RESULTS: Copper County Ski Tigers win 2022 High School Championships

Mon, Feb  14, 2022 - By Mike Muha

UPDATE Feb 19, 2022. The result files had labeling errrors - like the girls classic was marked in the file as girls freestyle. The files have been updated by the race officials.

The Michigan High School Cross Country Ski Championships were hosted by the Superiorland Ski Club and Ishpeming Ski Club this past Friday and Saturday, February 11 and 12, 2022. Friday’s competition was held at the Al Quaal Recreation Area in Ishpeming; Saturday’s races took place at the U.P. Nordic Ski Complex (Suicide Bowl), in Ishpeming on Saturday.

Eight teams from around Michigan took part in the event:

• Copper Country Ski Club (Hancock)
• Vasa Ski Club (Traverse City)
• Superiorland Ski Club (Marquette County)
• Ishpeming Ski Club (Ishpeming)
• Lake Michigan-Petoskey Ski Club (Petoskey)
• Crystal Community Ski Club (Crystal)
• Grand Rapids Nordic Ski Team (Grand Rapids)
• Peninsula Nordic.

At the end of two days of racing, the Copper County Ski Tigers claimed victory in the overall 2022 Michigan High School Cross Country Ski Championships.

There are TONS of pictures (almost 400), mainly of Vasa Ski Club racers, from Coach Amy Powell. Feel free to download!

Friday

5km Freestyle

Friday's Boys and Girls 5km freestyle race was interval starts, with 30 seconds between skiers.

Will Haapala (Vasa Ski Club) took first in 16:45, followed by teammate Carter Dean in 16:49. Eric Weis (Copper County) was third in 16:52.

For the girls, Arianne Olson (Grand Rapids Nordic) took no prisoners, finishing in 20:15, more than full minute ahead of her competitors. Annie Paulson (VASA) was second in 21:30, followed by Mylie Kelly (Copper County) in third in 21:46.

Saturday

5km Classic and Pursuit

Saturday morning was the Boys and Girls 5km classic pursuit. In a pursuit, the fastest freestyle skier from the previous days race starts first, then each remaining skier starts based on how many seconds they were behind the fastest freestyle skier the day before. If they were 20 seconds behind in the Freestyle, they started 20 seconds behind that skier in the classic. Skiers received Freestyle, Classic, and combined Pursuit rankings.

In the classic, Will Haapala (Vasa Ski Club) took first again, this time in 18:45. Cyrus Hamlin (Copper County) was second in 19:10, followed by VASA's Josh Kerr in 19:28.

Arianne Olson won the classic as well in 20:13, narrowly beating Ingrid Seagren (Copper Country) by 2.3 seconds. Annie Paulson finished third in 21:34.

In the Pursuit, Will Haapala took first, with firsts in both the freestyle and classic races. Cyrus Hamlin and Josh Kerr were second and third.

By winning both the freestyle and classic races, Arianne Olson won the overall pursuit. Ingrid Seagren and Annie Paulson were second and third. 

Freestyle Sprint

Saturday afternoon was the Freestyle Sprint race. Racers first completed a sprint qualifier, then raced sprint heats, the B finals, and finally the A Finals.

Will Haapala (VASA) narrowly beat teammate Josh Kerr for the another win, 2:56.4 to 2:57.2. Copper Countries Cyrus Hamlin was third in 3:01.0.

Two Copper Country skiers finished first (Ingrid Seagren, 3:25.5) and second (Robin Kisiel, 3:38.8), with Annie Paulson (VASA) third in 3:33.5.

Middle school 3km freestyle

There was also a middle school mass start 3km freestyle race. Peter Argeropoulos and Fischer Palomaki (both Superiorland) finished first and second in 13:44 and 13:59. Bode Dykstra (VASA) was third in 15:04.

Superiorland's Silvia Palomaki was the top girl in 14:36, followed by Peninsula Nordic's Allie Pietila (15:08). In third was Copper County's Avery Kelly in 17:22.

Adaptive race

One skier entered - and won - the adaptive race. Maria Velat of the Crystal Community Ski Club finished in 12:13.

Overall Champion Team

Copper Country Ski Club finished first overall in the team competition. The Ski Tigers had a total of 661 points (335 for the girls who were ranked #1) and 326 for the boys (ranked #2).

In second place was the VASA ski club. The VASA boys were top ranked with 368 points, the girls ranked #2 with 260 points for a total of 628 points.

Bringing in third was the Superiorland Ski Club. Superiorland's girls and boys team each ranked 3rd (237 points and 248 points) for a total of 485 points.

Detailed Results, 2022 Michigan High School Cross Country Ski Championships

• 5km Freestyle results: Boys and Girls
• 5km Classic results: Boys and Girls (Girls results mismarked as "Freestyle")
• Pursuit results: Boys and Girls (columns mismarked)
• Freestyle sprint results
• Middle School 3km Freestyle Results
• Team Championship results