Changes to scoring, new races in 2018 Michigan Cup
Tue, Sep 5, 2017 - By Mike Muha
Representatives from each Michigan Cup team meet this past weekend for the annual Michigan Cup Committee meeting, to review last season and to plan out the new cross country ski racing season.
The Michigan Cup Series saw large growth last season, with a 13% increase in the number of skiers over the 2016-2017 season, from 532 to 603.
| Team | Skiers |
|---|---|
| Vasa Ski Club | 226 |
| Cross Country Ski Headquarters | 164 |
| Grand Rapids Nordic Ski Team | 66 |
| Team NordicSkiRacer | 63 |
| Hanson Hills / Cross Country Ski Headquarters | 48 |
| Straits Striders | 36 |
|
TOTAL |
603 |
From a budget perspective, the Michigan Cup Series is in great shape, consistently maintaining a positive balance with enough funds to survive a rainy day. The Committee decided to continue funding the Nordic Rendezvous program and to slightly increase the funding of skiers who attend Junior Nationals.
Two team rosters, One check
In previous years, team captains were to send in a preliminary team roster by Dec 31 and the final roster by January 31, along with checks. To reduce paperwork, team captains are asked to send one check with the final roster for the 2017-2018 season.
Change in scoring for women
For the last many years, men's scoring started at 200 points for a first place, 199 points for second, 198 for third, and so on. Because there were far fewer women racers, women's started at 200 points for a first place, then dropped to 196 points for second, 192 for third, as so on, a gap of 4 points between place.
The Committee received a request to reexamine the points given to women. Unfortunately, none of the requesters were at the meeting nor did they provide details around a specific proposal. The Committee did go through a number of different ideas and decided to adjust the scoring based on recent increases in the participation of women in races. For the 2017-2018, the gap has been reduced to 3 points. First place will continue to get 200 points, but second and third will get 197 and 194.
Participation points increase from 1 to 10
The Committee long ago promoted the idea of having one or two races each season to focus on participation rather than individual points. Anyone participating would receive the same number of points, taking all the pressure off "performance". The Committee decided to increase the number of points received in such races from 1 to 10 points.
Changes in awards
There are a changes changes to awards. First, both classic and freestyle awards will be given to the the top three men and top three women in each category to recognize specialists. Second, the overall top women and man will be removed from age group awards.
New "Mike Seaman Road Warrior Award"
Mike Seaman was known for attending every race he could, winning, on several occasions, the distinction of having the most points in the Michigan Cup Series across all races. In recognition of his enthusiasm and in memorial of his untimely death, the Committee will reward the "Mike Seaman Road Warrior Award" to any senior skier who finishes every race in the series. As an added bonus, Andy Liebner of US Ski Poles will give Award winners a free pair of ski poles - any model!
Founders College Cup
Andy Liebner proposed a Founders (as in the beer) College Cup to get a little fun collegiate competition going. You belong to the "team" of the college or grad school you attended or are attending. Details are being worked out.
Race changes
Treetops in Gaylord is back after a long absence. The new Mike Seaman Memorial Classic10km is scheduled for Sunday February 4, the day after the White Pine Stampede.
Andy Liebner and Bill Kaltz are organizing the Tour de Michawaye, a race weekend unique to the Michigan Cup, and perhaps anywhere. Over two day, skiers will do four events that are not duplicated at other races, things like a pursuit and a skills course.
The Boyne Grinder is renamed The Boyne Vistas and losses the fast downhill finish. It will now finish at the top of Boyne Mountains.
To increase the number of points available to juniors, the Michigan High School Championships will be counted as four races: Classic, Freestyle, Pursuit, sprint. In the past, the Freestyle wasn't counted on its own.
Tentative Michigan Cup Calendar for 2017-2018
Notable non-Michigan Cup races have been added to this list.
2017 |
||
| Sat Dec 16 | Lakes of the North Winterstart Mancelona |
Freestyle |
| Sun Dec 17 | Forbush Time Trail Forbush Corner, Frederick, MI |
Freestyle |
| Fri Dec 29 | Tour de Michawaye Michawaye, Gaylord, MI |
Mixed |
| Sat Dec 30 | Tour de Michawaye Michawaye, Gaylord, MI |
Mixed |
2018 |
||
| Sat Jan 6 | 6-Hour Michigan Cup Relays & Potluck Hanson Hills Recreation Area, Grayling, MI |
Freestyle |
| Sun Jan 7 | OPEN | |
| Sat Jan 13 | Frosty Freestyle Huron Meadows Metropark, Brighton, MI |
Freestyle |
| Sun Jan 14 | Krazy Klassic - Michigan Senior Olympics Huron Meadows Metropark, Brighton, MI |
Classic |
| Fri Jan 19 | Northbound Outfitters Kids Race Northbound Outfitters, Grayling, MI |
Freestyle |
| Sat Jan 20 | Cote Dame Marie Loppet Hanson Hills Recreation Area, Grayling, MI |
Freestyle |
| World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Mid-distance classic | |
| Sun Jan 21 | World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Mid-distance skate |
| Mon Jan 22 | World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Short distance classic & skate |
| Wed Jan 24 | World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Relays |
| Thu Jan 25 | World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Marathon Classic |
| Fri Jan 26 | World Masters Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN |
Marathon Freestyle |
| Sat Jan 27 | Noquemanon Ski Marathon Ishpeming, MI |
Classic & freestyle |
| Sun Jan 28 | OPEN | |
| Sat Feb 3 | White Pine Stampede Mancelona, MI |
Freestyle & classic |
| Sun Feb 4 | Mike Seaman Memorial 10k Classic Treetops, Gaylord, MI |
Classic |
| Sat Feb 10 | North American Vasa Timber Ridge, Traverse City, MI |
Freestyle |
| Sun Feb 11 | Vasa Classic Timber Ridge, Traverse City, MI |
Classic |
| Fri Feb 16 | Michigan High School Championships Michigan Tech Trails, Houghton, MI |
Classic, Freestyle, Pursuit, Sprint |
| Sat Feb 17 | Forbush Freestyle - Meijer Winter Games Forbush Corner, Frederick, MI |
Freestyle |
| Michigan High School Championships Michigan Tech Trails, Houghton, MI |
||
| Sun Feb 18 | Hanson Hills Classic - Meijer Winter Games Hanson Hills Recreation Area, Grayling, MI |
Classic |
| Sat Feb 24 | Boyne Vistas Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls, MI |
Freestyle |
| American Birkebeiner Cable to Hayward, WI |
Freestyle & Classic | |
| Sun Feb 25 | Muffin Race Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Roscommon, MI |
Pursuit |
| Sat Mar 3 | Black Mountain Classic Cheboygan, MI |
Classic |
| Sat Mar 4 | Black Mountain Freestyle Cheboygan, MI |
Freestyle |
| Sat Mar 10 | OPEN | |
| Great Bear Chase Calumet, MI |
Skiathon | |
| Sun Mar 11 | Michigan Cup Relays Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Roscommon, MI |
1 leg classic + 2 legs freestyle |