Big meets on tap in Minnesota high school gymnastics, Nordic skiing and boys' swimming

The first Saturday of 2019 will be a big day for winter Minnesota prep sports with three of the biggest meets of the season on Jan. 5.

GYMNASTICS: The Minnesota Girls' Gymnastics Officials Association meet will be held at Park Center High School. Sixteen teams, including some of the state's top programs, will compete in a two-division format.

The upper division will include Detroit Lakes, the No. 1 team in Class 1A and the highest-scoring team in the state regardless of class. Joining the four-time defending champion Lakers are Mahtomedi (No. 3 in Class 1A), Maple Grove (No. 2, 2A) and Champlin Park (No. 5, 2A), along with Lakeville North, Lakeville South, White Bear Lake and Mounds View.

The lower division includes Breck, Centennial, North St. Paul, Osseo, St. Louis Park, St. Paul Central, St. Paul Highland Park and host Park Center.

The meet begins at 11 a.m.

NORDIC SKIING: The Mesabi East Invitational, the largest high school meet in the nation, will be held at Giants Ridge Ski Area in Biwabik. More than 900 boys' and girls' cross-country skiers are expected to race in varsity and JV competitions.

The varsity classic-style races are set to begin at 11 a.m., with the varsity freestyle races beginning at 1:30 p.m.

BOYS' SWIMMING AND DIVING: The Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota will be the site of what is traditionally the state's largest boys' swimming and diving meet of the season.

Fifty-six teams representing three states – Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska – with compete across four divisions in the 26th Annual Maroon and Gold Invite.

Competition in the Tiger and Bronze Divisions begins at 9:15 a.m. The Maroon Division will commence at 1:30 p.m. and swimming in the premier division, the Gold Division, is set to begin at 5:30 p.m.