EVENTS / U16 Championships / CXC U16 Championships Trip

Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC) will provide an opportunity for qualified, talented juniors of the U16 age group from the Midwest and Great Lakes Divisions to compete amongst their peers at the 2024 Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, at the Nakkertok Nordic trails on March 9-16.

* The U16 and U18 trips will be merged for the year 2024. This combined trip will involve approximately 38 athletes and 10 staff members.

Team Selection Criteria

The team will be selected by using the Midwest and Great Lakes Junior National U16 qualifying list.

Team Size

The Midwest Junior National Team will include the top 8 skiers from the U16 qualifying list. The next 6 skiers will be added to the CXC U16 Championship team resulting in a team of 12 athletes.

The Great Lakes Junior National Team will include the top 6 skiers from the U16 qualifying list. The next 4 skiers will be added to the CXC U16 Championship team resulting in a team of 8 athletes.

Team Announcement

The Great Lakes and Midwest Division Junior Leadership will announce the team for the CXC U16 Championship Trip at the end of the final CXC Cup race of the season.

Coaches

Typically, a Trip Leader/Divisional Co-Head Coach and an Assistant Trip Leader/Divisional Co-Head Coach are appointed during the Spring Congress. Additionally, more assistant coaches are selected from submitted applications in the Fall.

***

The following staff members have been chosen for the 2024 combined GLD and MW U18/U16 trip:

Trip Leader: Jake Stiele, LNR, Team Birkie
Head Coach: Jon Oestreich, Wausau Nordic United

Head of Wax Service:
Jeremy Hecker, Pioneer Midwest

Wax Staff:
Sam Nelson, Gear West
Rick Hase, Peak Nordic
Mike Young, Ski Tigers

Age-Group Coaches:
Callie Knapp, Endurance United
Angie Robinson, Cook County Nordic
Christel Kern, Lakeland Nordic
David Paulson, Chan-Chaska Nordic

Note: each coach is a volunteer who is excited to be part of helping junior athletes to have a great experience on the trip.

2024 Teams

Each year, CXC organizes a team of U16 and U18 skiers to compete nationally or internationally and represent two Central Region divisions: Midwest and Great Lakes.

- CXC U16/U18 Midwest Athlete Roster
- CXC U16/U18 Great Lakes Athlete Roster

2024 Trip Information and Commitment Packet


Team Itinerary and Trip Information

2023 Teams

Each year, CXC organizes a team of U16 and U18 skiers to compete nationally or internationally and represent two Central Region divisions: Midwest and Great Lakes. This year the team of 32 skiers and 10 coaches will attend the Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals in Thunder Bay, Ontario, from March 10-17.

2023 Trip Information and Commitment Packet


Team Itinerary and Trip Information

2022 Teams

Midwest Division - Men
Boden Sundell, Loppet Nordic Racing
Daniel Gladkov, Loppet Nordic Racing
Eddie Snider, Minneapolis Ski Club
Eric Anderson, Red Wing Nordic

Midwest Division - Women
Hannah Wilsey
Taylor Barkwell, Loppet Nordic Racing
Helen Townley, Loppet Nordic Racing
Amelie Isom, Minneapolis Ski Club

Great Lakes Division - Men
Birk Sengren, Copper Country Ski Tigers
Ben Buchmann, Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team
Theo Hubanks, Blackhawk Ski Club
Finnian Stringer, Madison Nordic Ski Club

Great Lakes Division - Women
Robin Kisiel, Copper Country Ski Tigers
Ella Debruyn, Vasa Ski Club
Margret Bennett, Wausau Night Gliders
Maija Rourke, Ishpeming Ski Club

2020 Teams

Midwest Division - Men
Jonathan Nemeth - Loppet Nordic Racing
Thomas Mulford - Loppet Nordic Racing
Samuel Folland - South Suburban Training Group
Andrew DeFor - Loppet Nordic Racing

Midwest Division - Women
Sierra Larson - Loppet Nordic Racing
Evelyn Hudrlik - NordicWerks SkiKlubb
Lauren Munger - Loppet Nordic Racing
Annabelle Stang - NordicWerksSkiKlubb

Great Lakes Division - Men
Beckett Chambers - Bay Nordic
Cyrus Hamlin - Copper Country Ski Tigers
Grant Rocheleau - ANST
Alek Zavadoski - Wausau Nordic United

