Given the deep Scandinavian heritage of Minnesota, Nordic skiing has a powerful connection with many residents.
The sport provides an invigorating workout with every outing and offers the opportunity to develop strength, smoothness and confidence. Additionally, skiers are outdoors in crisp winter weather, often on quiet trails where it’s just snow, trees and a focus on a successful race.
Every member of the StormHawk Nordic team seeks team success while also focusing on personal improvement as a goal.
On Jan. 28, the StormHawks competed in the seven-team Metro West Conference meet at Hyland Park Reserve in Bloomington on a very brisk, yet gorgeous winter day.
The StormHawks team includes athletes from Chaska and Chanhassen, plus Waconia skiers, making it a true Carver County team. Coaches and parents ensured the skiers were warm and rested for this day-long meet with warming tents and a supply of soup.
The meet used individual skier times to determine overall team results. These times were also used to determine placement for next week’s sectional meet, leading up to qualification for the state meet on Feb. 11–12 at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.
Events at the conference meet included a classic 5K race for both boys and girls. Classic racing features the time-honored back-and-forth stride. Sprint relays, skate races and sprints followed. Skate racing uses a stride similar to ice skating strokes to propel skiers along the course. Skiers leave the starting gate at set intervals and their time is tracked via an RFID chip in their ski bib as they cross the finish line.
Highlights for the StormHawks included:
Girls
- Individual races: Leah Nelson (Sr.) placed third, Noella Ross (Sr.) finished fifth, and Becca Ross (So.) placed eighth.
- The girls’ relay team of London Thiele (Jr.) and Mallory Romenesko (Sr.) finished second.
- All five girls skiers earned all-conference honors, with Christina Blackowiak (So.) receiving all-conference honorable mention.
- The girls team finished second overall, behind St. Louis Park.
Boys
- Finnian Adams (Sr.) placed sixth; Conor Heltemes (So.) finished ninth; Killian Adams (7th) placed 18th; and Ryker Ballard (9th) finished 21st.
- Finnian and Conor earned all-conference honors, while Killian and Ryker received honorable mention.
- The boys relay team of Taylor Meserth (Jr.) and Mason Igl (Sr.) finished third, earning honorable mention.
Coach Eric Adams commented following the meet.
“I’m very pleased with the performance, with so many kids earning all-conference and honorable mention,” he said. “Special shoutout to Mason, who gave everything he had in the relay despite battling the flu, as well as Killian and Ryker — our first Waconia section skier — for earning honorable mention in their first year on the team. We’re hoping for some strong relay and individual performances next week at the section meet.”
Section races were held at Theodore Wirth Park on Feb. 3, with the first race (boys classic) starting at 10 a.m. Final awards will take place at 4 p.m.
