Hanson Hills - Cross Country Ski Shop continues to lead Brumbaugh Cup
Thu, Jan 9, 2025 - By Ernie Brumbaugh
Week 2 of the Michigan Cup and a new format, the Winter Wolf Skiathlon in which the skiers must ski the first leg in classic style with classic gear, come into an exchange area and switch to freestyle/skating gear (skis and poles) and finish the race on the same course as the classic leg. After three years on little snow at Hanson Hills, they agreed to move the race to Forbush Corner and the first Winter Wolf Skiathlon was on. A new format is always welcome by Michigan Cup skiers and 77 showed up for this one.
Brumbaugh Cup
Ryan Harris won the race over longtime rival Jordan Wakeley leading a strong GRNST men’s team to five of the first nine places, Eric Parrott, 4th, Denny Paull, 5th, Stephen Smigiel, 6th, and Glenn Goodman, 9th, giving GRNST the lead with 25 points. Jorden Wakeley was 2nd for HHCCSS with 19-year-old Drew Moore in an impressive 3rd overall. HHCCSS ended up with all five skiers in the top 14 to score 44 points good for second in the men’s division.
The perennially strong HHCCSS women’s team brought home the bacon, with Mandy Paull, 1st, Rebecca Davis, 3rd, and Mary Schlimmer-Willoughby, 5th to win with 9 points. GRNST was led by Katie Harris in 9th place for a total of 33 points. When combined, HHCCSS won the day with 53 points to 58 for GRNST.
Team NordicSkiRacer finished third with 101 points, led by Yvon Dufor, 8th in men and Sarah Newmister, 7th for women for a total of 101 ponts, just three points better than Team VASA, led by Milan Baic, 7th for men and his daughter, Erica O’Hearn 2nd for women for a total of 104 points.
Cross Country Ski Headquarters used a strong women’s squad placing all three in the top eight to finish second for the women, Mariah Frye, 4th, Wendy Anderson, 5th, and Deanna Spencer, 8th. Theo von Wallenich was the top male skier for CCSHQ in 15th to give a total of 117 team points.
Cumulative team standings after two races show it’s a very close race between HHCCSS, 103 points, and GRNST, 122 points. Team VASA remained in 3rd with Team NSR in fourth, and CCSHQ in fifth.
The series moves on to Huron Meadows for the Frosty Festival of Races for the Frosty Freestyle and the Krazy Klassic. These races are on Team NordicSkiRacer’s home course. Last year they were the first two races of the season and Team NSR scored big, riding to a narrow Brumbaugh Cup victory over HHCCSS and GRNST. What will happen this year - stayed tuned it should be exciting.
2025 Brumbaugh Cup Team Scoring to date after the Winter Wolf Skiathlon
| Team | Forbush Time Trial | Winter Wolf Skiathlon | Brumbaugh Cup Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanson Hills/Cross Country Ski Shop | 50 | 53 | 103 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids Nordic Ski Team | 64 | 58 | 122 |
| 3 | Vasa Ski Club | 79 | 109 | 188 |
| 4 | Team NordicSkiRacer | 123 | 101 | 224 |
| 5 | Cross Country Ski Headquarters | 123 | 117 | 240 |
About the Brumbaugh Cup
The Michigan Cup Series has three team awards: The Baic Cup for best junior team, the Brumbaugh Cup for best senior team, and the Michigan Cup for the best overall team.
The Brumbaugh Cup is a team scored competition with each designated race counting each team's top 5 senior male skiers and top 3 senior female skiers. It is scored like a cross-country running event with first place receiving 1 point; down through the max of 35 male skiers (7 teams x 5 skiers) and 21 female skiers (7 teams x 3 skiers). The lowest point total wins each race and the lowest point total of all designated races wins the Brumbaugh Cup. The designated Brumbaugh races include those races where there is a single Michigan Cup points paying event.