Jessie Diggins, Stillwater High School Nordic Ski team member from 2004 to 2010 and three time Minnesota State High School Champion, is now a member of the US Ski Team (A Team) and the Stratton Mountain T2 Elite Team. In 2012, Jessie was the US National Champion in 4 races, won a silver medal in the Skate Team Sprint event at a World Cup, and placed in the top-10 four times in World Cup races. Jess is ranked as the second female in the US and was the overall North American Supertour champion last season.

Jessie’s success last winter fueled her goals for the upcoming season, where she will be spending the entire season competing in World Cup races throughout Europe, Russia and Canada. Jess is focused on achieving more top-10 World Cup results, completing the Tour de Ski, and finishing in the top-15 at the World Championships in Italy this February. These goals support Jessie’s longer term dreams of representing the USA at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia and anchoring the US’s relay team to a top 5 finish at that venue. These goals require single minded focus from Jessie; she trains over 750 hours a year and makes the sacrifices necessary to build a lifestyle around optimizing her athletic potential.

While the US and SMS ski teams provides food and lodging during training camps throughout the year, the training and lodging expenses between races and camps are funded by individual team members. The US Ski Team support has recently been reduced by deep budget cuts; funding from this organization will be limited. Jessie is expecting that national and international travel, lodging and race expenses for the 2012-2013 race season will reach $20,000. Jessie has worked to secure several grants and sponsorship packages that will help address these expenses, but, with the Nordic ski racing season starting on November 14th, she is still several thousand dollars short of her anticipated need.

To fill the gap, friends and supporters of Jessie are organizing a fund raising dinner at Chilkoot Café and Cyclery, in Stillwater, MN at 6:00 on November 10th just prior to Jessie’s departure for the start of the World Cup Races in Finland and Sweden.

Please consider joining Jessie’s supporters by purchasing a $100 supporter badge, and enjoying a great dinner at Chilkoot Café and Cyclery on November 10th. Jessie will be on hand to share the highlights of her 2012 season and her plans for 2013. All proceeds from the event will go directly to support Jessie’s travel and training expenses. Call for more information or to reserve your spot by calling the Chilkoot Café at 651-342-0429.

Jessie has come a long way since anchoring her Stillwater High School’s relay teams. Let’s help her continue that climb towards the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia!