World and National Titles Decided in Brillion

Brillion, Wisconsin | December 19–21, 2025

The 2025 World Snowshoe Championships returned to the United States for only the second time in the event’s history, drawing hundreds of athletes from dozens of U.S. communities and several countries to the Ariens Nordic Center. Over three days, competitors raced across championship, open, junior, and community events, blending elite competition with broad participation on a single course system.

The weekend was ultimately defined by rare championship sweeps at the highest level, with Eliot Soderholm and Jackie Hering each capturing both U.S. National and World Championship titles—an uncommon outcome that underscored the durability and consistency required to succeed across multiple days and distances. A total $16,000 prize purse was awarded across championship and open events.

Full Results: Worlds, U.S. Nationals, Open, Junior, and Santa Ski

World Snowshoe Championships — 10K

Men

1. Eliot Soderholm — 38:06 — $3,000
2. Julien Pinsonneault — 41:32 — $1,000
3. Andrew Allen — 42:29 — $500

Women

1. Jackie Hering — 46:30 — $3,000
2. Kaitlyn Vanias — 48:37 — $1,000
3. Olivia Dietzel — 50:22 — $500

Full 10K results here.

World Championship winners in Brillion also earned the honor of having their names engraved on the Marc Elmore World Snowshoe Championship Trophy, awarded by the World Snowshoe Federation. The trophy records World Snowshoe Champions dating back to the sport’s inaugural world championship in 2006 and is named in memory of Marc Elmore, a respected athlete, coach, and ambassador whose commitment to snowshoe racing helped shape its competitive and community-driven foundation.

U.S. National Snowshoe Championships — 5K

Men

1. Eliot Soderholm — 19:18.8 — $1,000
2. Andrew Allen — 19:31.6 — $750
3. Erik Barkhaus — 19:34.5 — $500

Women

1. Jackie Hering — 22:41.0 — $1,000
2. Laurel Moyer — 25:02.2 — $750
3. Olivia Dietzel — 25:51.3 — $500

Full 5K results here.

Open Snowshoe Championship — 5K

Men

1. Andrew Allen — 18:59 — $750
2. Julien Pinsonneault — 19:18 — $500
3. Devon Byers — 19:35 — $250

Women

1. Jackie Hering — 22:46 — $750
2. Carol Van Handel — 31:26 — $500
3. Stephanie Grosvenor — 31:51 — $250

Full Open 5K results here.

Junior Championship Results

Junior racing was fully integrated into the championship weekend, with youth athletes competing on the same trails used for Nationals and Worlds and returning later to watch elite races unfold.

U.S. National Snowshoe Championships — Junior 5K

Junior Boys

1. Bryce Shannon (19) — 22:06
2. Matthew Matis (18) — 24:06
3. Brock Boissey (19) — 26:54

Junior Girls

1. Rebekah Koch (14) — 31:42

World Snowshoe Championships — Youth 5K

Youth Boys

1. Bryce Shannon (19) — 21:52
2. Matthew Matis (18) — 24:11
3. Brock Boissey (19) — 27:02

All three youth podium finishers represented Paul Smith’s College, reflecting the continued strength of its junior development pipeline.

Read More: Paul Smith’s College and Cornell University Unite for the Environment

Santa Ski Races

The championships concluded on Sunday with the Santa Ski races, which expanded the weekend to include youth and community participants across a wide range of ages and abilities. The Santa Ski events emphasized participation and accessibility while rounding out a championship weekend designed to welcome the full snowshoe community.

Santa Ski race categories included:

• Middle School 5K Classic
• Kids 1K
• 10K Freestyle
• 10K Classic
• 5K Freestyle
• 5K Classic

Full Santa Ski results here.

Why the Results Mattered

Winning either a U.S. National or World Championship title is difficult. Winning both—across different distances, on consecutive days—is rare. Brillion rewarded athletes who could recover, adapt, and execute repeatedly, making the championships as much a test of resilience as speed.

For Hering, the sweep carried added significance as she raced while serving as Director of the U.S. Snowshoe Association, helping lead an event she also helped promote. She is also the 2022 receipent of the Snowshoe Mag Cindy Brochman Person of the Year award.

For Soderholm, the results reinforced the continued competitive influence of Paul Smith’s College, whose athletes were consistently present near the front throughout the weekend.

Congratulations to the Snowshoe Community

Congratulations to all race winners, podium finishers, and participants who lined up in Brillion throughout the weekend. From world and national champions to junior racers, open competitors, and first-time participants, the 2025 championships reflected the full breadth of the snowshoe community.

Events of this scale and quality are built by the athletes who race, the volunteers and organizers who make competition possible, and a community that continues to show up for the sport year after year. Brillion showcased that collective effort clearly—and the snowshoe community is stronger for it.

Read More on Snowshoe Magazine

• Devon Byers Prepares for the 2025 Worlds and Nationals
• Snowshoe Advocate Jackie Hering Wins 2022 Person of the Year Award
• Michelle Hummel Prepares for Another Run at Nationals