JUNIOR OLYMPIC MEMORIES
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COLERAINE MN (3/06) - The 2002 Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined ended here last weekend, but the memories will glitter for many of the athletes for years to come. It may not be surprising that some of the skiing elite of today's U.S. Ski Team were once Junior Olympic champions themselves, giving great credence to the significance of these events. But creating national champions is only one of many positive outcomes of the Junior Olympics.

For some of the "older" athletes, at age 18 or so, this may be the end of the road. They have skied their regional circuits during their teen years and perhaps have made some cross-country treks. For them, this is a true Olympics of sorts, the culmination of years of work, training, and drive to succeed. After all, only a handful of the nation's best can make it to the U.S. Ski Team, and of those, fewer still are named to the U.S. Olympic Team.

That's why these Junior Olympic Games are so important. This is a chance for the nation's skiing youth to gather together before the stresses and choices of adulthood grip them. They come together to compete against kids from cities of grand Olympic pedigree: Park City, Utah; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; Calgary, Alberta (Canada); and -- Coleraine, Minnesota.

Coleraine, you say? If you think that Coleraine is not an Olympic town, you'd be thinking right. But if you think it isn't a town of Olympic spirit, you'd be peering at the wrong side of the proverbial gold medal, my friend. For this week, for a whole golden week, the Mt. Itasca Ski Complex in Coleraine, Minnesota, was transformed into an Olympic site the likes of which some of these competitors may never see again. It was the Olympics for these junior skiers, and junior national champions were born of its venues.

A hill record was broken, several times in fact, and a ski was broken too in a fall that shattered a dream but not a body. Many jumpers soared, and many spirits soared too. Some skiers skied in laps, and some skiers were lapped. Some athletes were skiing for the last time, and some for the first. And off in the distance of the outrun, at the very end of the landing hill, was a little boy who only dreamed of climbing that big scaffold and jumping off of its impressive slide. "I can't wait to be in the Junior Olympics too," he thought.

And so it is with the Junior Olympics. It's a stepping stone for some to dreams yet to come, and the exciting conclusion of a youthful sporting career for others. Some win and some lose, but that's the norm in any sporting event. What's different here is the wholesome exuberance of youth. Some from the East, some from the West, some from the North, and some from somewhere in between. Yes, Coleraine, Minnesota. You see, the draw for these youngsters isn't the place, but rather the pure simplicity of competition, where the goal for a few is to win, and the goal for most is to do their personal best.

Coleraine is no Park City. It's no Calgary or Steamboat or Lake Placid either. But it has its claim to fame. Take Ole Mangseth, for instance -- one of the founders of the ski club, who was instrumental in building the first ski jump here back in 1906. If you wondered why Mt. Itasca's crown jewel is named the "Ole Mangseth 70-Meter," you need wonder no longer. A generation later came Gene Wilson, who was captain of the U.S. Ski Team in 1950, and prior to that was named to a U.S. Olympic Team that would never be, due to the cancellation of the 1940 Olympic Winter Games at the beginning of WWII. Gene later coached the likes of two-time Olympian, Jim Maki, who is still known to show up at Mt. Itasca to strap on the ol' boards and take a ride if it's a "bluebird day."

About 70 miles from Coleraine as the crow flies is Duluth, Minnesota, home to more Olympic and U.S. Ski Team members from the past. "When I won two national junior titles as a young skier, I dreamed of making the U.S. Olympic Team someday. Those meets were a springboard for me to fulfill that dream," said two-time Olympian and Duluth resident Jim Denney. Jim's oldest son, Jimmy, was a Junior Olympic champion last year in Lake Placid, New York, and his second son Eric competed in this year's events in Coleraine. "Last year…knowing it was my last J.O.'s, I wanted to go out on top, and I did," Jimmy wrote in an essay after winning the national championship title last year. "I won my first Junior Olympic title. It was the highlight of my career so far."

