
Midwest Divisional
CXC Cup
Mt. Itasca Nordic Ski Association
Coleraine, Minnesota
For Registration Lists, Start Lists, and Results, click Superior Timing button below!
Team Captain/Coach's Meeting:
Meeting will be held via ZOOM at 5:30 pm on the Friday prior to first race. Click below to access the meeting; link will be active 15 minutes before meeting time.
Vendors TBD!
Please support these vendors who support our programs at Mt. Itasca!
Welcome


Welcome to the Event Page for the Midwest Divisional CXC Cup at Mt. Itasca
January 17-18, 2026
Mt. Itasca Winter Sports Center in Coleraine, MN
Saturday, January 17: Classic Sprint
Sunday, January 18: Freestyle Individual Start
Mt. Itasca is one of the only facilities in the country that maintains venues for cross-country, biathlon, ski jumping, Nordic-combined, downhill and snowboarding all at a single site.
Mt. Itasca hosts events ranging from children’s and high school races through world class biathlon and cross-country ski competitions.
Click on the buttons at the top of this page or menu at right to access race information.


Venue & Course Descriptions
Competitions will be held at the Mt. Itasca Winter Sports Center’s Nordic ski trails. Coach’s meetings will be held via ZOOM. The MINSA headquarters building, directly on your left as you drive into the venue, will house Race HQ. The stadium area—approximately 4 acres—boasts a large staging area for race starts and finishes, a spectator area with multiple views of the action, as well as a top notch timing building with excellent views. Changing areas are available in the lower level of the Mt. Itasca Chalet, although space is limited; change prior to coming to venue if possible.
Mt. Itasca has a total of 17 km of cross-country ski trails. The biathlon trail system--the primary race course--includes 5 km of trails, 6 meters wide. Multiple length options are available via cutoffs ranging from a few hundred meters to 5 km; we have hosted races ranging from short sprints to 15 km in recent years. While the trail system is notorious for elevation changes, there are several options that level out the elevation if a less rigorous sprint course is desired, or to make the course less challenging for younger skiers.
Note that we have snowmaking capabilities on our nordic trails, which guarantees good race course conditions even in low-snow seasons.
WAXING: Indoor waxing space is not available. Teams and individuals should be prepared to supply their own pop up tent or service vehicle/trailer, irons, tables, forms and extension cords to accommodate their waxing needs. There will be outdoor waxing areas with power available beginning on Friday afternoon. We have significantly upgraded our power availability this year with exterior outlets. Space will be available on a first come, first served basis. We are trying to accommodate everyone; please email mt.itasca.nordic@gmail.com to inform us of your space and electricity needs.
Distances:
Saturday, January 17 - Classic Sprint
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1.1 km - U18/20/Sr Males & Females
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1.1 km - U16 Females & Males
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800 m - U14/12
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600 m - U10/8
Sunday, January 18 - Freestyle Individual Start
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7.5 km - U18/20/Sr Males & Females
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7.5 km - U16 Males & Females
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3.0 km - U14/12
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1.5 km - U10/8

Race Organization
Jon Arntson, Race Director
Mt. Itasca Nordic Ski Association President
(218) 259-5489
Technical Delegate: TBD
Assistant Technical Delegate: TBD
Race Registration:
CXC Junior Cup (JNQ) Participants (U16, U18, U20, Senior) and CXC Youth Cup Participants (U14, U12) register via SkiReg. Click the link below to access registration.
Midwest Divisional Salomon CXC Cup -- January 17-18, 2026 -- Click Here.
IMPORTANT: CXC Junior Cup Participants (U16 and above) MUST HAVE an active membership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Details available at CXC Website (click here).
IMPORTANT: CXC Youth Cup Participants (U14 and below) DO NOT need an active membership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
U10 and under: Please email jonarntsonpt@gmail.com directly to register.




Schedule
On race days, the Race HQ building will open for bib distribution and information at 8:00 am; it will be open and staffed throughout the day. It is recommended that you get to the venue more than an hour before the start of your race/qualifier (1 hour, 15 minutes), get checked in with the secretary, get your bib, get warmed up, etc. More detailed schedules will be available on race day.
Friday, January 16
8:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue open for training
8:00 am Maps & schedule posted/available in HQ building
12:00 pm Courses will be marked by 12 pm
5:30 pm Coach’s meeting, via ZOOM
Saturday, January 17
8:00 am Race secretary building open for information and bib distribution
9:00 am Courses open for inspection
10:00 am Race start
For Specific Race Day Schedule Click Below
Sunday, January 18
8:00 am Race secretary building open for information and bib distribution
9:00 am Courses open for inspection
10:00 am Race start
For Specific Race Day Schedule Click Below

Area & Location
Mt. Itasca Winter Sports Center is located in Coleraine, Minnesota, 7 miles northeast of Grand Rapids, 29 miles southwest of Hibbing, and 21 miles east of Deer River. All three of those areas have lodging and food options, although most athletes find Grand Rapids most convenient. Coleraine and its next-door city Bovey also have eating options.
The nearest hospital and emergency room is in Grand Rapids, 7 miles away.
Grand Rapids Tourist and Lodging Info: Click here
Hibbing and Iron Range Lodging Info: Click here
Deer River’s White Oak Inn & Suites : Click here
Other lodging options may be found through direct to owner sites such as AirBnB, or by exploring local resort options.
Click here for Google Maps location and directions for Mt. Itasca.







