Tell a skier it’s winter and he or she will, well, ski. No matter the rain or ice.

Friday, the Homer High School Mariner cross country team did just that, heading north for the Kenai Klassic.

“I was proud of all of our kids for going out and skiing hard despite the bad weather and snow conditions,” said Head Coach Eric Groth. “The trails were pretty sloppy and punchy and kick waxing was tricky.”

A winning waxing system for some didn’t work well for others. Double poling was difficult with poles bottoming out in the soft sow.

Held at the Kenai Golf Course, it was a classical race with the girls on a 7.5-kilometer course and the boys’ event a 10 kilometer.

This week the team heads to Colony High School for races on Friday and Saturday, “after a short week of school and practices,” said Groth.

Kenai Klassic

Jan. 17,
Kenai Golf Course

GIRLS
7.5-kilometer varsity Team standings:
1. Grace Christian;
2. Kenai; 3. Soldotna;
4. Homer; 5. Valdez.

Individual Homer results:
4. Aspen Daigle, 24:00.1;
18. Audrey Russel, 30:48.1.

BOYS
10-kilometer varsityTeam standings:
1. Grace Christian; 2. Kenai; 3. Soldotna;
4. Homer; 5. Skyview; 6. Valdez.

Individual Homer results:
6. Josh Vantrease, 33:09.2; 17. Hoxie Parks, 36:47.6; 20. Tadhg Scholz, 41:31.9; 23. Ryan Navrot, 47:47.4.