Ben Pratt competes at the USSA Cross Country Junior Championships

Written by Abby Haight
March 5, 2011

Ben Pratt will make a bit of Teacup history this week when he competes at the USSA Cross Country Junior Championships in Minneapolis.

The 15-year-old, a familiar sight on the Teacup Lake trails, will be the club’s first young skier in more than a decade to compete at the elite championships.

The races are at Minneapolis’ urban Theodore Wirth Park, running Monday through Saturday. Some events are at night under trail lights.

Ben, the son of Nancy and Bob Pratt, grew up on Teacup’s trails. He started skiing as a four-year-old when his family went to their cabin in the Trapper Creek Wilderness and joined the Teacup Youth Group when it formed 10 years ago. There he skied with Misha Miller-Hughes, Kiera Degener-O’Brien and Taylor Schlichting _ forming friendships that remain strong.

Now a sophomore at Grant High School in Portland, Ben’s skiing skills grew as he did. Training, led by Robert Schlichting, also became more intense. Summer and fall were for backpacking -- Ben and his father hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from the Columbia River to the Canadian border -- and rowing single and double sculling boats on the Willamette River.

This ski season began in September for Ben, Misha and Kiera (Taylor had decided to ski with her Cleveland High School team). Robert organized daily workouts of rowing, roller skiing and bounding. The teens supported and pushed each other.

Ben made the Pacific Northwest (PNSA) team by meeting qualifying standards in skate and classic races at Junior Olympic events at Mount Bachelor, the Methow Valley and Kongsbergers/Snoqualmie Pass.

The last Teacup junior to compete at Nationals was Todd Merkens, who went on to ski at Williams College.

Ben won’t be alone during the week of racing and training. Friends from Mount Bachelor clubs also are competing in Minneapolis.

And he’ll be getting long distance cheers from friends and club members throughout Oregon!

Ben with coach Robert Schlichting at the Methow
The Teacup Lake elite juniors: Ben, Kiera and Misha
Kiera Degener-O'Brien
Ben Pratt racing at the Methow
Ben Pratt and Misha Miller-Hughes at the Methow