Pineapple Express fastest team, but XCHQ wins MI Cup Relays

High temperatures and rain hit Michigan in the days running up to the final Michigan Cup race of the 2025-2026 season, the Michigan Cup Relays. The Cross Country Ski Headquarters closed their trails to preserve snow and took advantage of their man-made snow piles to add snow to low areas of the trail.

But it was enough! Racers had snow albeit became pretty soft during the race!

Relay teams consisted of three skiers skiing one classical leg (1st) and two freestyle legs (2nd and 3rd).; Only team-points are awarded. There are three gender categories for relay teams - Men, Women and Coed. Coed teams must include at least one women and one man. There are two age groups for relay teams, determined by the total age of all three participants on the relay team: 164 & under, and 165 & over, for a total of six relay divisions.

Relay Results at the 2026 Michigan Cup Relays

"Pineapple Express" (Ryan Harris, Glenn Goodman, and Bob Smith) had the fastest overall team and was first in the Men's 164&Under category, winning in 31:24. A mixed team, "Two and Drew" (Josh Greenburg, Mariah Frye, and Drew Moore) was second in 33:05. "NSR Boomers" (Allen Sorgenfrei, Dough Cornell, Yvon Dufour) took third overall and first in the 165&Older category in 33:40.

To summarize the six race categories:

Men 164 & under

1. 31:24 "Pineapple Express" (Ryan Harris, Glenn Goodman, and Bob Smith)
2. 33:44 "Nothing On My Mind" (Vladmir Barmin, Patrick Keegan, Scott Ries)
3. 35:29 "Hokie Pokies" (Sean Newmister, Rayne Newmister, Doug Heady)

Men 165 & over

1. 33:40 "NSR Boomers" (Allen Sorgenfrei, Dough Cornell, Yvon Dufour)
2. 36:57 "Thunder Bunz" (Mike Temkin, George Frye, Steve Steffke)
3. 40:31 "Yonlanda's Boys" (Zbigy Ziblocki, Mark LaMoreaux, Cyril Grum)

Women 164 & under

1. 38:06 Sweden Minus Ebba (Arianne Olson, Julie Olson, Abby Olson)
2. 53:03 "NSR Ladies" (Terri Dufour, Avery Newmister, Sarah Newmister)

Women 165 & over

1. 53:16 "HQ Legends" (Gwenn Stevenson, Erin Gielincki, Linda Kalieta)
2. 68:49 "Snow Belles" (Lynn Frye, Linda McGiness, Christi Jones)

Mixed 164 & under

1. 33:05 "Two and Drew" (Josh Greenburg, Mariah Frye, and Drew Moore)
2. 36:54 "The Hotties + Illya" (Illya Velat, Katie Clark, Emily Moore)
3. 38:10 "Biological Baddies" (Karin Rand, Kate Griffin, Nick Rossiter)

Mixed 165 & over

1. 42:05 "A.S.S." (Wendy Anderson, Mark Smith, Brian Stauffer)
2. 48:06 "Catterwompus" (Jeremy Treadwell, Catter Bradsky, Melinda Mitchell)
3. 55:11 "Liberty Biberty & Doug" (Douglas Ball, John McKeon, Missy Jackson)

Team Ranking at the 2026 Michigan Cup Relays

At the end of the day, the Cross Country Ski Headquarters shear number of teams (12 and 2/3 teams out of the 26 teams that raced) blew away the competition. XCHQ finished with 4,529 points, almost three times more than second place finisher, Team NordicSkiRacer. Grand Rapids Nordic was third with 1,514 points.