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The Loppet Foundation :: News & Stories :: Loppet Nordic Racing High Performance Team season recap

Loppet Nordic Racing High Performance Team season recap

Our Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) High Performance Team had fantastic results in its inaugural season. The High Performance athletes are committed to training 6-8 workouts a week and competing at the highest level in the Midwest, United States, and the world! Although the season was unique with COVID-19, we were grateful to be able to push our limits with high training volume, specific interval workouts, and races in various distances ranging from the sprint (1.2K) to ski marathons (50K). We had some outstanding ski racing results, but we also embraced “the Loppet lifestyle” with multiple team members coaching for TRAIL KIDS, volunteering at the City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival and racing alongside fellow Loppet members in the local events hosted at Theodore Wirth Park.

Highlights from our first season as an official team: 

Early Morning Training Session on the Chain of Lakes. (L-R: Matt Clarke, Renae Anderson, Abbie Drach, Tony Mathie, Andrew Millan and Jeff Evanson).
Volunteering for the 2021 Loppet Festival (L-R: Abbie Drach, Tony Mathie, Caitlin Gregg, Ray Aponte and Morgan Richter).
Helping each other train on the Treadmill at Pioneer Midwest. (L-R: Tony Mathie, Andrew Millan and Brian Gregg).

Notable Results:

  • Birkie Wax Testing (L-R: Heidi Gregg, Abbie Drach, Andrew Millan, Brian Gregg, Tony Mathie).
  • Birkie Finishers! (L-R: Abbie Drach, Renae Anderson, Caitlin Gregg).
  • Charlie Grabow Striding up the Snowboard Hill at the CXC Cup Finals

The high performance team members reached success on the local, national, and international scale this year – with hopes of continuing these results in future years!

  • Morgan Richter Hop Skating up the Judy Loop Climbs!

Renae Anderson: Qualified and Competed at the U23 World Championships in Vuokatti, Finland; 6th place in the American Birkebeiner 2021 Elite Skate race.

Caitlin Gregg: Qualified for the Nove Mesto, CZE World Cup 10K; 3rd place in the American Birkebeiner Elite Skate race; 4th place in the American Birkebeiner Elite Classic race.

Tony Mathie: 2nd place in the 2021 Mora Vasaloppet 35K Dala race; 27th place in the 2021 American Birkebeiner Elite Skate race.

Andrew Millan: 4th place in the 2021 Mora Vasaloppet 35K Dala race; 1st place in the 2021 American Birkebeiner Skate race – Time of Day (non-elite start).

Brian Gregg: 7th place in the 2021 American Birkebeiner Elite Skate race, 4th place in the 2021 American Birkebeiner Elite Classic race.

Abbie Drach: 2nd place in the 2021 Mora Vasaloppet 47K; 8th place in the 2021 American Birkebeiner Elite Skate race.

Charlie Grabow: 8th place in the 2021 CXC Cup Houghton Skate Sprint (U20).

Morgan Richter: 6th place in the CXC Cup Finals Classic & Skate 10K (U20).

Thank you to all of our supporters, sponsors, training partners, and of course the Loppet Foundation!