Superiorland Ski Club and MSHS High School host 2016 Championships

Wed, Feb  10, 2016 - By Dan Wiitala

Marquette/Ishpeming, MI – The Superiorland Ski Club and its affiliated Marquette Senior High School Nordic Ski Team will play host to the State’s High School Nordic Ski Championships on Friday and Saturday, February 12 and 13. The meet will take place on Ishpeming’s Al Quaal trails, now featuring the Al Quaal FIS competition loops. Approximately 100 high school skiers will be vying for State Champion titles in Nordic ski classic technique sprints and the 5K Classic and Freestyle Pursuit events. Skiers will also race for team trophies in the event.

The event will include teams from Marquette, Ishpeming, and the Copper Country (Houghton, Hancock, Calumet), and Gogebic (Ironwood) from Upper Michigan with Lower Michigan teams from Traverse City (Central, West, and St. Francis High Schools); and the Lake Michigan section team (Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne City).

Junior Mitchell Delong from Copper Country will be back to defend his boys pursuit title. He will have strong competition from Lake Michigan’s Reid Goble and Marquette’s Lance Rambo and Luke Rambo, and Ishpeming’s Thomas Ziegler. The girls event looks much more wide open with a fairly deep Traverse City Central team lead by senior Niki Roxbury, Marquette lead by Junior Bethany Wright and Sophomore Isabell Carr, and Copper Country’s Anabell Needham all expected to race for top honors.

The event schedule is Friday, February 12, 2pm a 1K Classic Sprints Qualifying Round followed by six competitor semi-final heats beginning at 4:00 pm. On Saturday, February 13, 10 am, the 5K Classic Pursuit begins with an interval start followed by the 5K Freestyle Pursuit at 2 pm. Spectators are encouraged to come out and watch the State’s best junior Nordic skiers compete.

This event is sponsored by Superiorland Ski Club, Ishpeming Ski Club, Marquette County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Marquette Area Public Schools All Sports Booster Club, River Valley Bank, Steward and Sheridan Law Firm, North Jackson Company, and Lower Harbor Family Dental.