Highlights
Team Birkie: Summer Training Programs Now Available
April 11, 2024Join Team Birkie this summer and train with some of the Midwest's best through the team's upcoming summer training program. Running from June 1st to August 20th, the program is tailored toward collegiate level athletes who are looking to train in a competitive environment and reach new peaks. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up by May 1st to secure a spot.
Midwest MTB Report
April 10, 2024For the second Midwest MTB Report of the season Jay Richards traveled south to Fayetteville, AR for the second race of the US XC Open series. This week's report opens with his firsthand recap from one of the races, along with a detour to check out some trails, old and new, in the surrounding Bentonville area. Closing it out is a look ahead to some midweek racing series that should be starting soon, and handful of other related items.
Birkie Membership Drive and Early Registration Underway
April 8, 2024Support the American Birkebeiner and start your 2025 Birkie training by taking out a American Birkebeiner membership! As an added bonus, your membership gives you early access to race registration and a custom bib as well.
Team Birkie: Community Pride Fuels Our Success
April 5, 2024Since it's first iteration some thirty years ago, Team Birkie has been an organization driven and supported by the community. In welcoming their newest community supporters, Women and Men Who Cross Country Ski…and Drink Coffee (WAMXC), Team Birkie invites other community groups and clubs to engage with the team and help take it to new heights.
Midwest MTB Report
April 3, 2024Despite a last minute snowstorm socking in the Midwest, it's safe to say spring has now spring as we officially enter the third week of the season. Warmer weather ahead means it won't be long before it's time to turn in the trainer and hit the trails, so to get us ready we're catching up with Jay Richards who has the latest roundup of mountain bike related news and events in his first Midwest MTB Report of the year.
NNF: APU Awarded the 2023-24 NNF Cup
March 31, 2024Following SuperTour Finals in Duluth, MN, the National Nordic Foundation has awarded this season’s NNF Cup to Alaska Pacific University (APU). Bridger Ski Foundation Pro Team and University of Utah Ski Team took second and third places.
US Nationals/SuperTour Freestyle Marathon Results
March 26, 2024The US Nationals/SuperTour Spring Series wrapped up on Tuesday with a tough 40K freestyle event. Heavy snow over the previous two days, combined with more snow falling and strong winds, made for a brutal climax to the series. In the men's race, Minneapolis native Jake Brown and Johnny Steel Hagenbuch separated themselves from the lead pack in the final kilometers with Hagenbuch taking the victory just ahead of Brown. Canada's Antoine Cyr finished third, with Scott Patterson collecting the third place American podium. Racing with additional snowfall, the women's race was a war of attrition as Novie McCabe pounded out a brutal pace, eventually soloing in for the victory, Sydney Palmer-Leger taking second and Mariah Bredal third. Alayna Sonnesyn in fourth, was the only other skier to finish the 40K in under two hours.
World Cup Falun: Freestyle Distance; Diggins Finishes First, Wins Second Overall Crystal Globe
March 17, 2024Sunday marked the end of another World Cup season with a mass-start 20K freestyle race wrapping up the final competitions in Falun, Sweden. After spending over 100 days as the leader in the overall standings, it was as if a weight had been lifted off the shoulders of Jessie Diggins as she lined up for the women's race with a point lead that could only be erased through a seemingly catastrophic event. That event was never given a chance of coming to fruition however as Diggins took the reigns from the start, confidently controlling her destiny and ultimately winning the race, and consequently the overall title. Having earned the title twice now, Diggins is the only American to have ever won the overall crystal globe multiple times. Finishing the season on a high note, two Norwegians also made the day's podium in the women's race, Heidi Weng and Anne Kjersti Kalvaa; while two Swede's, Linn Svahn and Frida Karlsson, joined Diggins on the overall podium; and a German, Victoria Carl, and another Swede, Ebba Anderson, joined Diggins on the distance podium. The men's race would also require a catastrophic event to unseat their leader in the overall standings, Harald Oestberg Amundsen of Norway, but that didn't stop his teammate, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, from trying. Earning the maximum points on the day in his 7th individual win in a row, Klaebo would fall just short of the mark as he led two other Norwegians to the podium in the day's race, a newcomer, Tefre Gjoeran, and a familiar face, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget. As a result, Amundsen would hold off Klaebo to claim the overall crystal globe with another Norwegian, Erik Valnes, rounding out the overall podium in third. The podium would shake out the same for the distance standings as well save for Paal Golberg standing in for Valnes in third. Last but not least, a number of other American athletes also ended the season on a high note on Sunday with five finishing within the top-20 including Rosie Brennan in 10th, Novie McCabe in 11th, Gus Schumacher in 12th, Scott Patterson in 15th, and Sophia Laukli in 17th.
World Cup Falun: Classic Distance
March 16, 2024Athletes were subjected to a sleeting snowstorm on Saturday for the second to last day of the World Cup season. Taking to the trails in Falun, Sweden to race 10K in an interval-start format, the classic race was a crucial chance to earn points towards the still-to-be-resolved distance and overall standings. One athlete in particular looking to hold off her competition was the American Jessie Diggins who held a slim lead in both. Her efforts would see her go above and beyond to not only finish 5th on the day, but also significantly increase her lead in both the distance and overall standings, enough so that she could claim the distance crystal globe a day early. A little further up in the day's results were two athletes from Finland, Kerttu Niskanen and Johanna Matintalo, who finished first and second in the women's race, followed by Jonna Sundling of Sweden who finished third. Also looking to solidify his place in the standings was Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo who, despite sitting out a sizeable chunk of the season, was still within striking distance of the overall crystal globe while leading the distance standings. In a near repeat of the race a week prior, it looked as though Finland's Iivo Niskanen would hold the top time for much of the men's race, but Klaebo once again played the spoiler, beating Niskanen's time by over 20 seconds and clinching the distance crystal globe, with Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, also of Norway, rounding out the podium in third. Not mathematically out of the running yet, Klaebo will get one last shot to try to overtake his teammate, Harald Oestberg Amundsen, for the overall crystal globe tomorrow, while Jessie Diggins will be seeking to cement on to her lead in the final feature in Falun, a mass-start 20k freestyle race.
World Cup Falun: Classic Sprints
March 15, 2024The final weekend of the World Cup kicked off on Friday with the final sprint competition of the season—a classic sprint. Taking place in Falun, Sweden, the stage was set for an epic showdown in the women's final where it was a rivalry rematch between three Swedes, Jonna Sundling, Linn Svahn, and Emma Ribom, and a Norwegian, Kristen Stavaas Skistad. Despite their desire to win at home, the Swedes were no match for Skistad however as the Norwegian skied away with the win. Of the Swedes, Svahn would finish second, finding solace in having secured the sprint crystal globe earlier in the week, and her teammate, Sundling, would finish third in both the day's sprint and the sprint standings, with Skistad finishing second in the latter as well. A second place finish by Lauri Vuorinen of Finland, his first podium in 110 starts, was the biggest surprise in the men's final which was won handily by none other than Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, as his teammate, Harald Oestberg Amundsen, backed him up in third. Klaebo, who had also already secured the sprint crystal globe earlier in the week, would finish first in the sprint standings, with another of his countrymen, Erik Valnes, in second, and Lucas Chanavat of France in third. Racing through challenging conditions, only one of four qualifying Americans would advance out of the quarterfinals, JC Schoonmaker, who's progress was halted in the semifinals, finishing 9th on the day. Looking ahead, two days of distance racing are all the remains now with an interval-start 10K classic race up next on Saturday.
