The LNR competition team is our highest level of training for high school aged student athletes. Primarily for high school juniors and seniors or birth years 2006, 2007, and 2008. 2008 Birth years must have prior LNR training experience with the LNR Devo team. Comp team members are committed to year round training and have goals of competing regionally and nationally.
LNR Comp Team Training Goals:
- To keep training varied, challenging, and having the opportunity to explore new places.
- To make sure training in spring and summer is focused on making you a better all around athlete: coordination, speed, and running/movement mechanics.
- To work with each athlete to achieve their goals in high school skiing and in regional and national events like the Minnesota State High School League Championships, CXC Junior Cup, Jr World Team Trials in XC Skiing/Biathlon, USSA Senior Nationals, and the Junior National Championships.
- To make sure that the environment at LNR is one that stresses being a good person, not just a good athlete. We will focus on working well in a group and members are expected to participate in a number of volunteer projects throughout the year.
Registration
Need-based scholarships are available from the Loppet Foundation. Please contact Coach Bednarski for more information at bednarski@loppet.org.
Athletes may choose to enroll by season or year-round.
Registration Pages -2024 Registrations Opens March 1st
Spring and Summer Programs.
Proceeds from the Loppet Nordic Racing Programs benefit the Loppet Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation's mission, vision, and values.
Fall and Winter Programs
Proceeds from the Loppet Nordic Racing Programs benefit the Loppet Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation's mission, vision, and values.
2024-2025 Year-Round Option
The annual year round cost of the LNR Competition Team is $5,200. Although the fees are substantial, they include four out of town training camps, spring, summer, fall and winter training sessions, as well as training plans, lactate testing, and race support. The team fee can be paid in full or paid in installments of $1,300.
Year-Round Competition Team Includes:
- Training programs running from April 2024 – March 2025.
- 4 out of town training camps – June Camp in Ironwood, Michigan; July Camp in California; MEA Camp in Cable, Wisconsin; and Thanksgiving On-Snow Training Camp (Silverstar BC).
- Year-round training plan, time trials, field testing, and lactate profiles.
- 3-7 organized training sessions per week for 46 weeks (breaks at end of March and end of August)
2024 Registration Opens March 1st. 2024 LNR Juniors Comp Team Year-Round
Proceeds from the Loppet Nordic Racing Programs benefit the Loppet Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation's mission, vision, and values.
Training Schedule
2024 Spring Schedule
Starting April 15th runs 8 weeks through June 7th
- Mondays: 3:45pm-6:00pm at The Trailhead. Running mechanics, games, and strength in weight room.
- Tuesdays: 3:45pm at The Trailhead. Road biking. Starting with approx 90 min, practices will generally be 2:00-2:30hr rides.
- Wednesdays: 3:45pm at The Trailhead. Running – mix of distance and intensity workouts.
- Thursdays: 3:45pm-6:00pm at The Trailhead. Running mechanics, games, and strength in weight room
- Fridays – Sundays: No organized practice, but we will recommended training to complete on your own.
2024 Summer Schedule
Summer training program starts June 10th runs 9 weeks through Friday August 9th. Comp team will have a light training schedule the week of June 17th (Ironwood camp) and 4th of July 4th week and team members not going on the California camp will practice with Devo team at the end of July. 3 day and 5 day a week registration options are available.
- Mondays: 8am at Hyland Park. Distance Rollerski.
- Tuesdays: 8am at the town of Afton or French Park. Rollerski Intensity.
- Tuesdays: 4pm at The Trailhead. Strength.
- Wednesdays: 8am at The Trailhead. Rollerski or Running distance.
- Thursdays: 8am at various locations (on low volume weeks, we will will NOT meet Thursday morning) AND 4pm at The Trailhead. On-foot and strength.
- Fridays: 8am at Hyland Park. On-foot intensity.
- Saturdays – Sundays: We recommended training, but we do not meet on weekends in the summer.
2024 Fall Schedule
- Mondays: 3:45pm at The Trailhead. On foot drills, games, strength.
- Tuesdays: 3:45pm at Bush Lake Beach. On foot intensity.
- Wednesdays: 3:45pm at The Trailhead. Rollerski technique, agility, speed training.
- Thursdays: 3:45pm at Bush Lake Beach. Rollerski intensity.
- Fridays: 3:45pm at The Trailhead. On foot drills, games, strength.
- Saturdays: Locations vary. morning workouts, generally 8am or 9am. Over distance workout on volume weeks, time trials or intervals on intensity weeks.
- Sundays: Off day, active recovery.
Winter Schedule
First week in December – mid March. Theodore Wirth Park is the primary meeting place. Some training will take place at other venues depending on snow conditions and goals of the workout.
LNR will work with high school programs to provide training plans for athletes who are training and racing at a regional and national level. Note that LNR training will make special accommodation for athletes in schools that don’t get out until 4pm.
- Mondays: No organized practice, but we will recommended training to complete on your own.
