CALUMET COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Within a month of its grand opening, Ariens Nordic Center will be welcoming hundreds of cross-country skiers this weekend.
The center will be hosting the CXC Junior and Youth Cup, a competition that was originally planned to be held in Traverse City, Mich. But without enough natural snow, the competition is coming to the Brillion area where Ariens can make its own snow.
“While we weren’t planning to host a competition this soon after opening, we were happy to get involved,” said Ariens Nordic Center General Manager Sean Becker. “This kind of competition is what we are built for. We couldn’t envision this event not happening, so we accelerated our timeline and hope it makes a difference for the junior and youth athletes.”
The competition is the third Junior National Qualifier series for the Great Lakes Division of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard organization. These qualifiers are held to establish regional teams and, ultimately, provide a path to becoming an Olympian.
The public is welcome to attend the races, which begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and watch skiers who may ultimately represent Team USA someday.
Ranging from two kilometers up to 10 kilometers, the races are free for the public to watch.
Trails will open for public skiing at 1 p.m., after the races and awards for each day.
