The Westonka Nordic ski team faced the arctic cold weather, competing in the Conference Championship Meet at Theodore Wirth Regional Park on January 26. With temperatures below zero at the start of the meet, conditions proved extra challenging for the athletes. As a team, the White Hawks rose to the occasion with season best performances, earning third place for the girls and fifth place for the boys, out of the 11 area teams.

Coach Jaimie Lundgren was impressed with the team, sharing, “They all showed resilience and grit today, taking on the challenges of the very cold weather and timing issues; not once did they let that affect their performances. They showed up, raced hard, and represented Westonka at the highest level! We are so proud of our Nordic skiers!”

The conference meet featured multiple races throughout the day, with students racing as individuals or in relays. Those racing as individuals competed in a 5K Classic race in the morning and a 5K Skate race in the afternoon, with the combined times determining their final placement. For the relays, each team had two skiers race on a shorter sprint course, providing high-speed entertainment during the middle of the meet.

In the combined Classic and Skate Race, senior Leif Hagen led the Westonka boys with an impressive sixth-place finish, racing to All-Conference honors. Sophomore Robbie Chilson was in next in 16th place, earning him All-Conference Honorable Mention. Eighth grader Rylan Gusenius raced to 22nd place in his first year on the varsity team, showing he will be a force to reckon with in the years to come. The White Hawks depth was on display with strong races from eighth grader Carter Savstrom, freshmen Ben Smith and Pablo Jordan, and sophomore Oliver Berg.

The Westonka girls were led by senior Ava Daum in 11th place and sophomore Elise Hays in 18th place, both earning All-Conference Honorable Mention. Scoring as well for the White Hawks was freshman Eva Savstrom in 23rd place, coming close to honorable mention status. Adding team depth were eighth grader Abigail Kreger, freshmen Nina Mattson and Madison Nelson, and 7th grader Nora Kahler.  

At the midpoint of the conference meet, the sprint relays filled the Wirth course with energy and speed. The Westonka girls team of sophomore Stella Johnson and freshman Louisa Johnson attacked the course, earning the sister duo fourth place. The Westonka boys team of junior Sawyer Bruch and sophomore Jacob Chilson combined for a sixth-place finish.

After the meet, Coach Sue Harrison reflected, “The kids showed flexibility and resilience, both skills necessary in Nordic skiing. I am impressed by their good attitudes and ability to put the extreme weather and schedule changes aside and race extremely well.”

The White Hawks compete next in the Section Championship Meet at Theodore Wirth Regional Park on Tuesday, February 3.