DULUTH – Mother Nature challenged skiers with unseasonably warm temperatures on Friday, but that didn’t slow the Ely ski teams, who captured first place in both the boys and girls pursuit competitions.

“It was an extremely difficult day and results were mixed, though both teams managed to win,” said Ely Head Coach Paula Anderson. “Forty-one degrees makes for some slow skating and near impossible classic conditions, although everyone was in the same boat.”

In the pursuit competition, skiers race a total of five kilometers classic style and another five kilometers freestyle, and they’re ranked by their combined times.

The race conditions made it difficult for even the best skiers, as waxes didn’t always meet the conditions. In the classic race the conditions stopped some skiers in their tracks, forcing them to take time to scrape the accumulation of snow off their skis.

GIRLS TEAM RESULTS

1. Ely 376

2. Duluth East 375

3. Grand Rapids 336

4. ME/Virginia/E-G 330

5. Proc/Hrmntown 301

6. Marshall School 300

7. Cloq-Esko-Crlton 292

8. Duluth Denfield 263

9. Hibbing 208

BOYS TEAM RESULTS

1. Ely 372

2. Grand Rapids 367

3. Cloq-Esko-Crlton 361

4. Duluth East 348

5. Marshall School 338

6. ME/Virginia/E-G

7. Proc/Hrmntown 249

8. Duluth Denfield 244

9. Hibbing 227