.

There are several close races in the age group competition.  On the women’s side, Skinnyski.com skier Elaine Nelson holds only a 10 point lead over Kathryn Splan in the 30-34 age group, while in the 55-59 age group there is a tie between Carol Markham-Cousin and Robin Downs.  The men’s side of the competition saw some separation among the age groups as some skiers began to pull away from the field.  In the 25-29 age group, John Swain was overtaken by both Eugene Beletskiy and Nathan Porath, while in the 30-34 age group Dave Duede was also leapfrogged by Jacob Beste and Jason Dalebroux.  The new age group standings are as follows:

Age Group    Women;                                            Men
00-24    Kathleen DeWahl                                    Peter Olejniczak
25-29    Johanna Winters                                     Eugene Beletskiy
30-34    Elaine Nelson                                           Jacob Beste
35-39    Jena Ogston                                             Bob McKenzie
40-44    Angie Robinson                                       John Munger
45-49    Cheryl DuBois                                         James Schultz
50-54    Marise Widmer;                                     Jack Baker
55-59    Carol Markham-Cousins/Robin Downs   Richard Anderson
60-64    Jean Lavelle;                                           David Christopherson
65-69 ;                                                                    Odd Osland
70-74                                                                      Will Gosnold
75-79 ;                                                                    Wally Hed

In the overall competition, Cheryl DuBois of Finn Sisu Vakava continued to extend her lead over the women’s field, with fellow Vakava skier Angie Robinson in second and Jean Lavelle in third.  For the men’s side, David Christopherson continued his dominance and leads Odd Osland and James Schultz heading into the final stretch of the 2011 MiSSeries.  The Skier of the Year category for the most improved skier continues to be close with many familiar names and MiSSeries veterans mixed up at the top.  Richard Anderson increased his lead over David Christopherson to 13 points with Cheryl DuBois only 18 points behind the leader as well.

Finally, the always heated competition for the traveling team trophy looks to be a little cooler as of late.  Currently in the lead are the defending champions, Finn Sisu Vakava, with almost a 500 point lead over their hated rivals Peter’s Cheaters.  Behind them, both Hoigaards Breadsmith and Skinnyski.com are looking to nip at the heels of these two powerhouses, and if history is any indication anything can happen over the next three weeks.

This Sunday the MiSSeries begins its final stretch of the season with one of the biggest races in all of North America: the City of Lakes Loppet in Minneapolis.  Starting at Theodore Wirth and ending in Uptown, the Loppet is reporting excellent conditions and looks to be ready to host another stellar event.  For those who lead their age groups or any other MiSSeries categories, you will be able to pick up your bibs at the Theodore Wirth lodge on Sunday morning next to the bib pickup station.  Be sure to check out all the events going on over the weekend, and we’ll see you out on the course.

While a stomach flu sidelined the Commissioner, a third straight race of cold temperatures couldn’t deter the nearly 100 skiers to took to Theodore Wirth for the Mayor’s Challenge 15k classical race.  As the 2011 Minnesota Skinnyski Series continues to be one of the coldest Series ever, the competition is nonetheless heating up as the Series approaches the halfway point.

For the race itself, David Duede took Minnesota Skinnyski Series wave by storm to finish 40 seconds ahead of City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation racer John Swain to take the men’s division, while on the women’s side Skinnyski.com and MiSSeries veteran Elaine Nelson took the lead over Johanna (JoJo) Winters of Go! Training.

This past weekend saw some separation throughout the age group competition of the MiSSeries.  Kathleen DeWahl and Johanna Winters both broke their ties to take the lead in their respective divisions, though in the 30-34 and 40-44 age groups the leaders, Elaine Nelson and Angie Robinson respectively, only hold 10 point leads over their rivals.   On the men’s side, Peter Olejniczak only holds a 9 point lead over MiSSeries Commissioner Michael Meehlhause while the 25-29 age group has five skiers within 28 points of the leader John Swain.  In the 30-34 age group, Mayor’s Challenge winner Dave Duede used his victory to take the lead over Nikolai Anikin.  All across the board the races are close, and with four races left in the 2011 Series anyone could charge forward and take the title.