World Cup Racing: Falun Schedule
March 13, 2024The final weekend of the World Cup is nearly here and there's much still at stake as the circuit lands in Falun, Sweden. Although the winners of the sprint crystal globes have already been decided, Friday's classic sprints will establish who finishes second and third in the sprint standings, with that competition taking place at 6:15 AM CDT and 8:45 AM CDT for the qualifying and elimination rounds respectively. Saturday and Sunday's competitions will then decided who takes home the distance and overall crystal globes, with an interval-start 10K classic race taking place on Saturday, and a mass-start 20K freestyle race on Sunday. The schedule for those events has the women's field starting first at 5:00 AM CDT on both days, while the men will be racing a few hours later at 8:00 AM CDT and 8:15 AM CDT between Saturday and Sunday.
World Cup Drammen: Classic Sprints; Brennan Back on Podium
March 12, 2024Like watching NASCAR in a city square and with the crowds to back it up, the streets of Drammen, Norway were host to classic sprints on Tuesday for the penultimate destination of the World Cup. Making a trend of last weekend's all-Norway display in the men's classic marathon, today's competition was again an all-Norway affair with the podium in the men's sprint final again being swept by the host nation. After the dust had settled on another commanding performance, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo stood atop the three tiered steps for the 81st time in his career, while his teammates Haavard Solaas Taugboel and Even Northug stood a step down to either side of him. Norway's success stretched into the women's sprint final as well where Kristen Stavaas Skistad showed her strength in the closing stretches of the race, triumphantly returning to the top of the podium in front of the home crowd. Also making a triumphant return to the podium was an American, Rosie Brennan, who put forth a determined performance to cross the line in third, just behind Linn Svahn of Sweden. Other notable American performances on the day came from JC Schoonmaker, who finished 6th in the men's sprint final, and Julia Kern, who just missed the women's sprint final in 7th. Now the final weekend of World Cup racing awaits which will have athletes closing out the season in Falun, Sweden.
Tour de Finn: Inaugural Season Celebration
March 10, 2024With the ski season winding down, join the Tour de Finn in celebrating its inaugural season this Saturday, March 16th, at Finn Sisu. There will be food, drinks, and door prizes, and also awards for some of the top placing individuals and teams in the series, so be sure to check the final standings beforehand. All are welcome!
World Cup Racing: Drammen Schedule
March 10, 2024On their way to Falun, Sweden for the final weekend of the World Cup, athletes will have a 24-hour layover in Drammen, Norway on Tuesday for a round of classic sprints in the city. The action will kick off at 5:30 AM CDT with a qualifier for all competitors, and then it's on to the heats at 8:00 AM CDT where the top-30 advancing athletes will vie for the second-to-last sprint points of the season.
World Cup Oslo: Men's Classic Marathon
March 10, 2024Subdued at home yesterday, the Norwegian team was out in force on Sunday for the men's edition of the World Cup 50K event in Oslo. Much of the mass-start field remained in contention though the midpoint of the race, but that field started to be whittled down as the finish drew near, and with a only a few kilometers to go that group was reduced to less than a dozen athletes with a majority of them sporting Norwegian suits. Those odds would play into the host nation's favor as five of its athletes crossed the line first in a mass-finish, the first of that group being Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo who earned his first marathon victory. Joining him on the podium were his fellow countrymen, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Paal Golberg. Finishing in the top half of the field, Scott Patterson was the highest placing US athlete in 25th. Not part of the day's race but receiving recognition was Jessie Diggins who was awarded the prestigious Holmenkollen Medal, Norwegian skiing's highest award for competitors. After a day off athletes will relocate to Drammen, Norway for a single day of classic sprints through the city streets.
World Cup Oslo: Women's Classic Marathon
March 9, 2024Just as last year's World Cup 50K event in Oslo was the first of it's kind for the women's field in the freestyle technique, this year's 50K event was the first of it's kind for the women's field in the classic technique. Skiing six laps on the rolling and revered Holmenkollen course, the race was off to a quick pace from the start with a group of less than a dozen separating themselves from the rest of the field early on. Only gaining ground as the race went on, Sweden's Frida Karlsson led the breakaway for much of contest, breaking free herself with under 10K to go to earn a well-deserved victory in Norway. Hot on her trail was her teammate Ebba Andersson who slid into second, and after her, an exciting sprint finish in which Germany's Katharina Hennig just nipped Austria's Teresa Stadlober at the line for third. Putting on an admiral performance to maintain her lead in the overall World Cup standing, Jessie Diggins was the top finisher of the US women in 11th. Sunday will feature a repeat of today's race with the men's field getting their chance to compete in the 50K event.
Biathlon: History Made at Home for U.S. Biathlon Men’s Team
March 8, 2024Continuing a streak of success when it comes to US skiers racing on home soil, the US biathlon men's team made history on Friday after their relay team of Vincent Bonacci, Sean Doherty, Campbell Wright, and Jake Brown earned a best-ever fourth place during the ongoing IBU competitions at Soldier Hollow.
World Cup Racing: Oslo Schedule
March 6, 2024World Cup athletes will have one thing, and one thing only on their mind this weekend: a classic marathon race at the hollowed Holmenkollen ski venue outside Oslo, Norway. Covering six 8.3K laps for a total of 50K, the mass-start classic event will be spread across two days, Saturday and Sunday, with the women's field racing on the former at 3:30 AM CST, and the men's field racing on the latter at 4:30 AM CDT (daylight savings change!). Only five scoring events remain in the World Cup season, so if you've been watching the standings closely you won't want to miss this weekend's competitions!
World Cup Lahti: Freestyle Sprints
March 3, 2024Sunday brought freestyle sprints, and with them the final day of World Cup racing in Lahti, Finland. A form of groundhogs day for some, and potentially a recurring nightmare for others, the women's final was again made up of three of the Swedish favorites—Jonna Sundling, Linn Svahn, and Maja Dahlqvist—and the Norwegian giant, Kristen Stavaas Skistad. Sundling was the one to throw the lastest punch between the two nations, so naturally it was Skistad's turn to return the favor as she skied away with the win well before the finish, leaving Sweden to seek solstice in a third place finish by Dahlqvist after a surprising second place finish by Coletta Rydzek of Germany. Precedent took preference in the men's final as well with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway again outlasting his repeated rival, Lucas Chanavat of France, to take the win, overshadowing a first World Cup podium by Valerio Grond of Switzerland in third. The struggles continued for the US squad on Sunday, as four skiers were able to qualify for the heats, but non were able to advance. JC Schoonmaker and Julia Kern made it the furthest, finishing 13th and 16th respectively. A week of rest will be all but required of athletes before the upcoming weekend in Oslo, Norway where a classic marathon will be the headliner at the legendary Holmenkollen ski venue.
