Hodag Nordic kicks off season at WinMan

The Hodag Nordic Ski Team took part in its first race of the 2025-26 season Saturday, Dec. 20, competing in the WinMan Early Bird race at the WinMan Trails in Winchester.

The Hodags took second place in all four divisions —high school boys, high school girls, middle school boys and middle school girls — finishing behind Lakeland in all four. Rhinelander and Lakeland were the only two teams who had enough skiers to qualify for a team score in each division. Skiers from Wausau, 4H-CANSki (Chequamegon area) and Iola also competed.

Senior Kayla Skubal reached the podium in the high school girls’ division, taking third in the 5-kilometer skate race. She covered the course in a time of 20 minutes, 58 seconds — 46 seconds behind race winner Addison Eggen of Lakeland.

Two freshmen rounded out the squad. Noelle Mayo came home sixth (22:14) and Bekah Koch finished seventh (24:03). 

    Jonathan Calhoun leaves the starting area during the WinMan Early Bird ski race in Winchester Saturday, Dec. 20. (Contributed photograph)
  

On the boys side, Jonathan and Aaron Calhoun finished ninth and 10th overall. Jonathan, a junior crossed the line in 18:55, finishing seven seconds ahead of his sophomore brother. Freshman Sam Loomis was 14th (20:41).

In middle school competition, eighth grader Jacob MacFarland reached the podium, taking third overall in the 3K race (8:59). Fifth grader Sam Rusch came home eighth (10:58) and seventh grader Urban Beuning was 10th (11:43).

Eighth grader Pearl Calhoun led the middle school girls’ squad, finishing fourth (9:42). She was followed by sixth grader Evelyn MacFarland in fifth (10:22), eighth grader Scarlet Hartmann in sixth (11:26) and eighth grader Quinn Williams in 10th (12:19).

“A lot of pre race jitters, like always, but that’s what athletics is all about. All the kids handled it really well and really skied well, and every single one of them came into the finish line, looking really strong and very positive. So really successful all the way around for everyone today,” Hodag Nordic coach John Gillen said. 

The event kicked off what is scheduled to be a seven-race schedule for the team, highlighted by the Hodag Nordic Challenge Jan. 17-18 at Rhinelander’s Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom. Next up, the Hodags will head to Minocqua Winter Park for the Lakeland Invite Sunday, Jan. 4.