Team NordicSKiRacer extends lead in Brumbaugh Cup

Tue, Feb  6, 2024 - By Ernie Brumbaugh

Next up for the Brumbaugh Cup was the Marv Stevenson Memorial 10K Classic at Forbush Corner. The Memorial Classic is a recent Michigan Cup traditional honoring Michigan Cup racers who have passed. Marv Stevenson raced well onto his eighties and inspired many of us to never give up. His daughter, Gwenn, is a stalwart on the circuit as well.

While snow has been scant, snow making at Forbush Corner provided an awesome race course for the fifth race in the Brumbaugh Cup. What could have been solid ice was groomed to perfection and delivered a safe and surprising fast race. Racers started in pairs at 15 second intervals on a 2x5K interval start format. In an interval start the skier never knows who is leading so racers need to go all out from beginning to end. Ryan Harris, skiing for GRNST won the race with Jorden Wakeley, Hanson Hills Cross Country Ski Shop, only 9 seconds behind. Teammate Michael Davis was third and the top Team NordicSkiRacer skier, Allen Sorgenfrei was fourth. Team NordicSkiRacer ended up winning the men’s race with 45 points, HHCCSS a close second with 51 and GRNST third, 58.

HHCCSS again took control of the women’s division with first, Rebecca Davis, second, Mary Schlimmer-Willoughby and seventh, Ann Wager scoring a total of 10 points. Cross Country Ski Headquarters was a very close second scoring 15 points led by Mariah Frye, fourth, Wendy Anderson, fifth, and Deanna Spencer, sixth. Ellen Thompson, third, brought Team NordicSkiRacer in third with 25 points.

When the snowflakes settled, HHCCSS won the day, 61 points, Team NordicSkiRacer, second with 73 points and GRNST third at 90 points. Team NordicSkiRacer remains in first place for the Brumbaugh Cup and extended their lead over GRNST from 9 points to 26 points. HHCCSS made up some ground moving from 61 points back to only 49. With the cancellation of the North American Vasa races, the Brumbaugh Cup resumes with the Michigan Cup Freestyle and Classic Championships at Hanson Hills and Forbush Corner, Feb 18 and 19. Keep you hats on, this going to go down to the wire.

Results through five races follows: