Laramie 2025 Feb 28

State Championship Day 1

Our State Championship this year took us to Laramie. On our first day, we raced a 5K classic race, and tomorrow we’ll compete in a 10K skate race. While we endured several weeks of bitter cold leading up to the event, this week brought unusually warm temperatures—starting in the teens early in the morning but rising into the mid-40s by the time the last athletes raced. The melting snow and ice made waxing extremely difficult. Instead of regular kick wax, we had to use klister—a sticky paste with a honey-like consistency—applied from a toothpaste-like tube in small blobs onto the ski, then spread using our thumbs.

As a Nordic team in just our third year, we had never used klister until two weeks ago in Cody, where we struggled to choose the right type, resulting in skis that were too sticky and icing up. Here in Laramie, we had an extra day on Thursday to experiment with multiple waxes and five different klisters before finally settling on an acceptable solution.

Girls’ Results

The girls’ race began at 10:00 a.m. with a 30-second interval start. Kindell had the honor of being the very first skier on the course. She raced well but, unfortunately, missed a sharp turn on a downhill section and collided with a tree. Tough as she is, Kindell still finished the race. We had to carry her off the finish line, and while an athletic trainer cleared her to race tomorrow, she was advised to ice her knee and rest.

Our top finisher was Kayley, who placed 4th. She trained hard and focused leading up to the race but felt weak at the start. Laramie’s 7,220 feet of altitude took its toll—her early splits were within seconds of the eventual winner, but she had to ease up in the second half. By the finish, she struggled to breathe, and her lungs were in significant pain. Despite this, she is excited for tomorrow’s 10K mass-start skate race, her favorite discipline.

Livie and Brynn were next, finishing 33rd and 39th, respectively. Together with Kayley, they earned team points, placing the girls' team 7th out of 8. We had hoped Ella would also contribute to the team score, but she struggled with no kick on her skis and finished 52nd. Mary had a strong race, finishing 62nd. She also went above and beyond by volunteering to leave early with the coaches in the suburban, helping transport equipment and prep skis—an effort we truly appreciate.

Boys’ Results

Our goal for the boys’ team was ambitious: aiming for 3rd place overall. Unfortunately, a circulating influenza virus hit us hard. While some of our top scorers managed to avoid it, two key athletes weren’t at their best, which cost us that podium spot. Despite this setback, we are incredibly proud to finish 4th overall. Kelly Walsh won the day (as expected), followed by Jackson in 2nd and Natrona in 3rd.

Our standout performer was SeanKyle, who placed 6th overall—an incredible achievement for both him and the team. Last year, he set the Sheridan boys’ record with a 12th-place finish in the classic race, and this year he topped that result, beating every skier from Natrona, Lander, and Cody. We couldn’t be prouder!

Abe Hughes was our second-highest finisher, placing 15th—an impressive leap from last year’s 37th. Now in his second year, he continues to improve, and we are excited to see his progress in the seasons ahead.

Gabe finished 18th and was instrumental in helping us identify the right wax solution. Although he wasn’t thrilled with his result, we are proud of his effort and eager to see what he can do in tomorrow’s skate race.

Justin came in 23rd, marking significant growth this season. A health issue prevented him from reaching his full potential today, but we hope he’ll be able to push to his full potential tomorrow.

Henry was our final point scorer, placing 33rd. Unfortunately, he has been battling a cold, which slowed him down. He won’t be able to race tomorrow, and as a senior, we will greatly miss him on the team!

Carter had an outstanding race, finishing 45th. A naturally gifted endurance athlete, he’s beginning to develop the upper body strength necessary for skiing. If he incorporates skiing into his off-season training, he will be a strong competitor in the years ahead.

Eric placed 56th, matching his result from last year. He is a valued member of the team, and we love having him with us.

Luke, Andre, and Kade all struggled due to illness, and we were just grateful they could race at all. All three are new to the team, have worked incredibly hard this season, and have shown exceptional dedication. While their results today weren’t where they wanted them to be, they should be proud of their accomplishments.

Sadly, Will wasn’t able to travel with us and had to remain home to recover. We missed him out on the course!

Looking Ahead

With the 5K classic race behind us, we’re ready to take on tomorrow’s 10K mass-start skate race. We’ve learned a lot from today’s conditions, and we’re looking forward to seeing what our athletes can do on the final day of the championship. Go WinterBroncs!

Girls results: here

Boys results: here