UPDATED: Junior National Qualifiers for the Great Lakes Division are spread out through the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and in Ohio this season.
One skier called it "a fast and somewhat scary 10k race at Boyne Highlands" but at least there was snow! The race was originally set to be classic, but there was not enough snow to set a track.
Snow confiditions may force a relocation of the race. Fortunately, it would be nearby.
Team CXC's Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN) completed a perfect sweep Sunday, winning her fourth gold at the U.S. Cross Country Chamionships in Rumford.
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) capped the 11-day, 9-stage Tour de Ski with a strong finish up the towering Alpe Cermis hillclimb to finish tenth in the Tour - a big jump from last year's 21st place finish.
Hanson Hills managed to put on a fun 6 hour relay Saturday, despite somewhat marginal snow in spots. Fortunately, the recent storm allowed the race to run, the first since the Nordic Fest sprint race on October 22, 2011.
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) showed her continuing growth as a distance skier finishing 12th in the 10k classic in stage eight at the Tour de Ski.
Team CXC's Jessie Diggins continued her dominance at the U.S. Cross Country Championships winning the women's 20k classic mass start for her fourth career victory. Noah Hoffman had a breakthrough gold, taking the men's 30k by nearly a minute.
Team Birkie Elite Skier and Olympic Hopeful Matthew Edward Liebsch of Orono, Minnesota, placed second at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships in Rumford, Maine, today, January 5, 2012
Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN) of Team CXC picked up her second title of the week while Ski and Snowboard Club Vail's Tad Elliott (Durango, CO) took a third career U.S. gold in day two of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships.
American Kikkan Randall turned in another strong performance finishing fifth in the women's 15k pursuit in stage seven of the Tour de Ski.
After two days of racing in Rumford for the 2012 U.S. Championships, overall results are as follows...