Hello, My Name Is: Eleanor and Margaret Bennett

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - For Eleanor and Margaret Bennett, skiing is in their blood.

“We started skiing really young, like literally baby skis,” said Eleanor Bennett. “My older brother skied and both my younger sisters ski for the middle school team now.”

The two Wausau East students, Elanor, a senior, and Margaret, a freshman, ski side-by-side as a dynamic one-two punch.

“They’re really great teammates and they’re fun to hang out with and their teammates appreciate them,” said Ernie Luedke, Wausau United Ski Team Head Coach. “It’s the biggest thing that I love about them.”

After a year of successful qualifying, the sisters punched their ticket to the Junior Nationals in Fairbanks, Alaska earlier this month, earning themselves an unforgettable experience.

“It was crazy. We got there and everyone was like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe we’re in Alaska right now,” said, Margaret Bennett.

An experience that wasn’t just handed to them.

“Both of the girls put in quite a bit of training time,” says Luedke. “They were training on their own where they’d go out for three hours by themselves. That makes like a huge difference.”

After racing through the hills of Alaska, the Bennetts carry plenty of pride for one another.

“It’s a really big accomplishment,” says Eleanor. “And since she’s kind of younger in her age group, she worked really hard to make that qualification and just ski with those other girls that might’ve been kind of intimidating. And just know that she can beat them when it’s necessary.”

“She’s been working for this for so long,” says Margaret. “She has such high academics and school work. It’s really honestly impressive that she can put aside all this time for skiing and still do well in school and still race to this level.”

A path carved out, that Margaret can follow. After reaching the Junior Nationals, Margaret‘s next goal is to qualify again next year and finish top 10 in state. While Eleanor looks forward to graduating high school and skiing for a club in college.

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