World Cup Lahti: Classic Distance
March 2, 2024The festivities in Finland continued on Saturday as athletes queued up for a grinding individual-start classic race covering 20K. Battling back to her first win in nearly five years, Krista Parmakowski held off Germany's Victoria Carl by less than two seconds in the women's race to the celebration of the home crowd, while her teammate Kerttu Niskanen emphasized the importance of home field advantage with her third place finish. It looked as though Finland would claim the men's title as well through Iivo Niskanen who lead much of the earlier portions of the men's race, but game recognized game at the finish line when Norway's Johannes Klaebo pulled in ahead of Niskanen with 24 seconds to spare. Niskanen's time would still be good enough to secure second however as over a half a minute would separate him and the third fastest finisher, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway. A top-10 result by Rosie Brennan in 9th was the standout for US skiers as they weathered the tough conditions in Lahti. Sunday will bring a back another bout of sprinting as an individual freestyle competition takes center stage.
World Cup Lahti: Team Sprints
March 1, 2024Back in Finland where the season began, the World Cup returned to action on Friday for the final leg of the circuit. Sweden put up a solidifying statement in the women's race, a classic team sprint, skiing away with the victory by nearly 30 seconds over the first teams from Finland and Germany. Norway would do the same in the men's race, albeit by a smaller margin of victory, besting the second team from Norway by roughly four seconds. Just outstretching France I for third was the Finland I team, a cause for celebration for the Lahti crowd with athletes representing the host nation on both the men's and women's podiums. A disappointing day for the US, neither of the two competing men's teams would qualify for the final, while the lone women's team did make the final, but finished well out of contention in 15th. Tomorrow the focus shifts back to individual performances for a pair of interval-start 20K classic races.
World Cup Racing: Lahti Schedule
February 28, 2024Heading into the home stretch, the fifth and final Period of the World Cup kicks off on Friday with a return to Finland for three days of racing in Lahti. Getting the ball rolling is the first and only team sprint of the season, a classic event, which will have athletes compete in a qualifier at 6:45 AM CST leading into the heats at 8:45 AM CST. Athletes' attention then turns to an interval-start 20K classic event on Saturday where the women will race first at 2:00 AM CST, followed by the men at 5:00 AM CST. Closing it all out, Sunday will feature a return to sprinting action as athletes compete individually in the freestyle technique, with qualifiers begining at 2:15 AM CST and the heats shortly after at 4:45 AM CST.
Birkie Week Recap and Mt. Telemark Village Fundraising
February 26, 2024The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation celebrates the successful Birkie Week events with a recap video, plus makes their fundraising push to achieve a matching grant of $500,000 for Mt. Telemark Village by the end of February (Thursday!).
American Birkebeiner Classic Coverage
February 25, 2024Capping an improbable week of racing in one of the worst winters on record, the American Birkebeiner held their classic technique events Sunday on the now famous 10K machine-made snow loop in Cable. A group of four elite men broke away early and sprinted it out for the three podium spots with Michigan native Reid Goble taking the victory, German Christian Winker second and David Norris third. On the women's side, Hannah Rudd, a Minnesota native, and Caitlin Patterson made it a two-person race for the title, taking it down to another sprint finish with Rudd pulling ahead for a win. A number of the skiers completed an unofficial Birkie skiathlon, racing the 50K freestyle race the day before, including Rudd, Patterson (Scott and Caitlin), and Norris. Results linked in, photos posted along with a recap video.
American Birkebeiner Freestyle Coverage
February 24, 2024The snow coverage may have been muted but the crowds were not for the main event of the 50th American Birkebeiner on Saturday. Ever the crowd pleaser, Jessie Diggins put on a show, racing neck and neck with France's Flora Dolci after breaking away early. However, wearing her custom sparkling bib it was Diggins day to shine as she collected her first Birkie win, beating Dolci to the line by nearly 30 seconds and thrilling the fans at the finish. Besting the chase group to secure the final spot on the podium was last year's champion, Alayna Sonnesyn. After spending much of the race in the lead group of about a dozen men, US skiing superstar Gus Schumacher left it late to deliver yet another one for the books, collecting a first Birkie win of his own. A blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, the second, third, and fourth skiers in the men's race came crashing in seconds later, with Sam Hendry decisively taking second, and David Norris just edging out Scott Patterson for third. Results linked in, photos and video recap posted!
Loppet Cup Playday Coverage
February 19, 2024On Monday, the Loppet Cup wrapped up the big week with bunch of activities, indoor and outdoor, celebrating Winter including a chance to ski the World Cup courses, enjoy some winter activities, check out vendors and get autographs from some of the athletes.
World Cup Minneapolis: Freestyle Distance; Sensational Schumacher Takes the Title, Diggins in Third
February 18, 2024Not since the days of Bill Koch, over four decades ago, has an American man stood atop the podium in a World Cup distance race, but history was made on Sunday as Gus Schumacher became only the third to win a World Cup competition. Leading in a stacked field in the men's interval-start race, Schumacher posted the fastest time on the 10K freestyle course by just a handful of seconds, taking the victory over the current overall World Cup leader, Harald Oestberg Amundsen of Norway, and his teammate, Paal Golberg. The women's race was just as much of a thriller, with Jessie Diggins pushing her body to the limit and a third place finish on the back of a chorus of cheering from the home crowd at Theodore Wirth Park. Seemingly untouchable in Minneapolis, Sweden's Jonna Sundling claimed another victory with over 15 seconds to spare, while her teammate, Frida Karlsson, held down second place on the podium. A wrap for Period IV of the World Cup, athletes will next head back overseas for the final leg of the circuit which kicks off in Lahti, Finland.
Biathlon: US Makes History Once Again In World Championships Men’s Relay
February 17, 2024The U.S. men’s relay team makes it two historic finishes for Team USA at the 2024 IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. The team of Vincent Bonacci, Sean Doherty, Campbell Wright and Minnesotan Jake Brown raced to fifth place, marking an historic World Championships finish in the discipline and the best U.S. relay finish since 2016.
World Cup Minneapolis: Freestyle Sprints
February 17, 2024There was no shortage of excitement on Saturday for the first of two World Cup races being held just outside of downtown Minneapolis at Theodore Wirth Park. With thousands of spectators lining the trails, skiers were elevated to stardom as they competed for one of the coveted top-30 spots in the morning's freestyle sprints qualifier. Four men and four women would make that mark for the US team, with the most celebrated of the bunch being the hometown hero Jessie Diggins who twice drew a roar from the crowd on her way to the final in the heats. Despite Diggins' determination it was a Swede, Jonna Sundling, that would take all the glory, gliding away with the victory in dominant fashion after prevailing over teammate Linn Svahn and her Norwegian competitor Kristen Stavaas Skistad, with Diggins in tow for fourth. Equally as dominant was the 'king' of Norway, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who put on a show for the fans, leading in a resurgent Federico Pellegrino of Italy and another Norwegian, Haavard Solaas Taugboel, on his way to a decisive victory. While none of the American men would break out of the quarterfinals, it wasn't for lack of trying with Gus Schumacher coming the closest in 17th. Tomorrow the excitement continues with athletes taking part in an interval-start 10K freestyle event.
Biathlon: Irwin and Wright Clinch Historic Mixed Relay Result at World Championships
February 16, 2024Wisconsin native Deedra Irwin along with Campbell Wright teamed up for the second time this season to race in the 2024 World Championships single mixed relay event, claiming a historic 7th place finish, the best U.S. result at a World Championship single mixed relay event since the discipline was introduced.
