When this edition of the paper hits the newsstands, your Alpine Vikings will be at their first race of the season at Lutsen Mountains. The Alpine Vikings serve as hosts for the Cook County/Silver Bay Invitational with nearly 160 regional ski racers hitting the racecourse Friday morning, December 14.
And with the advent of the first race, there are self-imposed high expectations for a successful season. On the boys’ side, there are several returning veterans combined with some outstanding underclassmen racers who came through the Lutsen Jr. Development Program headed up by Charles and Jenny Lamb.
The team is led by Senior Captain Anders Zimmer. Anders brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his many years skiing for the U.S. Jr. Olympic development team. His fellow senior racers include Colin Berglund, Luke Fenwick, Kyle Martinson and Dexter Yoki (Silver Bay). Luke will serve as Coach Jim Vick’s assistant working with the further development of the younger racers.
Following the seniors are veteran racers Joe Borud and Charlie Lawler. And the depth continues thereafter with young gun standouts Logan Backstrom and Will Lamb. Jack Viren, Roman Schnobrich and Eric Lawler are in the wings and new to the varsity yet with junior development experience is Ezra Lunde and Caleb Phillips along with August Carpenter.
The girls’ team is younger and not with the depth of the boys team but nonetheless returns with solid experience. The girls will be led by Senior Captain and twotime state meet participant Signe Larson. Junior Megan Lehto, sophomore Ava McMillan and freshman Morgan Weyrens Welch round out the top four.
Thereafter the girls have a solid representation, all with the opportunity to be pushing the top girls. Madysen McKeever brings depth from her USSA and Jr. development experience. Alyssa Martinson has demonstrated early season success in her practices and will clearly blow by her times from last year. Underclassmen Lauren Thompson, Danielle Hansen and Melanie Stoddard round out depth to the team.
Stay tuned…this should be an exciting season for your Alpine Vikings.
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