Essentially a race-within-a-race, the Lake Superior Conference Nordic Ski Team champions and All-Conference individuals were named using the results from last Friday’s Duluth East Invitational races. While 10 teams competed in the event, a second set of results were tabulated using just the Lake Superior Conference teams to produce the team winners and individual honors.

The CEC Nordic Ski Teams had three boys and two girls earn all-conference honors. The top 10 finishers in the pursuit format race make the annual all-conference team.

With Miles Fischer in third place, Cale Prosen in fifth place, and Jordan Chopskie in ninth place, all earned a spot on the Lake Superior Conference boys all-conference team.

Halle Zuck finished in second place overall and Jazlyn Gunderson finished in 10th place to earn spots on the Lake Superior Conference girls all-conference team.

“I was trying out some new skis and my skate race went really well,” said Fischer. “The course is flatter than all of our other courses so it was fun to ski. The classic race was a bit harder but still a fun course. The snow was good, the trails were groomed really nice, and the weather was actually perfect.”

The CEC Boys were second in the conference team standings, finishing just behind Grand Rapids and ahead of Duluth Denfeld among the top three teams.

The CEC Girls were third in the conference team standing, just one point behind second-place Proctor/Hermantown and 10 points behind team champion Grand Rapids.

After another large meet in Ely scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 1, the CEC Nordic ski teams will gear up for the Section 7 Championship meet on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at Giants Ridge. The Minnesota State High School League’s Nordic Ski State Tournament is set for February 16-17, also at Giants Ridge.

“It will be fun to race at sections,” said Fischer. “It’s a different format than usual so seeing how that plays out will be cool. I hope to be up there in the mix to make it back to the state meet. It’s been a good season so far.”

The CEC Nordic teams will host a final race of the season for junior varsity teams and junior high skiers at Pine Valley on Friday, Feb. 11.