By Cathy Putman
Special to The Press Time
HOUGHTON – Michigan Tech University in Houghton, Michigan, hosted a Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) race series Dec. 21-22.
The event attracted top collegiate and junior Nordic skiers from across the Midwest.
Two Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team athletes, senior Ryan Thieme (Bay Port) and sophomore Grant Rocheleau (Bay Port) had strong showings.
The duo used their skills in the traditional classic or stride technique to successfully navigate their way through a highly-competitive field.
On Saturday, Thieme skate sprinted into the semifinal heats, as did Rocheleau.
In Sunday’s mass start classic 10-kilometer race, one of the most arduous races in the series, Thieme finished eighth in his U18 age class.
Rocheleau had a matching eighth in his U16 5k mass start classic.
On Sunday, Daniel Huhtala (Ashwaubenon) placed 15th in the classic distance event.
Also competing in the U18 age class, Ashwaubenon athlete Kevin Johnson placed 38th in the classic distance.
Alex Lukens (Ashwaubenon) took 43rd and Mason Vinoski (Ashwaubenon) finished 53rd.
Ashwaubenon junior Kaitlyn Behm, a U18 skier, was 39th in the classic 10k in the U18 women’s division.
U16 skier Joe Stumpf (Notre Dame) finished 21st in the classic 5k, while Sam Sharp (Parkview Middle) crossed the line in seventh place in the U14 2.8k classic race.
The Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team is a co-curricular activity of the Ashwaubenon School District and open to any area middle or high school students.