News & Stories

LNR Juniors Starts Summer With Record Numbers

Hyland LNR Junior Group

Girls competition group[/caption]The summer Loppet Nordic Racing Program started the first week of June with a record number of 220 youth involved in either three day week training programs, six day competition program or the two day strength program that runs through the beginning of August.

LNR Summer Junior Programs are offered at a variety of locations around the Twin Cities including Hyland, Wirth, French Park, Elm Creek, Lake Elmo and Afton. The Wirth evening program is new this year, with all the other locations meeting at 7am.  The LNR Juniors program has drawn many of the top high school athletes from around the Metro area.  A number of LNR alumnae that are skiing in college have returned to train with LNR over the summer.

Those training with the Competition Team also attend up to three one-week training camps over the summer. The June Camp was held at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, Wisconsin, and was attended by 55 LNR athletes and 15 CXC athletes.  The next camp will be held in Grand Marais in July.

Head Coach Piotr Bednarski states, “Our goal is to help each athlete compete to their potential, whether that be at the state, national or international level.”  This past year LNR had 33 athletes competing at the Junior Nationals in in Truckee, California, seven athletes competed internationally at the U18 Nations Cup, Nordic World Junior Championships, or Biathlon World Championships.”

LNR Juniors has over twenty top notch coaches and the majority of them are trained in USSA level 100 and 200 CXC certification courses. In addition to these coaches we are lucky to have Olympians Caitlin and Brian Gregg train on a consistent basis with the LNR competition team. Team Gregg has also volunteered with many FAST KIDS events and have become local stars that have inspired these youth to set high goals and work hard.The LNR Juniors summer program concludes with the annual Ringer Roll Race Friday, August 7 at Baker Park. For more information on year round LNR Junior Programs: LNR Junior Programs