Key things to know about the 2025 Nordic Skiing State Meets

Days 2 and 3 of the skiing state meets feature the Nordic Skiing participants gliding through courses at Giants Ridge near Biwabik on Minnesota’s Iron Range. With artic-like conditions expected, the start times on Wednesday, Feb. 12 and Thursday, Feb. 13 were adjusted with the first races beginning at noon. 

The delay ensures safer temperatures for competition and allows for adjusted travel and preparations. 

NSPN.tv, with the assistance of the Student Media Team at Rock Ridge High School, will livestream the day’s racing. There are eight cameras covering the event, not only in the stadium, but also along the course. For more information, www.nspn.tv .   

Here are key things to know from each of the girls and boys races, respectively: 

Girls

• Mounds View sophomore Linnea Ousdigian is the defending champion in the Pursuit. She topped St. Paul Highland Park’s Hanna Koch by five seconds a year ago. Koch, a senior, also returns. Looke for Proctor/Hermantown’s Della Bettendorf, also a senior, to contend as well. 
• Wayzata junior Lila Golomb won the Section 6 championship in leading the Trojans to the team title. Look for her to be in the championship mix. 
• Duluth East is the two-time defending team champion. The Greyhounds qualified for a chance at a title repeat by finishing as the runner-up to Proctor/Hermantown in Section 7. The Greyhounds have won eight team titles since 1996.
• Forest Lake senior Norah Hushagen won her second consecutive cross country running title this past fall. She was 27^th overall in the Nordic Skiing meet a year ago. She returns again this week. 
• Entering the state meet, St. Paul Highland Park is top ranked. The Lady Scots won the team title in 2022 and were third a year ago. 
• True or False? No Girls Nordic Skier has won three consecutive Pursuit championships? True. Stillwater’s Jessie Diggins is the only champion with three titles, but they were spread over four seasons. 

Boys

• Hopkins sophomore Logan Drevlow is the defending Pursuit champion and is top ranked entering the state meet. 
• Brainerd is the top-ranked team in the boys’ field. The Warriors won the Section 8 championship with Moorhead as the runner-up. Brainerd placed fourth as a team in 2024. 
• Look for Bloomington Jefferson/Kennedy senior Anders Westmano, fourth overall in 2024, and Mounds Park Academy senior Eddie Snider, fifth last season, to also contend for the Pursuit crown. Snider is ranked No. 2 in the state by skinnyski.com and Westanmo is one spot back. 
• Wayzata was the team champion in 2024. The Trojans advanced for a chance at a repeat by winning the Section 6 crown over Hopkins. 
• If Drevlow is successful in the defense of his Pursuit title, he will be the first back-to-back champion since Lakeville North’s Ben Saxton in 2012.