This year's Junior Olympic champion wasn't skiing in his last J.O.'s. Rather, he was skiing in his first. Fourteen year old Skyler Keate won both the Junior 2 and the Junior 1 classes, which is a feat for the skiing history books to record for the ages. While many are moving on or moving out, something about Keate's twinkling eyes and bright smile gives one pause to consider that these could be the first of many medals of various hues that will bear his name. And let's not forget his teammate, Jessica Jerome, whose double gold in Junior 1 Girls and Junior 2 Girls eerily mimicked her teammate Keate's victories.

"We had some great competitions this past week," reflected Rick Anderson, one of two co-chairmen of the 2002 Junior Olympic Organizing Committee. "The point spreads between the skiers in the top five of each event were very close. There are some great up-and-coming young skiers in North America." Added Mike Andrews, Rick's counterpart in chairing the immense organizing effort, "The assault on the hill record was relentless, with the old record being tied or surpassed four times. The cross-country course was in great shape and was quite demanding for athletes of all skill levels." Indeed, it all added up to a week that won't likely be soon forgotten.

So the Junior Olympics here in Coleraine have ended. Or have they? Inspired by what he saw last weekend, the small little boy trod out to the hill a couple days later. Only seven years old, he was much too young to ski the big Ole Mangseth hill, with all of its history and heritage looming large over the outrun, and now bearing the still-fresh marks of Junior Olympians' skis as they skidded to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

After all, the youngest skier to ever ski this hill in the past was a whole decade old. Still, the little skier wanted to try. And so did his eight-year-old buddy. And try they did. With the images of Junior Olympians still fresh in their minds, they tried their best to compare. And those two little boys with their long jumping skis skied right off that big Ole Mangseth 70-meter ski jump in Coleraine, Minnesota, to the first of many successes-to-be.

The Itasca Ski Club of Coleraine, Minnesota, salutes this year's Junior Olympians one and all. It was our honor to be your hosts during these junior national championships for ski jumping and nordic combined, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Until then, keep your ski tips up and enjoy the ride.

The Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined is hosted by the Itasca Ski Club of Coleraine, Minnesota. The Junior Olympic series of national championship ski tournaments is sponsored nationally by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Chevy Trucks. Local northern Minnesota sponsors of these nordic skiing events include the Sawmill Inn, First National Bank of Coleraine, Grand Rapids State Bank, Wells Fargo Bank of Grand Rapids, The Greenway (Coleraine) Business Association, and the Blandin Foundation, as well as many generous individuals and organizations who have supported these events through financial contributions or in-kind services.

More information about all skiing sports is available on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. Information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions is posted on www.SkiJumpingCentral.com.

KEATE & JEROME WIN DOUBLE GOLDS,
KLING BREAKS HILL RECORD AGAIN,
AS JUNIOR OLYMPICS END

COLERAINE MN (3/02) - Like the bald eagles that are known to circle the blue skies above the 70-meter ski jump here at Mt. Itasca in northern Minnesota, young Skyler Keate of Park City, Utah, was in beautiful form Saturday, as he sailed on the wind to win double gold medals on the final day of competitions at the 2002 Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined. Seventy-two athletes from across the nation and Canada competed today for national championship titles in the Individual Special Ski Jumping events.

"This is my first time competing in J.O.s (Junior Olympics)," stated a smiling Keate after winning gold medals in two different age classes, "and I'm usually a nordic-combined skier, not a special jumper," which makes this double-win even more amazing. Top that with the fact that Keate, only 14 years old, won the Junior 2 class (ages 11-15) that morning, but then went on to compete again--and win--in the afternoon, skiing "up a class" with the Junior 1 competitors (ages 16-18).

