One of the Twin Cities' signature wintertime sporting events could be in danger of cancellation and not through anybody's fault. The usual sounds of skates, sticks and the slap of pads is what it usually sounds like at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis during the U.S. Pond Hockey championships.
Try that now and all you'll get is a big splash.
Like other waterways this warm winter, Lake Nokomis has no ice cover. And that's with the tournament starting in less than a month. There is no alternative site. They either play. Or they don't.
"If there is no ice then we'd have to cancel the tournament," says Jesse Delorit with the tournament's operations department.
He says this has happened before.
"A few years ago we still had water out on Lake Nokomis and the event still went off," says Delorit.
There's no drop dead date, but Delorit says a decision will likely be made within two weeks. Until then, people are offering a little winter-time magic to make it happen.
"I know we've got people doing their ice dances, just waiting patiently," Delorit jokes.
Delorit adds there's no "drop-dead date" when they have to make a decision.
"Very tough decision to make. We plan for this event for a full year, so we are prepared for the event, it's just a matter of waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing," says Delorit.
The tournament organizers are updating the situation with players of the more than 300 teams that have signed up for the tournament. The only time the U.S. Pond Hockey championships were canceled was during the pandemic.
This would be the 19th U.S. Pond Hockey championship if they're able to get some ice by January 18. Minnesota is in the midst of what could be the warmest December on record and meteorologists say January is also shaping up to be above normal thanks to a very strong El Niño this year.