ROUNDS OUT DOUBLE HEADER
OF NORDIC SKI RACING
For immediate release
North End Ski Club
P.O. Box 192
Cable, WI 54821
(715)798-3599
For further information contact:Ron Bergin (715)798-3599, rbergin@cheqnet.net
CABLE, WIS. (Feb. 14, 2005) It was a busy weekend Feb. 12 and 13 for cross country ski racers in the Cable area as nearly 1,000 skiers participated in back to back events at Telemark Resort. Sketchy conditions on Lake Hayward necessitated the relocation of the Hayward Lions Pre-Birkie to Telemark Resort and the northern half of the Birkebeiner ski trail on Saturday, February 12. Diligent and skilled grooming transformed what had been a hard-packed, icy trail into a safe, speedy ride from Cable to Cty Hwy OO in Seeley. From all accounts racers thoroughly enjoyed themselves and notched personal bests over the 23-kilometer distance.
On Sunday, February 13, Cableıs North End Ski Club presented its fifth annual North End Classic with 216 racers lining up for the 24 km or 12 km classic technique events. North End Classic participants were greeted with similar conditions and were surprised to find the course in top condition thanks to supplementary grooming provided the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation and Telemark Resort. The Classic started and finished at Telemark Resort and utilized portions of the Telemark Ski Trails, the North End Ski Trail and the Kortelopet Race Course.
While conditions were fast, the course was well groomed and no injuries were reported as Andy Weddle of Phillips, Wis. logged a convincing win, finishing in 1:14:25, over one minute ahead of Fred Kueffer of Shoreview, Minn. who finished at 1:15:42. Mark Parman of Wausau placed third, covering the 24-kilometer distance in 1:15:34. The top local finishers were Scott Nesvold of Washburn (18th) and Michael Uffenbeck of Cable (19th).
Stephanie Howe, a student at the University of Northern Michigan in Marquette, dominated the womenıs field by a 12-minute margin finishing at 1:18:29. Melinda Silbernick of Maple Grove, Minn. skied in second at 1:30:32, followed shortly by local favorite, Michelle Flanagan-Haag of Seeley at 1:31:05.
For their efforts over the weekend, Andy Weddle and Michelle Flanagan-Haag took home some additional hardware as winners of the Pre-Birkie/North End Classic Best of Both competition where racersı times from both events are combined to determine the fastest overall participants in both races. Weddleıs Best of Both time was 2:13:58 (third in the Pre-Birkie) and Flanagan turned a time of 2:40:22 after finishing second in the Pre-Birkie and third in the Classic.
Local and regional skiers nailed down the top three positions in the new 12 km companion event to the North End Classic. Bob Peterson of Barron, Wis. was the first to the finish line in 39:21. A pair of Hayward skiers, John Garrett and George Brousard, rounded out the top three for the men finishing at 43:44 and 45:56 respectively.
Jeanine Evenson of Minneapolis was the womenıs 12K winner completing the course in 57:13. Rachel Kresse of Wausau, second, was the only other female competitor to complete the 12K course in less than one hour, finishing at 58:50. Samantha Kaplan of Madison, Wis. placed third with a time of 1:01:34.
The North End Classic is a fund raising event for the North End Ski Club. The club is responsible for developing and maintaining the North End Trail Head and ski and snowshoe trails south of Cable near the northern terminus of the Birkebeiner trail. The Classic was sponsored by Toko ski wax and tools and hosted by Telemark Resort. Other sponsors included: TNT Video, Coopıs Pizza, Hayward Power Sports, Hayward Area Memorial Hospital, McKinney Realty, Mundahl Veterinary Clinic, New Moon Bike Shop, Outdoor Ventures, Wilde River Realty, Bon Nuit Motel, King Realty, Mogasheen Resort, Riverbrook Bike & Ski, Rockyıs Service, Rondeauıs and the State Bank of Drummond.
Complete results can be found at www.itiming.com and event photos can be viewed at: http://madcross.smugmug.com/Cross+Country+Skiing.
Rusk County Tourism