Joey Payeur
With the addition to her family at home taken care of, Rebecca Himanen now is back with her outdoor family.
After taking last year off due to her maternity leave, Himanen and co-coach Ilka Milne have resurrected the Muskie Nordic ski team, which had its inaugural season two years ago.
And the revived squad got off to a strong start last Wednesday with three podium finishes at the NorWOSSA season-opening exhibition meet in Dryden.
“Given our lack of experience, we were thrilled everyone finished and finished well,” noted Himanen, whose team only had practised twice outdoors before the meet.
“It was a great experience and our skiers came home even more enthusiastic about learning this sport and improving their technique,” she added.
“We look forward to training over Christmas and to our next competition.”
Tayla Trimble placed second in the open class girls’ 2.5-km event—the only Muskie skier in a field of five, with the rest comprised of St. Thomas Aquinas Saints.
Of the 10 starters in the Grade 7-8 girls’ 2.5-km division, nine of them hailed from here.
Kianna Antonick earned a second-place finish while Emma Toriseva was third.
The rest of the Muskie crew included Haleigh DeGagne in fourth, followed by Kenzie Begin, Aara Kabatay, Hannah Anderson, Mia-Lee Wilson, Rhyan McLean, and Nina Morris.
In the junior girls’ 2.5K division, Angie Redford placed sixth for the Muskies while Tori Toriseva was right behind in seventh.
Sara Selman wound up sixth in the field of six in the senior girls’ 5K event.
Caleb Dueck, meanwhile, was the Muskies’ lone male at the meet, coming in 10th out of 10 starters in the senior boys’ 6K race.
“We’ve got a flood of skiers who have come out,” Himanen enthused about the group of 16 that forms this year’s squad.
“I think we only had eight [skiers] two years ago,” she noted.
“This bunch is very enthusiastic.”
Much of that has to do with the fact 11 of the 16 are Grade 7 and 8 participants, and all but Grade 12 veteran Selman are first-time members of the team.
“It’s a great building year for us,” Himanen said.
“Lots of them have never skied before so our goal is to see improvement throughout the year,” she explained.
“We’re off to a good start,” Himanen added. “They’re ambitious and motivated, and have the drive to learn.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far.”
Himanen is getting some top-quality help in leading the team this year from Jordan Baird and Matt Chalmers.
Baird was a member of the Manitoba provincial team while also competing with the Lakehead Thunderwolves, with Chalmers being part of the Nipissing University squad.
“They bring a ton of expertise and are doing most of the planning for the practices,” said Himanen.
“They are showing the students techniques and helping them along with their skills.
“As we become more competitive, they will be able to lend more advice when it comes to the competitive side of skiing,” she added.
The Muskies next will host the program’s first-ever meet Jan. 11 at Rocky Inlet, with the help of the Rainy Lake Nordic Ski Club.
“They have been a strong supporter for the Muskie program,” Himanen stressed.
The NorWOSSA finals are set for Feb. 1 in Kenora, with all participants able to advance to the NWOSSAA finals Feb. 14 in Atikokan.
From there, the top six move on to the OFSAA championships Feb. 28-March 1 in Timmins.
Himanen is optimistic about the team’s potential.
“There are some leaders in the mix that will help grow the program,” she noted.