"I was really psyched after my first jump (75 meters in the Junior 1 competition)," Keate recalled. "That gave me total confidence for my next jump." Keate's first jump tied the old hill record, which had been broken earlier in the week by Jonathan Kling of the Eastern Division. Keate's second jump of 73.5 meters, plus high style points from the five judges, gave him a winning point total of 247.7 for the Junior 1 gold medal. When asked what his future plans were for his ski jumping career, Keate beamed, "Well, nationals next (at the end of March in Steamboat Springs, Colorado), and hopefully the Olympics in 2006…"

Following close on Keate's heels in the Junior 1 competition was Jonathan Kling, whose name announced on the P.A. system sent distance markers scurrying further down in the hill in anticipation of the long jumps they had become accustomed to from Kling. So long were his jumps this week, that he tied or broke the hill record several times, the final time on his first-round jump in this Junior 1 competition today. "77.5 meters!" boomed the announcer, "Jonathan Kling has broken the hill record AGAIN!" Kling slapped his skis down so hard on the hill upon landing, that hanging on was a challenge. Skiers try for a beautiful "telemark" landing (with one knee bent), but reaching that far down the hill makes it difficult to fight the force of gravity, and skiers usually go for more of a squatting style landing to ensure stability, earning fewer points from the judges for style. With a second jump of 72.5 meters, Kling's efforts for the day earned him the Junior 1 Boys silver medal with total points of 243.5. In the Junior 1 bronze medal position was Chris Francis of Park City, Utah, with a point total of 235.3. Like his teammate, Skyler Keate, Chris Francis is also a young 14-year-old who was competing "up a class" with the older athletes in Junior 1 class.

Junior 2 Boys class, won by Intermountain Division's Skyler Keate, saw Rocky Mountain Division's Bryan Fletcher win silver with 240.7 points. Anders Johnson, also of the Intermountain Division, placed third for the bronze medal with 238.7 points.

In the Junior 1 Girls class, Intermountain Division struck gold twice-over again with Jessica Jerome's long and beautiful 70 and 71-meter jumps, rivaling those found in the boys' classes, for a total of 224.7 points. Like her male counterpart from the Intermountain Division, Skyler Keate, Jerome was skiing "up a class" in this event and took gold in the Junior 2 class as well as in this one. In the silver medal position was her teammate, Alissa Johnson, who was also skiing up a class. Central Division's Veronica Myhra of St. Paul, Minnesota, took home the bronze medal with her total score of 109.6.

The Junior 2 Girls class was an Intermountain Division sweep, as Jessica Jerome won gold, Alissa Johnson won silver, and Brenna Ellis won bronze. Although relatively few in number, the girls in this sport train and ski with the boys, and are segregated only for final award standings. Women's ski jumping is currently not a sanctioned event in the Olympic Winter Games, although many hope that it will be in the future. Supporters of young female jumpers like Jerome and Johnson hope that day will come sooner rather than later so that the girls don't hit the proverbial "glass ceiling" and have nowhere further to go to compete at the highest international level and for the most coveted of athletic achievement awards: the Olympic gold medal.

In the Older Junior class (age 18-19), three Central Division skiers battled in a competition to determine medal color. In the end, Anthony Myhra of St. Paul, outpaced his competition with points totalling 179.8 for the gold medal. Brian Nelson of St. Paul earned silver, and Ty Jacobson of Michigan won bronze.

The Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined is hosted by the Itasca Ski Club of Coleraine. The Junior Olympic series of national championship ski tournaments is sponsored nationally by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Chevy Trucks. Local Northern Minnesota sponsors of these Nordic skiing events include the Sawmill Inn, First National Bank of Coleraine, Grand Rapids State Bank, Wells Fargo Bank of Grand Rapids, the Blandin Foundation, as well as many generous individuals and organizations.

KLING IS KING AT JUNIOR OLYMPIC
NORDIC COMBINED EVENTS

COLERAINE MN (3/01) - With a gold medal already under his wings from Wednesday's Junior Olympic Nordic Combined Team competitions here, U.S. Eastern Division's Jonathan Kling clung to gold again today during the individual Nordic-combined competition at the Mt. Itasca Ski Complex in Coleraine, Minnesota. This was the third day of national championship tournaments for these Nordic combined skiers hailing from across the United States and Canada.

Kling, who was competing in the Junior 1 class (16-18 years of age), was joined on the winner's podium by teammate Marshall Ambrose, who won the silver medal. Both are coached by Larry Stone, Jason Lemieux, and John Farnham. In the bronze medal position is Davis Miller of the Rocky Mountain Division from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who is coached by Chris Gilbertson, Todd Wilson, and Scott Barry.