Loppet Cup Friday Preparations Coverage
February 16, 2024Friday was practice day at Theodore Wirth for the athletes, coaches and techs in final preparation for World Cup races this weekend. Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern and JC Schoonmaker were part of a press conference in the historic Wirth chalet, with a full room of media covering the event.
Great Bear Chase Still On
February 15, 2024Organizers report the Great Bear Chase is still ready for racing on March 9th! Get your registration in for this natural snow race, as divisions are filling fast.
World Cup Racing: Minneapolis Schedule
February 14, 2024The culmination of many year's worth of blood, sweat, and tears, the World Cup touches down in the Twin Cities this weekend for two days of elite-level racing at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. Whether you'll be catching the action trailside or tuning in from afar, you won't want to miss this one! Freestyle sprints kick off the festivities on Saturday with athletes competing in a qualifier at 10:00 AM CST which will lead into a knockout round of heats at 12:30 PM CST. Skiers will then be going the distance on Sunday for an interval-start 10K freestyle race that will see the men's field out first at 10:30 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 12:45 PM CST.
Changes to Birkie Week 2024: Lapped Courses and Race Distance Changes
February 13, 2024As anticipation builds for Birkie Week 2024, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation has announced several updates to this year's 50th Slumberland American Birkebeiner anniversary celebration event. Birkie Week promises an unforgettable experience for participants and spectators alike, with the introduction of lapped courses, shortened distances, and the excitement of World Cup athletes competing on the course.
World Cup Canmore: Classic Sprints
February 13, 2024A whirlwind weekend (and then some) of racing in Alberta, Canada concluded on Tuesday with athletes focused on the day's event: classic sprints. A group of two dozen US athletes once again lined up for the qualifiers with seven of them advancing to the heats. JC Schoonmaker and Julia Kern were the ones to make it the furthest, both sneaking into the semifinals as lucky losers, but that is ultimately where their runs would end with the two finishing 7th and 11th respectively. A packed women's final produced a Swedish response to Saturday's showboating as Linn Svahn comfortably took the title over her contentious competitor, Kristen Stavaas Skistad of Norway, with another Swede, Jonna Sundling, just falling to third in a last minute lunge with the later. The men's final was an even closer affair as France's Richard Jouve put Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo to work in the final hundred meters, but it was not meant to be for Jouve as Klaebo managed to outmuscle the Frenchman for the win. Now athletes will make their way across the boarder for what has to be the most anticipated event of the season: the World Cup in Minneapolis!
World Cup Canmore: Classic Distance
February 11, 2024Capping off a string of three days of racing in Alberta, Canada, athletes took to the trails at the Canmore Nordic Center on Sunday to compete in a mass-start 20K classic event. Sticking near the front of the field was crucial for both the men's and women's winners, including Frida Karlsson of Sweden who overtook Finland's Kerttu Niskanen in the final few meters of the women's race to earn her victory. Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo would attempt to do the same in the men's race, dropping the hammer on teammate Paal Goldberg coming into the finish, but Goldberg showed a surprising burst of speed to hold off yesterday's sprint champion and earn his own victory. Claiming the final podium spot in the respective races were Heidi Weng and newcomer Mattis Stenshagen, both of Norway. A dogged display by Jessie Diggins led her to the top American result in 10th, while Rosie Brennan, Sophia Laukli, and Gus Schumacher also cracked the top-20 in 13th, 14th, and 20th respectively. A break from the action tomorrow will lead into one final day of racing in Canada on Tuesday which is reserved for classic sprints.
World Cup Canmore: Freestyle Sprints
February 10, 2024The second day of racing in Canmore saw the US well represented with two dozen athletes in the starting lineup for Saturday's freestyle sprints. Nearly half of those athletes would go on to qualify for the heats, including Jessie Diggins who progressed the furthest, making it to the women's final. A tough test greeted her there, and despite her best efforts the podium would be shared by a Norwegian, Kristen Stavaas Skistad, and two Swede's, Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn, while Diggins finished 5th. Norway would also take the top spot in the men's final through a resurgent Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo who held off teammate Erik Valnes as well as Sweden's Edvin Anger for the title. Just missing out on making the final himself, Ben Ogden led the US men with a 7th place finish. Another mass-start race is on deck for tomorrow which will have athletes racing 20K in the classic technique.
Birkie: Final Q&A Session, Birkie Week Plans
February 10, 2024The American Birkebeiner will be hosting their final live question and answer session this Monday, Feb 12th, at 7 pm CST. Tune in to hear the plans for events and races courses for the 50th anniversary event.
Vasabeiner Coverage
February 10, 2024Well over 200 skiers turned out Saturday morning for a rare marathon training race, the Vasabeiner, put on by Pioneer Midwest. The mass start field did four laps of the 5K snowmaking loop, including the tricky, lightning fast descent of Boulder Ridge. Matt Liebsch (racing in his old Univ of Minnesota suit) took the men's victory with Brian Gregg second, Jakob Ellingson third. Sophia Tsu Velicer (Taipei) topped the women's field with Laura Cattaneo second and Sarah Widder third. Results posted, along with big photosets.
World Cup Canmore: Freestyle Distance; Diggins Decisive in Win
February 9, 2024Kicking off the North American World Cup tour in style, Jessie Diggins gave American fans a reason to be loud and proud on Friday as she delivered yet another masterclass performance in the event she has become so dominant in. Racing 15 kilometers at the Canmore Nordic Center in Alberta, Canada, the women's freestyle race started en mass with relatively little commotion. That would change roughly midway through the race however when the pace started to quicken, in no small part due to Diggins' teammate, Sophia Laukli. Biding her time and putting herself in the right position, Diggins waited out several attacks until the time was right, then went with France's Delphine Claudel as she broke away up the final climb, easing past her on the ensuing downhill to confidently take the victory. Leading in the rest of the chase group, Norway's Heidi Weng would wrap up the final podium spot in third, while Laukli's strong showing saw her finish in 8th. Indecisiveness in the men's race led to little action early on with Austria's Mika Vermeulen the only athlete to attempt to separate from the rest of the field until Norway's Simon Hegstad Krueger decided to take the reins, overtaking Vermeulen to ski uncontested to the finish. Vermeulen would still be rewarded for his heroics however, earning his first World Cup podium in third behind another Norwegian, Harald Oestberg Amundsen. In the mix throughout the race, Scott Patterson was the star of the show for the US men, equalling Laukli's top-10 finish in 8th. The second of four races in five days takes place tomorrow with freestyle sprints the occasion. (Photo: Leann Bentley)
WJC/U23 Championships: Brewster Makes it Three in Four for the US
February 8, 2024Continuing an impressive string of results at this year's Junior and U23 World Championships, Haley Brewster made it three podiums in four races for US skiers on Thursday after taking second in the U23 women's 20K freestyle race. Equally as impressive was fellow American Novie McCabe's performance which saw her finish just off the podium in 4th.
WJC/U23 Championships: Bronze for Hagenbuch in Freestyle Sprints
February 6, 2024Just a day after Samantha Smith made the podium respresenting the US in the opening event of the Junior World Championships, John Steel Hagenbuch did the same at the U23 World Championships, taking third in the men's freestyle final.
