Rest in Peace - Antonina Anikin

Memorial Party will be at Snowflake Nordic Ski Center in Duluth on Sunday October 1st from noon-3pm.

This is Nikolai, Antonina's son.

On Friday August 18th my mother Died.

Her wishes were very clear.  Whatever her ladies-Snow Roses- want for a ceremony/Party.

Antonina has been cremated..  

I have pictures.

I have stacking dolls.

I have medals.

I put money aside to pay for everything. 

I would appreciate some party recommendations.

If you have a suggestion for sentimental reasons.  Please suggest it. 

I'm sure that I'm forgetting somebody please include them.

Party will be at Snowflake Nordic Ski Center in Duluth on Sunday October 1st from noon-3pm.

If you knew my mother, please come and invite those that knew her. Hope to see you soon.

Nikolai cell 218-491-1560

More from the Minnesota Nordic Ski Assn Facebook page:

According to her son Nikolai, 89 year old Antonina Anikin passed away on August 18, 2023. Antonina was born 600km North of Moscow in a small village by a lake. At the time skate skiing was the only practical way to get to school 8km away. Antonina competed all her life coming close to being on the National team, reaching the development team and attending many national team camps and competitions. Later she was a well-respected coach of juniors in Moscow’s region at a time when female coaches were rare. Her juniors outperformed everyone in the region, including two-time world junior champion Andris Astashkin.

When communism fell, Russia and America did a Nordic coaching exchange. After coaching the U.S. ski team with her late husband, Nikolai, a group of elite Midwest skiers invited Antonina, Nikolai and family to Duluth to be lead coaches for the Gitchi Gummi Sports Association. The two became fixtures of Nordic Skiing in Minnesota and the Midwest. At Gitchi Gummi they coached a generation of the elite Nordic Skiers in the Duluth area and through out the Midwest including U.S. Olympian John Bauer.After Gitchi Gummi, Antonina continued to coach Nordic Skiers for many years at Antonina Ski School. Her students took individual lessons, attended junior ski camps and Master clinics.

Her unique coaching techniques helped hundreds of high school and master skiers become more proficient and competitive. Antonina has spent a lifetime helping skiers reach their athletic goals and live a healthier lifestyle. In 2018 the Duluth Nordic Ski Club recognized Antonina with the George Hovland award for her outstanding contributions to the Duluth Area Nordic Ski community. Antonina was a focused and determined coach ahead of her time. She was respected for her forward thinking, technique analysis, development and application of her stamina index morning heart rate test designed to predict an athlete’s capabilities to perform.

Anikin was presented with the lifetime achievement award by the Minnesota Nordic Ski Association in 2022.