Age Group    Women;                                            Men
00-24    Kathleen DeWahl                                    Peter Olejniczak
25-29    Johanna Winters                                     John Swain
30-34    Elaine Nelson                                           Dave Duede
35-39    Jena Ogston                                             Grant Nelson
40-44    Angie Robinson                                       John Munger
45-49    Cheryl DuBois                                         James Schultz
50-54    Marise Widmer;                                     Jack Baker
55-59    Carol Markham-Cousins                       Richard Anderson
60-64    Jean Lavelle;                                           David Christopherson
65-69 ;                                                                    Odd Osland
70-74
75-79 ;                                                                    Wally Hed

In the overall competition of the MiSSeries, David Christopherson continued his dominating season and maintained his lead over Odd Osland, while on the women’s side Cheryl DuBois also continued to dominate while leading Jean Lavelle.  For the Skier of the Year competition, naming the most improved skier for the MiSSeries, there is a virtual three-way tie at the top!  Tied at 219 points apiece are Richard Anderson and the ironman David Christopherson, but Cheryl DuBois is only three points behind the both of them.  With four races to go and three seasoned MiSSeries veterans, this is going to be a competition to watch.

Finally, the current leader for the much desired team competition is none other than the defending champions, Finn Sisu Vakava.  As of press time, the team competition results were still incomplete.  Expect a full report on the team competition early next week.

This weekend Mother Nature’s war on the Minnesota Skinnyski Series continues as the Series moves back to Duluth for the Nordic Spirit.  This year the race will be held as a 25k classical race on the hidden Magney-Snively trails located behind Spirit Mountain.  Please note on their website the new start location by the Timber Twister building.  With temperatures once again forecast in the single digits, it looks to be another cold MiSSeries race that will test even the hardiest of skiers.  Bundle up and we hope to see you there!

Mother nature continues to challenge even the hardiest of skiers with a second straight Minnesota Skinnyski Series race with temperatures hovering around zero.  Nevertheless, some of the region’s best braved the cold journey up to Duluth for the 2011 Boulder Lake Ski Race.  Over 250 skiers hit the scenic trails and spectators were treated to some great finishes.

The men’s 31k freestyle race came down to a photo-finish with Duluthian Nikolai Anikin edging out Nathan Porath of Finn Sisu Vakava by a mere 9/10s of a second!  While the women’s race was not nearly as close, Elaine Nelson capped off a double marathon weekend by taking the Boulder Lake title by two minutes.

The age group competition so far has been close across the board.  In the women’s 0-24 age group, Kathleen DeWahl and Christi Nowak are tied with 100 points apiece with Ingrid Leask not too far behind.  The 25-29 age group is also knotted up at the top with Johanna Winters and Jenna Krueger also locked at 100 points, with Angie Robinson and Lynn Cecil tied up on top of the 40-44 age group.  On the men’s side, age groups 30-34, 35-39, and 40-44 are all tied up at the top with battles between Dave Duede and Nikolai Anikin, Chip Tabor and Steven Scoles, and the Johns Munger and Hopkins.

Here is where the age groups currently stand:

Age Group    Women;                                            Men
00-24    Kathleen DeWahl/Christi Nowak        Peter Olejniczak
25-29    Johanna Winters/Jenna Krueger        Sam Oftedahl
30-34    Kathryn Splan                                        Dave Duede/Nikolai Anikin
35-39    Jena Ogston                                            Steven Scoles/Chip Tabor
40-44    Lynn Cecil/Angie Robinson                  John Munger/John Hopkins
45-49    Cheryl DuBois                                         James Schultz
50-54    Marise Widmer;                                     Jack Baker
55-59    Carol Markham-Cousins                       Richard Anderson
60-64    Jean Lavelle;                                          David Christopherson
65-69 ;                                                                   Odd Osland
70-74
75-79 ;                                                                    Wally Hed

The overall competition is currently being led by a pair of MiSSeries regulars as Cheryl DuBois leads the women while David Christopherson currently leads the men.  In the Skier of the Year competition for the most improved skier from last year to this year, Sam Oftedahl currently holds the title over Paul Holte and Kathryn Splan.

This Sunday, the 2011 MiSSeries continues as skiers return to Theodore Wirth for the classical portion of the Mayor’s Challenge.  According to the Mayor of Minneapolis, RT Rybak, this is a great event where almost everyone is faster than the person the race is named after.  Temperatures look to be cold once again, so bundle up and hope to see you out on the course.

Possibly the most famous Minnesota Skinnyski Series category is the vaunted team competition. Teams are consisted of up to 12 skiers, but that doesn’t mean all 12 skiers score for each race they compete in. Instead, only the top 3 male AND female skiers of each team score points per race. These points are determined by your age group placement. Therefore, it is entirely possible for teams of 3-6 skiers to take on the mighty rivals and add a new twist to the MiSSeries team competition. But why would a group of people want to compete for the team championship? One word: trophy.

Nothing exemplifies championships such as trophies, and throughout all of sports there are such prizes that are valued above the rest. These include the Vince Lombardi trophy for the NFL, the crystal ball for the college football, the Larry O’Brien championship trophy in the NBA, and Lord Stanley’s cup in the NHL. But there is no trophy in the entire world that can compete with what the winner of the annual Minnesota Skinnyski Series team competition receives: the traveling ski.

