Ski Meet Assist

Ask Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Nordic skiing head coach Arne Maijala about the hometown ski meet this week and the conversation will be as much about all the people who help make it happen as much as the skiers who participate. Nordic skiers from six schools descended on Cloquet for a rare evening ski meet Tuesday, held on the lighted trail loop at Pine Valley. Volunteers include parents of past skiers, former coaches, former Cloquet skiers and a handful of folks who just want to support Nordic skiing. Many of their names are familiar to local skiers, folks like Ben Croft, Ken Ripp, Bob Fox, Jim and Spencer Hoeffling, Jason Stowell, Pat Marciniak, Glenn Sorenson, Brent Smith and many parents of current skiers. City staff groom the ski trails. Grandma's Marathon even loaned Cloquet timing clocks and stopwatches for the meet. "Our team of volunteers sure stepped up and made this an awesome meet for the kids," Maijala said. Above, volunteers Melissa Zuck and Dana Sanders serve hot soup and plenty of treats inside the chalet at Pine Valley during the Cloquet Nordic Invite Tuesday. More than 300 people were expected to compete and attend the races.