"Jonathan Kling has had a phenomenal week here and has been a joy to watch," said Jon Denney, who was Chief of Competition for the week's Junior Olympic events. "This is the type of skier you hope for in a tournament -- the one who gives the distance markers and judges a run for their money and who sets the bar for the skiers who compete with him. Jonathan has broken our hill record (on Mt. Itasca's 70-meter ski jump) here twice this week, including today, and his jumps gave those of us who were watching quite a thrill."

Later in the day during the cross-country race, Kling earned a time of 21:18, ranking 5th of the cross-country skiers. Combined, though, his jumping and race scores put him in the gold medal position. Marshall Ambrose won the cross-country portion with a superb effort on the course for a race time of 18:46; Ambrose was ranked third coming out of the jumping portion, and his combined score for both jumping and racing put him solidly in second. Davis Miller was ranked second in the jumping portion and third in the race, earning him the third place berth.

In the younger Junior 2 Class (12-15 years old), Rocky Mountain Division's Bryan Fletcher won gold with a solid second place finish in the jumping portion and almost a full minute lead in the cross-country racing portion over the other racers. In silver position was Eastern Division's Matt Delaney, and bronze went to Eastern's Willy Graves who came out of 7th position in the jumping meet with a spectacular effort on the race course to clench third place overall.

The Junior 2 Nordic Combined Individual Girls Class, the sole competitor was Brenna Ellis of the Intermountain Division, who competed on both the 70-meter ski jump and the cross-country course. With total jumping points of 97.6 and a race time of 16:20, she was awarded the gold medal. No female contenders competed in the Junior 1 Nordic Combined Individual Girls class.

The Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined is hosted by the Itasca Ski Club of Coleraine. The Junior Olympic series of national championship ski tournaments is sponsored nationally by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Chevy Trucks. Local Northern Minnesota sponsors of these Nordic skiing events include the Sawmill Inn, First National Bank of Coleraine, Grand Rapids State Bank, Wells Fargo Bank of Grand Rapids, the Blandin Foundation, the Lion's Club, White Ivy Design and the Greenway (Coleraine) Business Association, as well as many generous individuals and organizations.

More information about all skiing sports is available on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. Information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions is posted daily on www.SkiJumpingCentral.com.

PARK CITY SKIERS DOMINATE JUNIOR OLYMPIC
TEAM JUMPING EVENTS

COLERAINE MN (2/28) - The Intermountain Division, hailing from Park City, Utah, must have had the Olympic motto "Light the fire within" still burning in their brains today, as they torched to not one, but two, national Team Special Jumping championship titles here at the 2002 Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined.

The workers who were marking flight distances on the hill may have had chilly feet standing in cold temps and a wind chill below zero, but their hands were kept plenty warm clapping for the outstanding jumpers from the West. In the Junior 2 class (ages 11-15), Anders Johnson led the way for the Intermountain Division's Team 1, with total points of 239.8. Teammates Skyler Keate, Blake Hughes, and Chris Francis held up their end of the bargain with solid jumps and stylish rides. Together, the four young men earned 683.3 points for their combined effort, outpacing their nearest competition by more than 10 points. Canada's Team 1 finished second, although their rank will not be officially counted for this United States national tournament. Eastern Division's Team 1 placed next, with total points of 587.1, to earn the official second-place team finish, followed by Intermountain Division's Team 2 in third.

In Junior 1 Class (16-18 year olds) Team Special Jumping championship, Intermountain's Team 1 blew away the field with points of 690.8 on jumps from Jessica Jerome, Skyler Keate, Chris Francis, and Blake Hughes. Eastern Division's Team 1 took home the second place honors, and Central Division's Team 1 was legally in third place, although Team 1 was unofficially sandwiched between second and third place.

