The NMU ski team will race a home-and-home series this weekend with the freestyle at the Nequmeom trail in Marquette on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. and the classic on Sunday at Michigan Tech.

The Wildcats have been skiing at the top of the pack with seven top team finishes in the past eight races. Despite the ‘Cats recent success, assistant coach Jenny Ryan said they are still focused and will use this weekend to its full potential.

“The race is big but it’s more of a test to see how we’re doing and if we’re still on track,” she said.

The Wildcats didn’t have a race this past weekend and have been using the time off to prepare for this and the bigger races yet to come, Ryan said.

The race on Saturday will be an individual start race with a 5K for women and a 10K for men. The competition will bring in Tech and University of Wisconsin Green Bay. On Sunday, the race will be alittle longer than usual with 15K for women and 20K for men.

Ryan said that Michigan Tech has solid classic men’s team and the race will give the Wildcat men a good opportunity to race well and head into the regional race on Feb. 16 and 17 in at Giants Ridge, Minn.

“It’s more of training and getting ready for the big regional race,” Ryan said. “I hope the kids will have the chance to show they are ready for regional racing and then hopefully nationals.”