Duluth East girls, Brainerd boys take high school Nordic team sprint titles

BIWABIK, MINN. - Duluth East junior Anna-Britta Helmer reminded herself to stay relaxed and focused as she headed into the third lap of the girls team sprint Thursday afternoon. The Greyhounds had held a race-long lead, but a skier was closing in on her as she headed into a bump of a hill.

Helmer wasn't worried; she had the mental training for this.

"I did a good job of staying calm," she said.

The Greyhounds' team of Helmer and senior Greta Hendrickson won the sprint team title, finishing four laps, each about 1.5 kilometers, in 13 minutes, 43.60 seconds at Giants Ridge during the finale of the Minnesota State High School League Nordic skiing state championships. Hendrickson also won the sprint team title in 2023. St. Paul Academy's team of Eleanor Mody and Inga Wing finished second in 14:04.95.

Brainerd's Lance Hastings and Taite Knapp easily took the boys title in 11:55.94. Knapp raised a pole in triumph before he had even crossed the finish line. Then he raised two. The Duluth East boys team of Mark Goettel and Ben Pilate finished second in 12:06.89.

The Duluth East girls team defended its overall team title, which includes results from individual races Wednesday and the team sprint Thursday, with a bulk of athletes who competed last year. The Greyhounds scored 371 points. Minneapolis Washburn was second, 12 points back.

Hendrickson celebrated the win of the close-knit crew, friends even outside of ski meets.

"It feels like pure joy," she said. "I love my team like I love my family."

Wayzata took the overall boys team title with 368 points, led by Daniel McCollor's second-place finish in Wednesday's pursuit race. Duluth East was six points behind.

Hastings, who skied the first leg of the team sprint, said he knew he had to get to the front of the pack; he had no doubt that, once in position, the Brainerd duo could maintain it. Hastings and Knapp finished fourth in the sprint race in 2023, after a wipeout near the end. Knapp remembered it as the worst way to finish.

After Thursday's rewrite, Knapp wasn't quite sure what he was feeling.

"I don't know," he said. "It's unbelievable. Something new I've never felt. Surreal."