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A shortage of snow is starting to impact high school skiing teams across Minnesota, including Ely’s Nordic Wolves.
The Wolves returned to action Tuesday after a lengthy holiday break, but the format and results offered little perspective about the team’s strengths and the bigger challenges ahead.
Mixed relays were the format for the Cloquet Invitational, which was moved to Duluth and held on artificial snow because there wasn’t enough natural snow at Cloquet.
“When moving the meet to Grand Avenue, it requires the race to become a lap event to get close to a five-kilometer distance,” said Ely Head Coach Todd Hohenstein. “So, to try to decrease the monotony of the laps, the relay format was used. The Cloquet coaches asked us to organize the two-person mixed relays so that they would ‘balance the playing field.’ We paired stronger skiers with a skier who may be new to the sport in an attempt to make things interesting. All that to say, the results from the meet don’t have a ton of value for comparison to teams, but the skiers had fun and worked hard.”
Despite the format, the event included high-powered foes including state powerhouse Duluth East and Brainerd.
“The boys team was excited to ski against Brainerd and Duluth East, two of the best teams in the state,” said Hohenstein. “There was a great energy in the guys at the start line and throughout the race and we are hoping to carry that into this weekend’s Mesabi East Invite.”
The varsity race had 60 relay teams on Tuesday, with Ely’s Brooks Brenny and Anna Dunn combining to take 19th to pace the Wolves.
Others at or near the top half of the field were Otto Devine and Elsa Ellerbroek (23rd), Oliver Hohenstein and June Nelson (24th), Wyatt Devine and Molly Brophy (29th) and Dylan Durkin and Isabella Macho (31st).
“The girls all skied hard and pushed themselves on the 1.2 km loop,” said Hohenstein. “Each skier did three laps in the varsity race, so it was ski all-out for four minutes, tag off to your partner, rest for four minutes or so, and then ski again. Overall, we were very happy with the skiing by both teams and we are looking forward to the big event this weekend.”
Ely had the fourth-best junior varsity relay combination, with Oren Solum and Blake Houde teaming up to place fourth. Mason Molden and Lucy Dunn took 18th.
In junior high action, the Wolves had five teams in the top 20. They were:
• Grady Anderson/Addison Kannas (fourth);
• Emory Hohenstein/Siiri Nelson (eighth);
• Caleb Ebert/Beck Sponholz (12th);
• Toivo Forsman/Cora Brenny (15th);
• Hunter Kosinski/Ivy Ohlhauser (20th).
Nearly every major skiing power in the state will be at Giants Ridge for Saturday’s event, which for the second straight year has been altered because of the lack of snow.
Giants Ridge will be closed to downhill skiing and the course will be at the base of the downhill runs.
“The way things started out this year with snow, I didn’t think we would have these issues, but the rain over the holidays took out most of the trails,” said Hohenstein. “We are really lucky to have our trails in Ely as good as they are."
