GRANBY – With state champion John Ryan leading the way, Summit had five skiers finish in the top eight Friday in the boys cross country skate race at the opening day of the 2026 CHSAA Nordic State Championships at Snow Mountain Range.

Ryan completed the 5-kilometer course in 15 minutes, 54.96 seconds, creating a comfortable margin over second-place finisher Teddy Brunner of Vail Mountain, who clocked 16:14.44.

Defending classic state champion Carter Niemkiewicz of Summit, placed third in the skate for the third straight year – he was also seventh in 2023 – with a time of 16:31.53. Summit racers were also sixth (Daniel Butler, 17:04.27), seventh (Levi Ryan, 17:07.83) and eighth (Griffin Heins, 17:11.42).

The 2026 classic race is Saturday.

Like Niemkiewicz, Brunner is a podium veteran, having placed fourth in the skate last year.

Charlie Wiedel of Steamboat Springs, runner-up in skate last year, finished fourth Friday in 16:45.16.

Also in the top 10 where Jonah Barber of Eagle Valley (fifth for the second straight season, 16:59.19), Jackson McLaren of Steamboat Springs (ninth, 17:11.73) and Wilson Anderson of Lake County (10th, 17:14.04).

Following one day of action, Summit leads the team race with 227 points, with Eagle Valley sitting second (192), Steamboat Springs third (187), Poudre fourth (174) and Middle Park fifth (170). In sixth place is Lake County, with 161 points, followed by Battle Mountain in seventh (152), and Vail Mountain one point behind (151) and in eighth. Nederland is currently ninth with 121 points and Aspen is 10th with 113 points.