"To have earned double gold here, and a bronze on top of it, and then to have Blake Hughes tie the hill record, is really exciting," said Intermountain's head coach, Corby Fischer. "I'm just really proud of these guys, and Jessica Jerome, too (who skied as the only female in the winning J1 Class team)." It is noteworthy that all of the members of the winning J1 team are actually youngsters who should technically jump in the J2 class. "For them to have stepped way up like that (competing "up a class" against older skiers) and win was really great. For our Team 2 to have come out here on a hill they've never skied before and win bronze shows that we have great depth as a team." All in all, Fischer noted, "It was just a great team effort and I'm really proud of them for that." When asked if he'd bring the team back to Coleraine for some summer skiing on the same hill, which is outfitted with a ceramic track and plastic landing matts for off-season training and competition, Fischer said, "We'd love to. This was our first experience here, and this is a nice hill. We've enjoyed the accommodations and would love to come back."

In the Older Junior Class (OJ), Central Division's Brian Nelson, Ty Jacobson, and Anthony Myhra competed against themselves and the hill to try for personal bests. Myhra ended the day with a score of 160.0 to Nelson's 148.2 and Jacobson's 120.6. Two of the three hail from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, a three-hour drive from Coleraine, and are frequent visitors to this hill both summer and winter, as are many on the Central Division's roster. "These are really good kids," said Central Division's team leader, LeeAnn Myhra, "which makes my job (of keeping the team together and organized) a lot easier. They're kids, but they've been good representatives (of this sport). They've had a good time here, and I look forward to ending the week on the same note."

More information about all skiing sports is available on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. Information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions is posted daily on www.SkiJumpingCentral.com.

NORDIC COMBINED TEAM EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

COLERAINE MN (2/27) - The 2002 Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, sponsored nationally by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Chevy Trucks, shifted into 5th gear today with the start of official competitions at the Mt. Itasca Ski Complex here. Today's events included Nordic Combined Team Jumping and Nordic Combined Team Cross-Country Relays.

Photo at left shows Jonathan Kling (Eastern Division) sailing 76.5 meters on Wednesday to set a new hill record.

Although chilly and brisk air stirred in the area during official training the day before, the first day of competitive tournaments here was calm and sunny. Temperatures were about 15-degrees Fahrenheit. The tell-tale American and Canadian flags on a pole near the landing hill stood nearly motionless today after enduring an aerobic workout yesterday in stiff winds.

Nordic combined is the intertwining of two Nordic skiing sports: ski jumping and cross-country. In these team competitions, two skiers join forces to create a team. In the Junior Olympics, teams are segregated by divisions: Eastern (Eastern U.S.), Central (Midwestern U.S.), Rocky Mountain (Colorado), and Intermountain (Park City, Utah). A Canadian contingent from Calgary, Alberta, also participated in the Guest division for this U.S. national championship title competition.

The teams vie for results on the 70-meter ski jump first, where each skier takes two competitive jumps. Skiers try for a good finish in the ski jumping portion, as their start on the cross-country course is determined by their finish on the jumps; that is, the top jumper gets the first position of the cross-country event, and each skier thereafter receives time penalties based on their position behind the top jumper.

The Central Division's Team 1, comprised of David Sobczak of Cloquet, Minnesota, and Kyle Kessler of Minneapolis, Minnesota, walked away from the Junior 2 Class (ages 11-15) jumping portion in first place. However, even with the added advantage of starting the team cross-country relay in first position later that afternoon, they had difficulty staving off the skating prowess of the Rocky Mountain Division's Team 1, Paul Berry and Bryan Fletcher, who skied hard during each lap, tagging off to each other only after having given it their all.

The Junior 1 Class (ages 16-18) saw the Eastern Division enter the picture with their Team 1, taking an early lead on the 70-meter jump. Jonathan Kling of Eastern's Team 1, broke the standing hill record as he flew to the bottom on jumps of 75.5 and 76.5 meters, respectively, pulling himself and teammate Marshall Ambrose ahead of the pack.

In the afternoon's cross-country relays, Ambrose and Kling clinched the championship team title with a race time of 28:51. Rocky Mountain Division Team 1 took second, Intermountain Division Team 1 was third, and Eastern Division Team 2 was fourth for the day.

