“The Nagy” at 20, bringing in over 600 athletes this weekend to Mt. La Crosse

Over 600 athletes from far and wide will be competing in three events at Mt. La Crosse this weekend for the 20th annual Dan Nagy Memorial ski race.

The three USSS (U.S Ski & Snowboard) events include a mon-scored (U14-and-under) regional race, a scored (U16-and-older) national point race, and a FIS (U18-and-older) international point race, according to Explore La Crosse.

Friday will be a training day with events being held Saturday and Sunday.

“This is the largest event of its type in the country,” Mt. La Crosse Race Director Bill Patza said in a news release, adding that “Super weekend events are rare. They stage races in all three USSS alpine categories and can only be pulled off at sites with the right mix of quality resources, expert staffing, and both challenging and age-appropriate venues.

“The Nagy” has a storied history. Its field of competitors over the years has included 10 former members of the United States Ski Team and six racers who would later compete in the Winter Olympics.

This year, the event also hits its milestone 20th anniversary.

“It is now recognized as the premier alpine ski racing event in the Midwest and one of the largest in the United States,” said Mark Navin, Dan’s former collegiate teammate and president of the Nagy Alpine Growth Scholarship (NAGS).

Dan Nagy was a familiar face in the Midwest alpine community, a former high school, USSA, and collegiate racer, whose death in a tragic accident in 2006 left behind his widow and two young children. Many former teammates and their families continue to attend the event to honor his memory.

“It’s still hard to believe his life was cut so short; I knew him well, he was one of my own daughter’s teammates on the USSA circuit,” Patza said. “When I was the head coach of the Wisconsin All-State Team, I had the opportunity to coach Dan at the High School Nationals. He was a natural leader and a truly coachable athlete. He was also one of my favorite foosball partners during our ‘down time’, both at Nationals and on the USSA circuit.”

Over the course of its existence, the Nagy Alpine Growth Scholarship has raised over $30,000 and funded over 30 scholarships to be used by recipients on their post-secondary education.

Applicants must submit a letter from a coach and a teacher, and finalists go through an interview process with Navin during the weekend of the event. Factors that help determine the recipients are their “sportsmanship, positive attitude and love for the outdoors,” Navin said. “We try to find someone that represents the person that Dan was.”

“Dan Nagy was a larger-than-life personality, and I’m proud that this event continues to thrive in a way that honors his spirit and keeps his legacy alive,” Navin added. “It’s truly special to see athletes of all ages and levels competing together at the same venue, at the same time. The unwavering support from Mt. La Crosse and the entire La Crosse community has made this possible, and for that we are deeply grateful.”

And the event gives back to the La Crosse community, according to Jeremiah Burish, Sports Sales Director of Explore La Crosse. He estimates its economic impact on the local community to be at least $760,000 and potentially $1 million.

“The race is so much more than just a tribute to Dan Nagy. It is a marquee winter sporting event and a meaningful economic driver for the La Crosse region,” Burish said. “Each year, the race brings athletes, families, and spectators from around the country and internationally who fill our hotels, dine at local restaurants, and support small businesses during a critical winter period. At the same time, the event showcases La Crosse as a premier destination for outdoor recreation while investing directly in the future of student-athletes through scholarships. It’s a powerful example of how a sport positively impacts the community, economy, and futures of those involved.”

Mt. La Crosse General Manager Darcie Breidel said it best about events like this choosing to make Mt. La Crosse their destination. “Weekends like this put a lot of pressure on staff, said Breidel. “However, the slogan ‘Embrace the Race!’ describes our response to the challenge.” And the intensity they face doesn’t ease up until the end of winter. They will host three more upcoming events of similar magnitude, including a Midwest Collegiate Ski Association race, the Wisconsin Interscholastic (high school) Alpine Championships, and the Spring Fling Invitational tri-state race to conclude their season.

No members of the Mt. La Crosse home team, the Coulee Alpine Racing (CAR) club are age-eligible for the FIS competition, but 20-25 of them will be competing in the Scored and non-Scored events. Local racers with a shot at a top-ten or even a podium finish include Cole Hasburgh, Julia McBride, and siblings Parker and Piper Knadle.

CAR is also active in supporting the race, providing their team housing as headquarters for the event’s Race Administrator. “We are excited to see our home hill be the host of the Nagy,” said CAR head coach Nick Bennett. “We are also hopeful to see some great results from our home team racers who are making their USSS debut this season!”

One question asked by participants and spectators over the years is why Mt. La Crosse was chosen as the site to host a memorial event to honor Dan Nagy, who grew up in Hartland and had deep ties to the Milwaukee area and to St. Olaf College in MN. This year, its 20th anniversary, Navin explained what he thought was obvious:

“Dan loved racing at Mt. La Crosse throughout his years as a competitor,” said Navin, adding with a grin, “and once of age, he loved off-hours bonding and mixing with his college teammates and those of other teams at the legendary Alpine Inn. With close friends and family in both the Milwaukee and Minneapolis areas, Mt. La Crosse seemed the perfect location for a race memorializing him.”

The event is free and open to spectators. Bleacher seating is available, and the races all finish in a central arena area. Races kick off between 8:30- 9 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

A welcome ceremony and memorial tribute to Dan will be held at 11:30 Saturday in the finish arena. Later that day, participants and their families will gather at the La Crosse Center for the formal tribute and the awards ceremony for the competitors. The Scholarship raffle drawing also takes place during the awards dinner.

Ticketholders can win some big-ticket items: a pair of Nordica race skis, a World Cup race bib worn and signed by Mikaela Schriffin, and even one of her U.S. Ski Team race suits, also signed.

Another tradition unique to this event is the “Derek Iverson Memorial Gate Toss” competition, pitting coaches against each other to see who can hurl a race gate farthest down the steep pitch of Damnation. The gate toss will take place at the conclusion of Saturday’s events.