Tour de Finn: City of Lakes Loppet Recap
February 6, 2024Despite a season in which it seems as though every other race has been rescheduled, postponed, or just cancelled outright, the Tour de Finn is making lemonade out of lemons and celebrated the third stop in their Series this weekend at the City of Lake Loppet. Catch up with their latest race recap to get the latest updates and find out what's next for the Tour.
World Cup Racing: Canmore Schedule
February 6, 2024And just like that, the World Cup has touched down in North America! Kicking off the much anticipated Period IV of the circuit is an extended stay in Alberta, Canada for four days of racing at the Canmore Nordic Centre, with a distance race getting things started on Friday. The women's field will race first for the 15K mass-start freestyle event at 11:40 AM CST, while the men's field will get the second shift at 1:45 PM CST. Saturday will then be devoted to freestyle sprints with athletes vying for a qualifying spot in the heats at 11:30 AM CST, while the knockout rounds themselves will take place later in the day at 2:00 PM CST. Wrapping up the weekend is a 20K mass-start classic event on Sunday where the women's field will once again get the go-ahead, racing at 11:00 AM CST, while the men's field will have to wait until 1:15 PM CST to compete. The action doesn't end there though as a final day of racing, classic sprints, will take place on Tuesday following a rest day. Qualifiers and heats for that final event are scheduled for 10:00 AM CST and 12:30 PM CST respectively.
WJC/U23 Championships: Smith Takes Silver in Freestyle Sprints
February 5, 2024Sammy Smith of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team started off the 2024 FIS Ski Junior World Championships with a silver medal in the first race of the championships, the skate sprint. The WJC/U23 championships are being held in Planica, Slovenia, this week.
City of Lakes Loppet Freestyle Coverage
February 4, 2024With temperatures dipping into the low 20s overnight, the course conditions were very firm and fast for the City of Lakes Loppet freestyle races Sunday morning. After a chaotic start that saw a sizeable group crash in the opening 200 meters, the Best of Loppet/wave 1 race settled into a fast paced two laps around the snowmaking trails at Wirth. The men's race split into a trio of skiers at the front by lap 2, who then brought it down to a tight sprint finish, jostling for lanes resulting in Brian Gregg crashing with Matt Liebsch taking the another win, Caden Albrecht slipping into second. Caitlin Gregg also repeated as the women's champion, with Julie Ensrud holding off a pack of chasers for second as junior Helen Townley was the best of that pack, earning third. Results linked in, photos and video recap are up!
City of Lakes Loppet Classic Coverage
February 3, 2024Pulling out a fast 5K course, the Loppet Foundation kicked off their City of Lakes Loppet Festival weekend with classic races Saturday morning. From the Best of the Loppet/wave 1, Matt Liebsch and Brian Gregg powered away from the field early, with Liebsch eventually moving ahead to take the victory, Gregg second, and David Joda taking third in a sprint over Caden Albrecht. Caitlin Gregg strided to the womens title with Laura Cattaneo second and Vivian Johnson third. Blake Weiss and Julie Garretson took the slightly shorter Puoli loppet titles. Results linked in, photos up from the BOTL/wave 1 race, video recap coming later today.
Loppet Cup is a Go!
February 2, 2024Today the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) officially gave the green light to the local organizing committee during the scheduled snow control meetings, giving the go-ahead for Minneapolis' Wirth Park to host the first World Cup in the United States in more than 23 years.
Short-notice: Vasabeiner Race Added
February 1, 2024Pioneer Midwest is hoping to salvage part of the racing season by offering a 20K race on Saturday, Feb 10th, on the snowmaking loops at Hyland.
Vasaloppet USA Cancelled
February 1, 2024The Vasaloppet USA organizers have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s races. Despite hard effort on snow farming, the warm weather has made it impossible to make new snow and maintain the course. They are planning for a Miniloppet; a casual day of skiing on Saturday, Feb 10th
Canadian Birkie Cancelled
February 1, 2024The Canadian Birkebeiner Society Board of Directors was forced to make the difficult decision to call off the in-person Birkie ski events on Saturday, February 10 due to lack of snow. Instead, all 2024 Canadian Birkie registrants and volunteers are receiving a complimentary registration by email for the Virtual Canadian Birkie.
Biathlon: Roster Named for 2024 World Championships
January 31, 2024The United States Biathlon Association has posted the roster of athletes who will compete for the US at the 2024 IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic slated for February 7-18. Making the squad from the Midwest are Deedra Irwin and Jake Brown.
Web Roundup
January 29, 2024No Time Like Snow Time - After nearly oversleeping, Jessie Diggins recaps her win in Sunday's race along with quotes from the rest of the podium.
A Super SuperTour - Earning her first SuperTour victory and meeting a season goal, Renae Anderson reflects on her races in Lake Placid, New York.
Tour Talk - As a guest on the Hear Her Sports podcast, Jessie Diggins breaks down what led up to her title-winning Tour de Ski, on and off the snow.
Skiing in Sweden - Part of the US team overseas for the U18 Nordic Nations Cup, Daniel McCollor looks back on the first few days of training and racing in Falun.
Game On - Jessie Diggins joins France's Richard Jouve to play a game of "guess the year" hosted by Salomon.
Lantern Lighters - Minnesota Bound covers cross-country skiing and bright ideas at the Golden Eagle Lodge on the Gunflint Trail.
A Stonegrinder at Heart - Digging into what he does best, Tom Novak of Finn Sisu divulges his latest findings after testing grinds during this winter of 'none'.
Sexual Harassment Hits Ski Team - Findings by the U.S. Center for SafeSport illustrate a pattern of sexualized behavior over the course of years by a wax tech for the US biathlon team.
The Warmest Winter - With the snow melting and ice thawing it's not hard to believe that this is a record setting winter, but is it the warmest we've ever had?
Snowmaking in Spain - A new technique being tested in Spain is shaping up to be a breakthrough for making snow in warmer conditions using fewer resources.
Breaking the Mold - Mold builds up quickly in moist environments, so the New York Times is putting out a friendly reminder to clean your reusable bottles regularly.
Iola Norseman Challenge Results
January 28, 2024Iola Winter Sports Club squeaked out another natural snow race, hosting a 20K freestyle race on Sunday morning. Tristan Schouten took the men's victory with Olivia Dreger posted the top women's time.
World Cup Goms: Freestyle Distance; Determined Diggins Takes Win
January 28, 2024Ending Period III of the World Cup on a high note, Sunday's mass-start freestyle race in Goms, Switzerland was yet another high point for US athletes in a season chalk full of them. The women's race started conservatively with the field resembling one long conga line through a majority of the 20K race as Jessie Diggins led the bunch. It would remain that way up until the final few kilometers when Frida Karlsson of Sweden made a move to break away and to which Diggins calmly responded to. Staying glued to her through the final turn, Diggins slingshotted around her into the final straightaway, comfortably taking the victory. After Karlsson came the Swiss crowd favorite, Nadine Faehndrich, completing the women's podium, and not long after her came two more American skiers, Sophia Laukli in 5th and Rosie Brennan in 7th, making it three in the top-10 for the US team. Playing out very similarly, the men's race came down to a late breakaway by two Norwegians, Simen Hegstad Krueger and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, but there was little hope for Krueger against yesterday's sprint champion. Klaebo would go on to pick up another victory while Krueger was resigned to second, and a Frenchman, Jules Lapierre, led in the rest of the field for third. In the mix at times, Gus Schumacher finished the highest of the US men in 14th, while Scott Patterson also broke into the top-20 in 18th. After a break to rest and recover athletes will be heading overseas to North America for Period IV of the World Cup, making stops in Canmore in Alberta, Canada and in our very own backyard, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Noquemanon Results
January 27, 2024Striking a victory against an anti-snow winter, the Noquemanon pulled off all their citizen races Saturday morning, with some modifications to course and distance. Over 900 skiers participated. Taking the 50K (23K) classic titles were team Gregg, Caitlin and Brian. 50K (23K) freestyle victories were repeats of the First Chance race earlier this season, Julia Harrison and Isaac Wieber. In the original 24K divisions (now 23K), classic titles went to Amea Kam-Magruder and Wes Sumner, freestyle to Hadley Jenson and Benjamin Bauer. And the 12K (now 10K) champions: classic Maija Rourke and Nathan McCaughan, freestyle Mylie Kelly and James Kreag.
