The Two Harbors Cook County (THCC) Nordic Ski team wrapped up its season at the Junior Varsity/ Junior High Championships at Spirit Mountain on February 8. With temperatures below zero, it was the coldest race of the season. Frost-covered trees lined the trails for a spectacular backdrop, but the cold temperatures made for hard skating and slow race times.
In the 5.1-kilometer junior varsity girls’ championship race, four THCC Nordic team members placed in the top 10: Autumn Smith, 4th; Cedar Gordon 5th; Brooklyn Smith, 9th; and Aspen Huddleson, 10th. Chance Hanel placed 17th and Lance Bartol placed 25th in the junior varsity boys’ championship race.
Junior varsity championships offered one last competition for the Nordic season for Bartol. Bartol and his varsity teammates had been training for pursuit style races in preparation for Sections (February 7).
Unfortunately, the Cook County side of the team did not make it to Sections because of a winter storm and long travel distance to Giants Ridge. Racers who made it to Sections skated through substantial new snow, resulting in the slowest skate race finishing times of the season, in spite of the high caliber of racers.
Ian Thorpe took 4th and Danny Berka took 7th in the 3.7 km 8th grade boys’ championship race. This is Berka’s third time on the podium this season, highlighting his good endurance and improved technique. Two of his podium finishes were skate races and one was a classic race, showing his diverse base of skills and potential in both techniques.
In the 8th grade girls’ championship race, Cecelia Chmelik just edged out her teammate Janie Suomi, by one second per kilometer, finishing in 21st and 22nd, respectively.
New to the Nordic ski team, Chmelik has steadily progressed throughout the season. In the championships, she finished about a minute per kilometer faster than her first race this season, in similar slow race conditions. Her strongest technique is classic, but this race shows her skate form has improved.
The two races leading up to Sections and championships were January 23 at Snowflake Nordic, Duluth and February 2 at Hidden Valley, Ely. Race dates for both races were changed because of prohibitively cold weather. The varsity races used the pursuit format of a 5-kilometer skate race, followed two hours later by a 5-kilometer classic race.
Classic racers start in the order and time they finished the skate race, so “pursue” their competitors. The combined time of both races determines the overall placement.
Bartol competed in both varsity pursuit races at Snowflake Nordic and Hidden Valley. While his skate technique has steadily improved, a lingering cold and slow racing conditions slowed his time for the skate leg of the races.
He rebounded for the classic legs and surprised himself with stronger finishes. For the last kilometer at Hidden Valley, Bartol was around two other skiers, with all three racers jockeying for position, passing and re-passing each other. At the finish, one placed in front of Bartol and one behind. At Hidden Valley, Berka was up against the formidable Ely Wolverines Nordic Team who had home course advantage, yet Berka skied strong and aggressively to take 8th place.
The team will be participating in the local Pincushion Mountain Ski Festival on February 17 for their last event.
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