Nordic Ski Blog

Cross Country Headquarters Ski Team Brings the Michigan Cup Back Home

By Linda Thielfoldt and Bob Frye

Well it was a long road this shortened season but the Cross Country Ski Headquarters Ski Team brought the Michigan Cup back home on Saturday at the Michigan Cup Series Relay Race held at XCSH in Roscommon MI.

There were 50 teams for the relay races made up of skiers from all over Michigan and Ohio and each team had a Classic Skier (diagonal stride) and two Skate (or Freestyle) skiers. The race started with the Classic skier and then they tagged off to the next skier on their individual relay team.

Cross Country Ski Headquarters (Roscommon, MI) had 19 Relay teams and it was the efforts of all the relay teams that brought home the cup. The youngest skier on the CCSH team was Kyle Roberts 7, from Lake City, MI, and the oldest was Jack Caldwell, 72, from Ann Arbor.

The Michigan Cup is won by the “team” that amasses the most points during the season and it was a very close finish. To quote XCSH Team Captain Frank Rynalski 52, Bay City; “The best thing about winning the cup was that we did it as a team.”

1 Cross Country Ski Headquarters
2 NordicSkiRacer
3 Strait Striders
4 Grand Rapid Nordic Ski Team
5 Hanson Hills/Cross Country Ski Shop
6 Traverse Nordic Ski Club
7 Ohio Nordic

Says Mr. XCSH, Bob Frye, “Thanks to all 50 teams who turned out for one of the largest Michigan Cup Relays ever. Thanks also to all the volunteers who helped make the day a great memory. Thanks to Frank Rynalski and his fellow team members for their endless work, organizing, recruiting and leading the Cross Country Ski Headquarters Team not only to a victory at the Relays but also to the 2007 Michigan Cup Championship ! Way to go team! You won it in 2004 and now you have bought the Michigan Cup back home!”

The Relays - always a festive race - were made more festive by the bright tents and banners set up by Fischer and Salomon featuring demo skis. The awards lunch was held under bright skies and featured Kogel Viennas, subs, veggies, chips, cookies and green lemonade

Fifty teams competed under sunny skies and very fast skiing conditions at the Cross Country Ski Headquarters in Higgins Lake. Temperatures were in the mid-20s and conditions were power-tilled icy powder over hard pack and ice.

Relay teams were composed of three skiers. The first leg raced two laps around the Rolling Hills Trail using classic technique. Legs 2 and 3 skied freestyle and raced three laps each.

Visit XC Headquarters Website

Ski Clinics, Yoga, Snowshoe, Healthy Cooking, Pelatis, 

March 10th

8 AM Power Pilatis, with Cathy Clark

9:30 “Healthy Cooking” with Zona Wick

10:00 Breakfast

11:00 Classic Ski Clinic with Ken Hazel (on snow)

1:00 Lunch

1:30 Skate Ski Effeciently with Ken Hazel DVD

2:00 On snow Ski Effeciently with Ken Hazel

4:00 Open skiing or break

5:00 Sunset Snowshoe Hike with Angela Santini

6:00 Wood Fired Finnish Sauna

7:30 Dinner on your own at Petrushas? Or Tacconelis

With a keynote speaker TBD?

March 11th

8 AM Yoga with Felicia Santini

9:30 Healthy Cooking with Zona Wick

10:00 Breakfast

11:00 Opening Skiing

Lodging is Available

Hilltop Lodging available for 8 women. $80 for 2 nights

River House and Rustic Cabin Lodging is available at discounted rates

Events will be at the Hilltop House, above the ABR Trail Head

Weekend Cost is $59/woman, Please Pre-Register. Price includes trail passes, instruction, ski rentals and snowshoe rentals, 2 breakfasts one lunch.

Ski along the ABR Ski Trails and sample our local cuisine and specialties of our local restaurants. 

Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM

Restaurants will have tables set up from the trailhead along a designated 5 km route.

Restaurants confirmed as of Feb 27th :

Manny’s - Cheese Raviolis - Fatto e manno (homemade)

Taconellis – Taconellis to go

The Pastry Kitchen – the famous UP Pasties

The Kimball Inn - Mikes special

Don & GG’s-

Breakwater Café-

There is no specail cost for the event, just buy a trail pass and pay the food costs at each booth. Please email a response so the restaurants can schedule food.