World Cup Goms: Freestyle Sprints
January 27, 2024It was business as usual for the World Cup on Saturday as athletes geared up for freestyle sprints. Six Americans made the heats among the men and women, and of those six three advanced to the semifinals: Jessie Diggins, Ben Ogden, and JC Schoonmaker. Their progress would be stopped short by a determined field however, which included a show of Swedish strength that saw five of their six skiers advance to the women's final. Due in part to those overwhelming odds, Sweden would go on to sweep the women's podium through the likes of an increasingly impressive Linn Svahn who was joined by Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling. The tightest contest of the day would go to a come-from-behind victory in the men's final by Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo over France's Lucas Chanavat, with Haavard Solaas Taugboel rounding out the top-3. One event remains in Goms, Switzerland, a mass-start 20K freestyle race.
World Cup Goms: Mixed Team Relay
January 26, 2024After a team relay closed out last weekend's World Cup in Oberhof, there was a feeling of deja vu on Friday as another relay opened this weekend's competitions in Goms, Switzerland. Changing things up, teams were composed of two men and two women racing alternately over 5K each. Early on the race stayed competitive with much of the field intact, but by the final leg only five teams remained in contention: Sweden I and II, Norway I and II, and Finland I. With strong anchor skiers on both teams, Sweden's teams broke away heading into the home stretch to take the first two podium positions, while Norway I would follow them in for third. A young squad for the US had hoped to make their mark on the field, but a crash during their second leg would see their efforts end early today. Freestyle sprints become the focus for the field as they look towards tomorrow.
World Cup Racing: Goms Schedule
January 24, 2024Goms, Switzerland welcomes the World Cup this weekend as Period III of the circuit draws to a close. Picking up where we left off in Oberhof, a relay will open the occasion on Friday with the men's and women's fields coming together to represent their countries in a mixed team event which starts at 8:30 AM CST. Then freestyle sprints take the spotlight on Saturday, with athletes competing in a qualifier and elimination bracket at 6:00 AM CST and 8:30 AM CST respectively. A mass-start 20K freestyle race finishes things off on Sunday which will be led out by the women's field at 2:30 AM CST, and brought in by the men's field at 6:30 AM CST.
World Cup Oberhof: Team Relays
January 21, 2024Closing out the World Cup races in Oberhof, Germany, teams of four lined up to represent their nations in a 4x7.5K event on Sunday. Two very different sets of tactics came into play over the course of the men's and women's races: one showing restraint, and the other dominance. The women's victors, Sweden I, took the latter, establishing an early lead that would see them comfortably glide to another team title. Finishing second, the Germany I team put in a valiant effort, making up substantial time on the Swedish leaders in their final leg to make the women's race appear closer than it was and excite the home crowd. And following them a short while later was the Finland I team who crossed the in third. The men's victors, Norway I, waited up until the final hundred meters of the race to make a decisive move and secure their win. Also skiing a strong last leg, Italy I would sneak onto the men's podium in second, with the Norway II team taking the last podium spot just behind them. With several athletes sitting out the race to recover, the US women did not field a relay team, but the US men did. Consisting of Zak Ketterson, Scott Patterson, Ben Ogden, and Gus Schumacher, together they finished 13th. Next weekend the World Cup moves to Goms, Switzerland for the second half of Period III.
Ariens King of Snow Festival Results
January 21, 2024Ariens Nordic Center celebrated winter with King of Snow Festival, hosting their first citizen ski race on Sunday morning. Collecting a pair of premium Ariens snowblowers, Brian and Caitlin Gregg took the men's and women's victories in the inaugural 10K event. The 5K champions were N Penn and Chloe Koller.
World Cup Oberhof: Classic Distance
January 20, 2024Saturday's 20K classic race was an odds-on occasion for the favorites as athletes turned out for the mass-start event. In what has become a recurring theme and surprise to no one, a trio from Norway—Erik Valnes, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, and Paal Golberg—swept the podium in the men's race, with Valnes picking up his second consecutive victory. Meanwhile, the women's podium was composed of three go-to classic specialists, Frida Karlsson of Sweden, hometown hero Katharina Hennig, and Kerttu Niskanen of Finland. The highlight of the day among the US athletes was a pair of top-10 finishes by Jessie Diggins (6th) and Rosie Brennan (10th), while Zak Ketterson (40th) was the fastest to finish of the men. Athletes will team up to ski four legs at 7.5K each in a relay format tomorrow, the final day of racing in Oberhof.
She de Ski Results
January 20, 2024Well over 300 women participated in the She de Ski events Saturday at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable. The 30K freestyle was a battle of stars, with Annika Landis taking the victory, Caitlin Gregg in second and Holly Brooks third. Maggie Bowman won the women's 20K with Josie Nelson second, Margie Nelson third. Elin Hartmann took the 10K title with Wren Saveraid the best of the 5K field.
Tower Ridge 10K Coverage
January 20, 2024A small but hardy crew turned out Saturday morning in Eau Claire for the annual Tower Ridge races, hosted by UW-Eau Claire Nordic ski team. Andy Schakel collected the 10K mens title, Rachael Jensen the win for the women. Results along with photos and a highlight video are up now.
World Cup Oberhof: Classic Sprints
January 19, 2024Returning to action with classic sprints, the World Cup entered the third of five periods of racing on Friday. Kicking things off in Oberhof, Germany, eight Americans qualified for the heats, a season high, although it would be one of the seemingly rare occasions where none would make the podium. Ben Ogden made it the furthest, advancing all the way to the men's final where he finished 6th, while Jessie Diggins again led the women's team, making it to the semifinals and finishing 9th overall. Both the men's and women's podiums were a point of national pride, with the Norwegian team sweeping the men's podium via Erik Valnes, Ansgar Evensen, and Even Northug, while the Swedish team would do the same for the women's podium via Linn Svahn, Frida Karlsson, and Jonna Sundling. Tomorrow the classic racing action continues with a mass-start 20K race planned for both the men's and women's fields.
Ariens: King of Snow Festival this Weekend
January 18, 2024Ariens Nordic Center will host a King of Snow festival this weekend, Jan 20-21, with fat bike races on Saturday and freestyle ski races on Sunday. Top male and female finishers in the 10K Freestyle ski race and the fat bike Elite Category race will win an Ariens 90th Anniversary Limited Edition Sno-Thro! Plus join them for a Packers viewing party Saturday evening.