- Tuesdays: 3:45pm- 5:30pm (may go longer)
- Wednesdays: 3:45pm-5:30pm (may go longer)
- Thursdays: 3:45pm-5:30pm (may go longer)
- Fridays: Generally no practice on Friday, but on CXC Cup race weekends we will train together at the race venue- 4:00-5:30pm
- Saturdays: Mornings (generally 9am). Racing or training. Saturday practices will be scheduled sporadically through the winter.
- Sundays: Generally we will only meet for races on Sundays (CXC Junior Cup)
Required equipment
- Watch (with stopwatch function)
- Heart rate monitor
- Classic and skate rollerskis
- road bike/bike shoes
- Optional equipment: mountain bike
2024 Training Camps
June Camp in Ironwood MI. June 17th – 22nd (6 days). Combined with Devo team. Transportation provided to and from the Trailhead.
July Camp in Truckee California Thursday July 25th – Friday August 2nd (9 days). Airfare not included in camp registration fee. Please book tickets to SFO landing by 9am on Thursday July 25th and departing after 5pm on Friday August 2nd. Recommended flights here at this link.
MEA Camp in Cable WI. Oct 16th – 20th (5 days). Combined with Devo team. Transportation provided to and from the Trailhead.
Thanksgiving On Snow Camp in Silverstar British Columbia (8 days). Sun Nov 24th – Sun Dec 1st. Airfare not included in camp registration fee, recommended flights will be sent out to book in July 2024.
**note for Truckee CA Camp- athletes need to be signed up for one additional LNR Training Camp and LNR Comp Team in order to participate**
Why Year-Round Training?
Why would you want to sign up for year-round training with Loppet Nordic Racing? Well, it all comes back to goals. If your goals are to compete at the highest level in cross country skiing, then this is how you do it: a year-round training plan that is not segmented by track and XC running seasons. Strength becomes a big focus in the spring and early summer, while high volume becomes a big focus in the summer with some big hours during summer camps. In the fall, training gets more intense and more specific with additional rollerskiing intensity.
Are there other ways to be successful in xc skiing?
Yes, but year round training is the most effective, especially starting at age 16 when an athlete can handle a higher volume of training.
Can I train with the Competition Team – but not on a year-round basis?
Yes, you can. We don’t see this as ideal, but you can do it.
World-Class Tradition
Every Olympian was an awkward junior high school athlete at some point. Inspired coaching, a motivational atmosphere, and a strong peer group can transform a young rookie into a highly competitive athlete. Here’s a partial list of our Loppet Nordic Racing alumnae that have gone on to the Olympics and World Champs in XC Skiing and Biathlon:
- Caitlin Gregg – 2015 World Championship Bronze Medalist, 2014 World Cup Team, 2010 Olympic team, 2007, 2009 XC World Champs Team, 2008 Biathlon World Championship Team, 6 Time National Champion
- Brian Gregg – 2017, 2016, 2015 World Cup Team, 2014 Olympic Team
- Ben Saxton – 2015 U23 World Championship Team, 2014 World Junior XC Team
- Kyle Batrud – 2017, 2015 World Championship Team, 2017 National Champion, 2013 World Junior XC Team
- Jakob and Siena Ellingson – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 World Junior Biathlon Team
- Carolyn Bramante – 2006 Olympian, 2008 and 2009 Biathlon World Championship Team, 2002 World Junior Silver Medalist
- Brian Olsen – 2006 Olympian
- Dan Campbell – 2002 Olympian
- Andrea Nahrgang – 2002 Olympian
- Jacob Beste – 2004 World Cup Team
- Andy Erickson – 1998 Olympian
Junior National Champions
- Adrik Kraftson – Junior Nationals Champion 2022
- Vivian Hett – Junior National Champion 2015
- Amanda Kautzer – Junior National Champion 2014
- Sharmila Ahmed – Junior National Champion 2013
- Ben Saxton – Junior National Champion 2012
- Karl Nygren – U23 World Championship Team
U18 Scandanavian Cup Team
- Sydney Drevlow – 2023
- Adirk Kraftson – 2022
- Kelly Koch – 2018
- Luci Anderson – 2017
- Zak Ketterson, Abby Drach, Nicole Schneider – 2015
- Vivan Hett – 2013
- Sharmila Ahmed – 2011
Minnesota State Champions:
- Benon Brattebo 2023
- Sydney Drevlow 2022
- Cooper Camp – 2022
- Roger Anderson – 2021
- Xavier Mansfield – 2017
- Margie Freed – 2016
- Sarah Bezdicek – 2015
- Zak Ketterson – 2014, 2016
- Jakob Ellingson – 2013
- Ben Saxton – 2011, 2012
- Sharmila Ahmed – 2011
- Erik Fagerstrom – 2009
- Katie Bono – 2005, 2006
- Claire Luby – 2006
- Joe Sem – 2004
- Bill Snellman – 1999