Crews Prep Lake Nokomis For The U.S. Pond Hockey Championships

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Skating out on the pond started a bit later this winter, all thanks to the warmer December Minnesota had.

But, the cold temps are back just in time for the 10th Annual U.S. Pond Hockey Championships on Lake Nokomis.

Crews arrived early on a chilly Wednesday morning to start setting up the boards and clearing snow off the ice.

Head rink operations manager for the tournament, David Janowiec, said the ice is about a foot thick on the lake. He and his staff need about a week in the cold to get everything ready.

"We have a Zamboni out here and, granted if all goes well, we'll be running that in during the tournament," Janowiec said.

According to Janowiec the cold and sunny weather are perfect elements for task ahead for his crew.

"The ice is looking really good right now," Janowiec said. "We like to see solid, clear, black ice. That's going to be the safest."

New to the tournament this year is sled hockey. Two-hundred-and-fifty teams have signed up.

So, grab your gear, and head out to Lake Nokomis! The warming house opens at 5 p.m. Thursday, January 15th.