Ring of Snow Challenge Coming Next Weekend
January 18, 2024Replacing the Badger State Games, the Ring of Snow Challenge is scheduled for Jan 27th in Wausau. The event features three and six hour race divisions -- ski solo and form a team!
World Cup Racing: Oberhof Schedule
January 16, 2024Period III of the World Cup starts up in just a matter of days, the last batch of racing before the circuit heads overseas. Spending a weekend each in Germany and Switzerland, the first stop is in Oberhof, this Friday, where classic sprints will be the opening event. Qualifiers for those sprints will be held at 5:50 AM CST, while the heats will take place a couple hours later at 8:20 AM CST. Athletes then turn their attention to a mass-start 20K classic race on Saturday where the men will compete first at 3:25 AM CST, and the women afterward at 6:30 AM CST. Finally, national pride is on the line on Sunday with teams of four dueling it out in the women's and men's team relays, taking place at 3:50 AM CST and 6:10 AM CST respectively.
Lapham Loppet Results
January 13, 2024As a major winter storm was exiting the region, over 120 skiers came out to Lapham Peak for the annual Lapham Loppet Saturday morning. Thomas Stuber skied away from the field, taking the win a minute and half ahead of Tristan Schouten with Danny Sonnentag third. Lindsey Kriete skated to the women's victory, only 47 seconds ahead of Anne Straka (the top classic female!), with Ellie Schouten third. Nathan Burke the top men's classic time.
Seeley Hills Classic Results
January 13, 2024Racing at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable, the Seeley Hills Classic drew in over 300 skiers for races on Saturday. In the 32K division, Brian Gregg edged out David Joda for victory with Matt Liebsch third. Caitlin Gregg made it a household sweep, Ingrid Thyr taking second and Josie Nelson third. The shorter 20K event was won by Leif Hanson with Kai Ludwig second and Norbert Koenigsfeld third. Katie Milligan Susong had the top women's time, Emily Fjorden second and Julie Garretson third. Jack Dahlby and Stella Meza won the 6K high school races.
Tour de Finn: First Chance Race Recap
January 9, 2024After a quieter than usual start to the season, racing action throughout the Midwest is getting back underway. Mora, MN hosted the First Chance Race this past weekend which was the second opportunity to score points in the newly minted Tour de Finn Series. With the next scoring event already on the horizon, get up to date on the latest in the Series with their most recent recap.
Loppet Foundation: All Things Loppet Cup
January 8, 2024With the World Cup races at Theodore Wirth just over a month away, the Loppet is highlighting their new Loppet Cup poster, watch parties, merchandise and lodging options.
Tour de Ski: Stage 7 Freestyle Distance; Diggins Take the Tour, Laukli Takes the Stage
January 7, 2024The culmination of a week's worth of racing was on the line for the final stage of the Tour de Ski on Sunday. On a grueling 10K freestyle course leading to, and up, Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme, Italy, athletes were competing for the final podium of Period II of the World Cup, and more importantly, the overall Tour de Ski title. Jessie Diggins was the star of the show for the US squad, pushing her body to the limit up the alpine climb to finish 6th, enough to secure her second career Tour de Ski title. Not to be overshadowed by her teammate, Sophia Laukli also shown bright for the US, skiing a tactically sound race to take the stage win, her first World Cup victory. She would best Norway's Heidi Weng by over 15 seconds, with France's Delphine Claudel another 20 seconds back in third. Weng could take solace in a second place finish in the overall standings however, and Finland's Kerttu Niskanen would complete that podium, finishing third. While it seemed unlikely that anyone would be able to overtake Norway's Harald Oestberg Amundsen for the men's title, a few would try including Jules Lapierre of France and Friedrich Moch of Germany. The two would break away late, finishing in that order, with Lapierre's countryman, Hugo Laplaus, also finding the space necessary to make a third place finish. Their lead would not be enough to stop Amundsen from taking the overall title, although Moch and Laplaus would be rewarded for the efforts with a promotion to second and third place on the overall podium. Zanden McMullen and Scott Patterson finished their tour of duty for the US men's team with 36th and 42nd place finishes respectively, and additional notable performances from the women's team included a 12th place finish by Rosie Brennan and a 23rd place finish by Samantha Smith. Period III of the World Cup will get underway in just under two week's time on Jan 19th. (Photo: Leann Bentley)
Tour de Ski: Stage 6 Classic Distance
January 6, 2024A mix of rain, sleet, and snow in Toblach, Italy made for difficult racing conditions on Saturday for the penultimate event of the Tour de Ski, a mass-start 15K classic race. Due to the weather, both the men's and women's event largely became a group ski, resulting in each race being decided by whatever sprinters remained in contention. For the men's race it was the Norwegian Erik Valnes who took the helm heading into the home stretch, beating William Poromaa of Sweden and Cyril Faehndrich of Switzerland at the line. Similarly, Sweden's Linn Svahn would overtake her teammate, Frida Karlsson, in the final moments of the women's race as Germany's Katharina Hennig would cross the line in third. Right on the heels of the lead women, Jessie Diggins reached the finish in 8th, doing enough to secure a 43 second lead heading into the final stage tomorrow. Following Diggins was Rosie Brennan who finished 12th, and Sophia Laukli would also have a top-20 finish in 17th. Scott Patterson and Zanden McMullen were again the sole representatives of the US men and finished 27th and 31st respectively. Closing out the Tour de Ski and Period II of the World Cup is the 10K freestyle accent up Alpe Cermis which will start en masse for each gender Sunday.
First Chance Races Coverage
January 6, 2024Vasaloppet organizers pulled together a 1K man-made snow trail to allow for racing action Saturday afternoon at the Nordic Center in Mora. Isaac Wieber took the men's 10K race after Alex Reich took a stumble in the final 250m, with Paul Olson, Mora native, finishing third. Julia Harrison topped the women's field, Lisa Garretson second and Allie Rykken third. Results linked in, photos up from both 10K and 5K events along with a video recap of the 10K.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 6 and 7 Schedule
January 5, 2024The end of the Tour de Ski is in sight with just two stages remaining. Moving to Val di Fiemme, Italy for the final leg, the World Cup program for Saturday and Sunday calls for mass-start events on both days, with a 15K classic race on the former and a 10K freestyle race on the latter. The women will lead off on Saturday at 4:30 AM CST, followed by the men at 8:25 AM CST, and then the order will reverse for the infamous climb up Alpe Cermis on Sunday, with the men out first at 7:30 AM CST, followed by the women at 8:45 AM CST.
Tour de Ski: Stage 5 Classic Distance; Brennan and Diggins Share Podium Again
January 4, 2024A decisive day for athletes heading into the final two races of the Tour de Ski, Thursday's pursuit-start 20K classic race would turn out to be one of the highest of high points in a season full of them for the US women. Rosie Brennan led an inspired performance, dueling with the Finnish great Kerttu Niskanen late on to take second on the day. And needing to maintain her advantage over the rest of the competition in the overall standings, Jessie Diggins overcame an early nosedive to stick with the bulk of the women's field, staying strong to the end to put her stamp on third place. With Ben Ogden bowing out of the Tour de Ski earlier in the week, and Gus Schumacher taking his leave today, only two remained for the US men, Scott Patterson and Zanden McMullen, who finished 24th and 28th respectively. On the podium for the men's race were Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Henrik Doennestad, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, all hailing from Norway. Following a day off on Friday, the final stages of the Tour de Ski will be held in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Saturday and Sunday.
