Nordic skiing
Pepsi Challenge canceled
Organizers of Saturday's 24th Pepsi Challenge Nordic ski races at Giants Ridge in Biwabik said Thursday that the event has been canceled because of predicted frigid temperatures. Projected daytime highs for Saturday are for 10 below zero in Biwabik.
It's believed to be the first time the Pepsi Challenge races have been canceled.
The Pepsi Challenge is highlighted by a 48-kilometer freestyle race and companion races of a 24K Laurentian Loppett, 48K classic, 24K classic and 10K Mini-Challenge. The 48K is part of the American Ski Marathon Series and serves as an American Birkebeiner qualifier.
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* Also canceled because of the weather are this weekend's SuperTour and citizen races at Mount Itasca in Coleraine.
* Planned to be held as scheduled is Saturday's 18th Northwoods Snowshoe Championships at Lester Park, said race official Tami Tanski Sherman. The marathon and half-marathon are at 9:30 a.m. and 10-kilometer event is at 10 a.m. For information call 391-8168.
Curling
Minnesota senior rink wins
Phil DeVore's Minnesota rink bettered its record to 2-1 with a 9-5 defeat of Michael Parry's Massachusetts rink as the USA Curling Senior National Championships continued Thursday at Highland Park, Ill.
DeVore (Superior) and teammates Ron Gervais (Tofte), Doug Cameron (Duluth) and David Bopp (Proctor) put four points on the scoreboard in the second end and followed up with a deuce for a 6-2 lead halfway through the match.
In other men's action, Merlin Orvik's Minnesota team handed the Paul Pustovar rink its first loss by a score of 8-5.
Running
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Grandma's registration opens
The inaugural online registration for the 32nd Grandma's Marathon opened at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and within the first 30 minutes, 500 people signed up for the June 21 race. By 8:30 a.m. the total had grown to 2,600 and the number was 4,422 by 8 p.m., said race officials.
"Except for some technical problems right at the start, things went smoothly,'' said Grandma's Marathon director of administration Sarah Culver. "By sometime [today] we're expecting to have the race half filled.''
Grandma's Marathon, with a field limit of 9,500, has sold out for 13 straight years. Those interested in registering for the 2008 race can go to www.GrandmasMarathon.com . Online registration dates for the accompanying races -- Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, Feb. 20 through March 2, and the William A. Irvin five-kilometer run, March 19.
