Photos from the 2012 Michigan Cup Relays at the Cross Country Ski Headquarters by Bob Frye, Jim Pryor, and Mike Muha,
Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk took a decisive win in the women's 10k mass start in Falun as Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) led the USA in 14th, dropping one spot to Charlotte Kalla in the battle for fourth overall in the FIS Cross Country World Cup.
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) led a strong U.S. women's push in the 2.2k prologue event in Falun at World Cup Finals. Randall was seventh with Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN) eighth and Liz Stephen 13th.
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) wrapped up an historic FIS World Cup title season in Stockholm's historic old city finishing eighth in the classic sprint finale. Teammate Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) matched his season best seventh.
The Vasa Ski Club crushed the competition to take the 2012 Biac Cup for best junior team, the 2012 Brumbaugh Cup for best senior team, and the overall 2012 Michigan Cup for best combined team.
UPDATED! The weather was great: sunny, with temperatures approaching 60, the beer was flowing, and the pulled pork sandwiches were being consumed in vast quantities. Oh, and there was a cross county ski race, too.
Photos from Jim Pryor's hidden archive of LAST YEAR's Michigan Cup Relay at the Cross Country Ski Headquarters on Sunday, March 6, 2011.
A group of Michigan skiers headed north over the weekend to participate in the Ontario championships. Members of the GRNST, lake Michigan, and Vasa ski clubs teamed up to challenge Jr. teams from all over Ontario.
Sprint star Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) showed another promising side of her athletic abilities as she finished 21st in a 30k classic race at Holmenkollen Sunday.
Kris Freeman (Andover, NH) skied a strong race Saturday to finish 22nd in a 50k classic mass start at Holmenkollen in Oslo. Freeman was just 24 seconds behind winner Eldar Roenning of Norway.
Tuesday 3/6/12 Classic Handi-cap Start 4K, the last Vasa Ski Club sprint race of the season.
UPDATED AGAIN: Wax recommendations from the major wax companies for the weekend's cross country ski races.