We will now interview junior Clara White of Orono in our state champion spotlight series. Clara was the 2025 Class C Classical,
Freestyle, and Pursuit state champion. She also won the 2025 MVC Nordic title. We asked her about her state meet preparations and what she likes the most about Nordic skiing:
1) What were your preparations leading up to the state meet?
Leading up to States, I focused on keeping myself healthy, happy and enjoying the great snow conditions.
2) How did you deal with the pressure and emotions that come along with competing in a state meet?
While state meets can be stressful, there is also a lot of positive energy when all of the Maine high school teams are racing together in one place and it is so much fun to race with everyone!
3) What was going through your mind at the start?
I was super excited at the start because I was surrounded by so many great skiers and we all push each other during races.
4) What do you contribute your success to?
We have great coaches and teammates and their support and encouragement pushes us to be the strongest skiers we can be.
5) What are your goals/plans for next year?
Going into next year, I am going to just enjoy my last season of high school skiing, have fun with my teammates and also continue to work on growing the ski program at our school.
6) What surprised you the most about this season?
Like everyone else, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of snow we got and how long it stayed throughout the whole season.
7) What moment/event will you remember the most from the season?
The crazy wind at states that forced my coaches, who have been coaching for 30 years, to finally use hand warmers while waxing.
8) What do you like most about Nordic Skiing?
I absolutely love how kind and supportive the skiing community is. So many coaches are always willing to offer advice or help with waxing which ensures that everyone gets to race with equal opportunities. I also love trying to see how fast I can go on downhills.