"I've had a lot of great comments about the course today," said Harry Hutchins, Chief of Course for the Nordic Combined Cross-Country Relay race. "What people need to realize is that this is a brand new course, just completed last fall, and like any new venue, there is always room for improvement. There are a couple places where it is quite narrow, and we'll be working those things out. But for now, the racers and their coaches know when the course lends the best opportunity for passing, and they are working with the course quite well."

Individual championship titles will be determined on Friday at the Nordic Combined Individual events.

More information about all skiing sports is available on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. Information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions is posted daily on www.SkiJumpingCentral.com. Events are open to the public and free of charge.

EXCELLENT FIRST DAY OF TRAINING

COLERAINE MN (2/26) – Ski jumpers and Nordic combined skiers from four U.S. Divisions and Canada have registered and completed their first official day of training at the Mt. Itasca Ski Complex in Coleraine, Minnesota, today for the 2002 Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, sponsored nationally by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Chevy Trucks.

Divisions from the United States included Eastern (Eastern U.S.), Rocky Mountain (Colorado), Intermountain (Park City, Utah) and Central (Midwest). The Canadian skiers are from Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta, the site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. While these events are considered to be U.S. junior nationals, Canadians are invited to participate as guests.

Conditions at the hill today were brisk, which is an about face from the unseasonably mild weather that has left most of the Midwest with little or no snow cover. Organizers here were confident that their work to truck snow to the site and pack both the large 70-meter ski jump, as well as the cross-country ski trails, would enable these meets to be held, despite recent warmth that seemed to put all their hard work in jeopardy. Temperatures cooled just in time for the start of the week of competitions, and an inch of fresh snowfall yesterday helped to whiten and brighten the area, making it look ready for the national caliber events that are scheduled here throughout the week.

"The hill is really hard," commented Mark Johnson, who is Chief of Hill for the Junior Olympic events this week and full-time facility manager at Mt. Itasca. "The soft snow we had last weekend froze hard last night, so the landing hill is now in great shape." A hard landing hill is preferable to soft slushy snow, which can injure skiers upon landing or falling, making it more likely for athletes to dig in with a ski. "The cross-country course is in unimaginably good condition, considering what we've had to work with" added Harry Hutchins, who is the Chief of Course for the Nordic-combined events. "We have a solid 3-inch base, with freshly packed new snow. We couldn't dream of a better course, given the winter we've had here."

Temperatures ranged in the teens to low twenties Fahrenheit, and a stiff wind from the south hampered some of the jumps, as several skiers drifted far to their right before landing. "We had some skiers drift toward the landing hill stairs today, which is always a bit nerve-wracking to watch," commented Jon Denney, Chief of Competition for the week. "While we're thankful for the cooler weather, we do hope that wind isn't an issue this week, so we'll be monitoring the wind carefully as we plan for the training sessions and competitions."

Tomorrow's competitions include Nordic-combined Team Jumps at 9:30 a.m. (CST) and Nordic-combined cross-country Team Relays at 3:00 p.m. The forecast is for sunny skies and less wind.

More information about all skiing sports is available on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. Information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions is posted daily on www.SkiJumpingCentral.com. Events are open to the public and free of charge.

TEAMS ARRIVING FOR JUNIOR OLYMPICS

COLERAINE MN (2/26) - Teams began arriving mid-afternoon yesterday. 72 athletes and 17 coaches and team leaders are expected, from groups throughout the United States and Canada. The divisions represented are: Eastern (EAST), Central (CEN), Rocky Mountain (RMD), Intermountain (IMD), and Canada (Rocky Mountain Division represents Steamboat and Colorado, while Intermountain represents Park City).

In addition, 9 officials are here to officiate these events. They are:

• Galen Sayward (EAST), Technical Delegate
• LeRoy Martinson (CENTRAL), Technical Delegate Assistant
• Dan Johnson (CEN), Judge
• Korey Arneson (CEN), Judge
• Doug Wahl (CEN), Judge
• Rich Francis (IMD), Judge
• Larry Glueck (RMD), Judge
• Mark Lavasseur (EAST), Judge
• Matt Laue (CEN), X-C

The X-C trails are in good shape, with a 3" hard packed base and more over the top. New snow is packed immediately to retain in. The trails are in mostly in North-facing woods and are protected, so they have maintained their viability throughout the warm spells.