Tour de Ski: Stage 4 Freestyle Sprints; Three in Three for Diggins, Success for Schumacher
January 3, 2024Lining up under the lights in Davos, Switzerland, athletes competed in freestyle sprints on Wednesday as they crossed the halfway point of the Tour de Ski. Another productive outing for the US team, Kevin Bolger, Zanden McMullen, Gus Schumacher, Rosie Brennan, Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern, and Samantha Smith were among the 30 men and 30 women who qualified for the heats, a first for McMullen and Smith. Making it all the way to the women's final, Jessie Diggins held on for her third podium in as many races, finishing third behind Norway's Kristen Stavaas Skistad and the winner of the event, Linn Svahn of Sweden. Of the US men, Gus Schumacher would go on to have a career best day, not only advancing to the semifinals for the first time, but also making it to the final where he would finish in 4th. That final would be won by the resurgent Lucas Chanavat of France, followed shortly after by Sweden's Edvin Anger and Italy's Federico Pellegrino. With one more race in Davos before they hit the road again, Stage 5 tomorrow will see athletes compete in a pursuit-start 20K classic race.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 4 and 5 Schedule
January 1, 2024It's on to Davos, Switzerland for the second set of World Cup races in the Tour de Ski. Stage 4 on Wednesday features freestyle sprints which will get underway with a qualifying round at 7:30 AM CST, leading into the elimination bracket at 10:00 AM CST. A pursuit-start 20K classic race then takes center stage on Thursday with the women's and men's fields on course at 3:45 AM CST and 6:00 AM CST respectively.
Tour de Ski: Stage 3 Freestyle Distance; Diggins Remains Dominant
January 1, 2024Looking to start the new year on the right foot, athletes wrapped up the first block of Tour de Ski races with a 20K freestyle event. Starting the pursuit format race with a six second lead, Jessie Diggins did what she does best: go all out from start to finish. Putting time in to the rest of the field time check after time check, Diggins confidentiality collected the stage win with a 45-second lead in the overall standings to boot. Leading in the rest of the women's field, Victoria Carl of Germany would cross the line in second, with Linn Svahn of Sweden behind her in third. The men's race would play out a little differently as Norway's Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Erik Valnes would both start the race with over a minute lead. The two would remain uncontested for the entirety of the race, with Amundsen pulling away late on to take the stage win. A group sprint for third saw a third Norwegian, Jan Thomas Jenssen, reach the podium, while the ever improving Gus Schumacher would cross the line a few seconds back in 10th, the top finisher for the US men. After a much deserved day off, the Tour de Ski will continue on Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland for Stages 4 and 5.
Loppet Cup Trivia Night Monday Jan 8th
January 1, 2024Gather your friends and celebrate the Loppet Cup with a trivia night at Utepils Brewing on Monday, Jan 8th. RSVP to register to team today!
Tour de Ski: Stage 2 Classic Distance; Diggins Returns to Podium
December 31, 2023Capitalizing on their strong start yesterday, Stage 2 of the Tour de Ski was a chance for US athletes to secure their footing in the race for the title. Leading the way for the team in Sunday's interval-start 10K classic race were Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden who both had strong results once again, with Diggins putting in a gutsy performance to stand in third on women's podium, while Ogden would fight his way into the top-10 in the men's race, finishing 9th. Rosie Brennan would also lay it all out in her race, finishing just off the podium in a 4th, and Gus Schumacher maintained his hot start to the Tour de Ski, earning a top-20 placement in 15th. No country would be happier with their teams performance than Finland however, as two of their athletes would take the top honors on the day, Kerttu Niskanen and Perttu Hyvarinen. Joining Niskanen and Diggins on the women's podium was Germany's Victoria Carl, while Norway's Erik Valnes and Harald Oestberg Amundsen accompanied Hyvarinen on the men's podium. The last day of competitions in Toblach, Italy, taking place tomorrow, is reserved for a pursuit-start 20K freestyle race.
Tour de Ski: Stage 1 Freestyle Sprints; Podium Debut for Ogden
December 30, 2023The Tour de Ski got off to raucous start on Saturday for one of the most grueling campaigns of the World Cup season encompassing seven races in nine days. Toblach, Italy is the site of the first three races, with freestyle sprints the task at hand for Stage 1. Taking to the challenging, multi-lap course, new faces were welcomed to the podium in both the men's and women's events, including a breakthrough third place finish by American Ben Ogden, his first podium appearance. Of the rest of the podium, Sweden's Linn Svahn would make a statement securing the top spot in the women's final, followed by teammate Jonna Sundling and Norwegian Kristen Stavaas Skistad. France's Lucas Chanavat would take advantage of the absence of Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo in the men's final, and would be join by his fellow countryman and podium debutant, Jules Chappaz. All together, six made the heats for the US—Rosie Brennan, Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern, Kevin Bolger, Ben Ogden, and Gus Schumacher—with Diggins and Kern both making it as far as the semifinals. The Tour de Ski continues tomorrow with an interval-start 10K classic race for Stage 2.
Sisu Ski Fest Cancelled
December 29, 2023Bare ground and wet conditions have forced organizers to cancel the Sisu Ski Fest races, but they plan to host a party complete with lunch, expo and race swag.
NNF: World Cup Fan Bibs Fundraiser
December 28, 2023NNF has teamed up with Midwest manufacturers Borah Teamwear and Podiumwear to offer exclusive World Cup fan bibs! Make your $50 donation to NNF and receive one of these collector bibs, and show your support for US Nordic skiing development.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 1, 2, and 3 Schedule
December 27, 2023World Cup racing returns this weekend for the start of Period II and the opening stages of the Tour de Ski. The venue for the first three stages is Toblach, Italy, where freestyle sprints will kick off the competitions on Saturday with a qualifying round set for 5:00 AM CST, and the elimination heats set for 7:30 AM CST. Athletes then have an interval-start 10K classic race to look forward to the following day, led-out by the women's field at 5:15 AM CST, followed by the the men's field at 8:00 AM CST. Lastly, a pursuit-start 20K freestyle race will ring in the new year on Monday with the men's field getting the 'go' first at 3:00 AM CST, and the women's field following suit at 5:30 AM CST. A more condensed US squad is taking to the trails for Period II of the World Cup, meaning all eyes from the Midwest will have to be on Jessie Diggins and Kevin Bolger as our representatives.
Winter Warmup Coverage
December 23, 2023The usually warm winter seemed almost fitting on Saturday morning for the Winter Warmup races. Dense fog, mash potato snow, and big fields led to some tight racing, along with a few crashes, for both the 10K and 5K races. Olympian and NCAA champion Magnus Boee dominated the race, pulling away from Brian Gregg in the final 500m to take the men's 10K title, Gregg second and Cooper Camp moving up to third. Caitlin Gregg topped the women's field with Lauren McCollor second, Cheresa Bouley in third. Wayzata HS brought nearly their full squad out for some fun in the 5K, taking the boys and girls victories: Hudson McMillan and Lila Golomb. Full results posted, full photosets up now.