For the sixth year, Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC) will provide an opportunity for four U16 men and four U16 women from the Midwest Division to compete amongst their peers at the 2016 New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) U16 (J2) Championships at Black Mountain in Rumford, ME, March 11-13.

The NENSA trip brings together the best U16 athletes in New England and has been a fantastic development trip.

Getting the opportunity to travel and compete with some of the best U16 athletes in our region along with top skiers from Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York, essentially becomes just like Junior Nationals but is a little more laid back, it is a shorter trip (three days of racing) and costs less.

“We’ve seen kids who went on the NENSA trip and come back and work hard over the spring and summer and a lot of those kids have gone on to make the Midwest Team the following year or even World Juniors,” said Chris Harvey, Midwest Junior National Team head coach. ” For example, Ian Torchia a skier at NMU currently, loved the NENSA trip and really got into skiing after that. Eventually he became the top American distance skier at World Juniors in Kazakhstan last winter. He is not the only example, there have been many other skiers who have become successful in their results after the NENSA trip that helped them progress.”

Midwest Team

Coaches: 

Kelly Skillicorn, Head Coach & Trip Leader (Winona, MN)
Kris Hanson – (Rice Lake, WI) 
Steve Swenson – (Madison, WI)

“We’re very excited to be taking this group of athletes to the NENSA U16 championships which will be held in Rumford, Maine. It’s a great opportunity for the Midwest kids to be racing their peers in another region,” said trip leader and coach Kelly Skillicorn.

U16 Males 

Ben Olson / LNR

Noah Bodewes / Lakeland

Joe Lynch / LNR

Alex Nemeth / Minneapolis Ski Club

U16 Females

Leah Rudd / LNR

Kasia Bednarski / LNR

Val Hart / Endurance United

Olivia Dreger / Wausau Nordic United