It’s so popular that it even has its own Facebook fanpage (proof: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Minnesota-Skinnyski-Series-Team-Champion-Ski-Trophy/286425441976) with a Twitter account likely not far behind. Hundreds of skiers have spent their MiSSeries careers trying to achieve this trophy, but only a few have been able lay their hands upon this prize and declare to the Nordic skiing world that they alone are champions. The winning team gets to keep the traveling ski for the entire season, where it often winds up at various races or events around the country.

The history of the traveling ski has been written in blood, snow, klister, and fluoro wax primarily by two teams of the fiercest rivals: Finn Sisu Vakava and Peter’s Cheaters. The Cheaters collected the ski during the 2006, 2008, and 2009, with their arch-rivals Finn Sisu Vakava winning in 2007 and the recent 2010 season. This is a rivalry that has divided households, torn friends and families apart, and led a wave of increasingly hilarious pranks at the end-of-season banquet by the two teams.

2009 Peter's Cheaters with Dave Christopher

Last year was one of the most competitive years for the team competition, as Muven-Gruven made a furious charge that nearly ended in a long-awaited victory, but ultimately fell short. Peter Hanson, the infamous/famous “Cheater” himself, believed that he could dominate the competition through sheer numbers and put up three teams: the original Peter’s Cheaters, Cheater’s Too, and More Cheaters! However, Finn Sisu Vakava’s team ultimately prevailed through their depth and ability to have team members actually ski the MiSSeries races.

Last year a new trend was started, as new teams began to rise up and challenge the Cheaters/Vakava hegemony. This year the traveling ski is truly up for grabs, and the competition is not just limited for those who reside in the Twin Cities area. Teams can be formed from skiing hotbeds such as Duluth, Mora, St. Cloud, and Brainerd, and Bemidji, or can consist of a group of friends (or allies) from across the region.

Teams have until Friday, January 21st to register, and there is no fee to compete. Teams can register by sending an email with your team name, captain, and team members to info@minnesotaskinnyskiseries.com.

It is said that defense wins championships, but there is no need for defense here. All you need to do is ski.

For the second straight year, the Twin Cities Championships kicked off the season for the Minnesota Skinnyski Series (MiSSeries), and for the second straight year, Mother Nature showed her cold fury. Sub-zero temperatures and the aftermath of New Year’s Eve proved to be a great test, but skiing resolve prevailed as many took up the challenge to battle for the various titles that the MiSSeries has to offer.

Crisp, windy day for classic

Due to cold temperatures and freezing rain, Saturday’s classic portion of the race was moved from Battle Creek to Green Acres, where fresh snow brought speeds down but not enough to slow down Marshall Greene and Jojo Winters to take the day one titles.

Day two saw the race move across the river from St. Paul to Minneapolis and the Theodore Wirth trails, where Marshall Greene and Sara Morse pulled away at the end to be named the champions of the Twin Cities.

The overall competition of the MiSSeries for the women is currently held by Kelly Skillicorn, with Cheryl DuBois right behind her in second and Twin Cities Championships winner Sara Morse sitting in third. The men’s side of the competition has a familiar and experienced figure at the top in David Christopherson of Finn Sisu Vakava, with Twin Cities Championships winner Marshall Greene in second and Bobby Miller in third place.

The always competitive age group competition is wide open on the women’s side, but with many familiar faces scattered throughout the leaderboard with last year’s winners Kathleen DeWahl, Mary Beth Tuttle, and Jean Lavelle all picking up where they left off. The men’s age group competition is currently held by a variety of new faces, but a handful of last year’s winners including John Munger, Odd Osland, and Wally Hed are also picking up right where they left off and leading their age groups.

The current leaders and skiers who will be wearing bibs this weekend are as follows:

Age Group    Women;            Men
00-24 Kathleen DeWahl;        Bobby Miller
25-29    Johanna Winters;    Marshall Greene
30-34    Sara Morse;        Dave Duede
35-39    Kim Rudd;        Steven Scoles
40-44    Lynn Cecil;        John Munger
45-49    Mary Beth Tuttle;    Jay Wenner
50-54    Marise Widmer;        Jack Baker
55-59    ; Martin Richmond
60-64    Jean Lavelle;             David Christopherson
65-69 ; Odd Osland
70-74
75-79 ; Wally Hed

This Sunday, the Minnesota Skinnyski Series returns to Duluth for the Boulder Lake Ski Race 31k freestyle. According to race director Clayton Keim, the trail has a very deep base and is in top shape, and the race continues to grow in skiers. It is not too late to get involved and start accumulating points for the Skinnyski Series. We hope to see you there.