Yesterday we received a dusting of snow as well, which whitened and brightened all. So, the official report from Mt. Itasca is that this event is a "GO," with hills and trails in excellent shape. The Junior Olympic Organizing Committee will be registering skiers this morning at Mt. Itasca, and training will then be underway.

YOUNG SKIERS TO VIE FOR JUNIOR OLYMPIC TITLES

COLERAINE MN (2/20) – Nearly 75 junior skiers will converge on the ski jumping hills and cross-country ski trails of the Mt. Itasca Ski Complex in Coleraine, Minnesota (near Grand Rapids), next week for the Chevy Truck Junior Olympics for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, one of 13 events in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) nationwide 2002 Chevy Truck Junior Olympic series. This event is the premier junior national championships for ski jumpers and Nordic-combined skiers from age 14-18.

The 4-days of competition events are scheduled from Wednesday, February 27, to Saturday, March 2. Events kick off with Nordic Combined Team Jump competitions on Wednesday, with various ski jumping events and cross-country races held each day, culminating in the exciting individual ski jumping championship tournaments held on Mt. Itasca's 70-meter jump on Saturday. The public is welcome to visit Mt. Itasca at any time during the week to watch training or competitions.

This is the second time in the last four years that Mt. Itasca in Coleraine has hosted this prestigious event, which will give competitors and spectators their own taste of Olympic-style excitement on the heels of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

"In 1998, when this club last hosted this event, El Nino was the big newsmaker, bringing unseasonably warm weather to our Northern Minnesota area. It certainly wreaked havoc for us back then," cites 2002 Junior Olympic Organizing Committee Chairman, Rick Anderson. "By February's competition dates, all we had left was grass on the jumps and trails, and we had to move the event at the 11th hour to Michigan. Fortunately, history won't repeat itself this time."

This year's Junior Olympic Organizing Committee wasn't without such worry this time around, either, as record warmth has again cast little snow across the Midwest during the last three months, including at the Junior Olympic venue site. "We're lucky to be one of the only places in the Midwest that has snow on the jumps and trails," Anderson stated. "While we don't have as much snow as is typical for this time of year here, we do have a hard-packed base on our groomed 70-meter jump and cross-country trails, and we're holding the snow we've got."

That's good news for the athletes and event organizers, who are relieved to hear that cooler temperatures and snow flurries are forecast for the coming days.

“Many of the juniors competing here will rise in the ranks to someday become Olympic stars,” said Mark Johnson, who is the facility manager at Mt. Itasca and a member of the 2002 Junior Olympic Organizing Committee. “It promises to be an action-packed week and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to host skiers from across the country and Canada."

Coleraine's own Alana Maki will compete here on her home hill against the nation's top women jumpers, and our entire club will be cheering her on. She will be an example to the 35 younger skiers (ages 4 to 14) that we have in our local ski jumping program here at Mt. Itasca. We're excited too that another 20 skiers from the Midwest's Central Division will be here competing against the nation's top juniors. In addition to Alana from the Coleraine-Grand Rapids area, many of the other Central Division skiers are from Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Cloquet, which are within our vicinity. We'll be eager to see how our Central Team fares here against members of the teams from the Rocky Mountains, Park City, and the East Coast.”

The 2002 Chevy Truck Junior Olympic series has become a rite of passage for juniors who love snow and are serious about fine tuning their competitive skills. Conceived as part of USSA’s development program for its national team, the Junior Olympic series includes the sports of alpine, cross country and freestyle skiing as well as ski jumping, Nordic combined and snowboarding.

Junior and youth skiers can learn more about the series by checking their sport on the USSA website at www.usskiteam.com. For more information about the 2002 Junior Olympic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined competitions to be held at Mt. Itasca next week, visit www.SkiJumpingCentral.com, or call Mt. Itasca at (218) 245-3487.