Great Lakes Division - Women
Sage Chimner - Copper Country Ski Tigers
Grace Kern - Lakeland Nordic
Annie Paulson - VASA Ski Club
Madyson Rosenberger - Chippewa Valley Nordic

2019 Teams

Midwest Division - Men
Jakob Craig / Lakeland Nordic Ski Team
Aidan Earll / Wausau Nordic United
Magnus O'Connor / Loppet Nordic Racing
Noah Straka / Peak Nordic Ski Club

Midwest Division - Women
Lily Brown / Duluth XC / CXC Junior Development Program
Nina Chosy / Madison Nordic Ski Club / CXC Junior Development Program
Spirit Hess / Bay Nordic
Elsa Viren / Peak Nordic

Great Lakes Division - Men
Mike Fraley / Copper Country Ski Tigers
Cyrus Hamlin / Copper Country Ski Tigers
Rubin Hatfield / Superiorland Ski Club
Chase Stah / Superiorland Ski Club

Great Lakes Division - Women
Autumn Eles / Copper Country Ski Tigers
Ingrid Seagren / Copper Country Ski Tigers
Maraia Velat / Copper Country Ski Tigers

For more information please contact Yuriy Gusev at yuriy.gusev@cxcskiing.org.
The NENSA trip was a great way to end a ski season for both athletes and supporting parents. It was fun to watch these young athletes bond as they shifted from being competitors to teammates. Either by the shared love of skiing or just being great humans, they all made fast friends. For the parents, it was fun to come together and become the cheering squad for these amazing U16 athletes. What was clearly the glue, the backdrop, to this amazing trip were the coaches that elevated everyone with there supportive and inclusive approach. The team became a real team because of the coaches. They created a team environment that helped these young athletes develop to their full potential. This trip created a special experience that will certainly inspire these young athletes for years to come. - Rick Straka, parent

We loved that our daughter skied with the NENSA trip! She received outstanding coaching, competed and worked as part of a regional team, and had great fun both on and off the snow. We think this trip has added to her confidence as a skier and has made her feel more connected to the Midwest ski community. - Tamara Bryant and John Chosy, parents of Nina Chosy

The NENSA U16 Championships was an amazing experience for both my daughter and me. Most of the skiers that made up the team didn't really know each other, but by the end of the trip had become close friends. They stayed in contact, which made future ski camps and races all the more fun. The event allowed the skiers to race in an environment very similar to the Junior Nationals but in a much more relaxed manner. This event resulted in an increased confidence in the skier's racing capabilities. The coaches and volunteers were amazing, and truly made this trip one of the most memorable for the kids. My daughter has since skied at the Junior Nationals but classifies this race as her most notable. - Jackie Schneider, parent

The people were great (skiers and coaches) and it gave Maria and opportunity to have a national-level experience and bond with skiers outside of our immediate community. It also exposed her to a different coaching approach which was lower-key and gave her a unique learning opportunity without high-pressure. - Paul Schoening, parent

The NENSA U16 Championships trip is where I really recognized my drive to be a competitive Nordic skier. Racing pushed me to my limits, but with the huge support system of coaches and fellow skiers who became close friends, competing was something I looked forward to, every day. The bonds I made in New Hampshire with the girls and boys on my team are unlike any other friendships I have. The trip still fuels my Nordic ambitions today. Thanks for the great experience! - Claire Benton, athlete

As Head Coach of the two teams of young skiers going east, it's been inspiring to see where the kids from each year have gone on and done and how they've progressed. The U16 Championships was a new experience for me also, having brought together a team where I knew just one or two skiers and meeting at 3:30 am in the Minneapolis Airport it was interesting to see the interaction of the skiers as they were introduced, shyly made new friends, and by the end of the trip had become good buds. With new venues, new teams, and new coaches each year the changes have made me, as an "experienced" coach, step up my game and bring my best to the abilities that so many other coaches have honed. The U16 trip is a fantastic opportunity to grow as a young skier, and I'm personally thrilled to have the opportunity to lead another group. Whatever the results, we're going to ski fast and have fun.
- Ken Schoville, Head Coach (Minocqua Ski Team)