Highlights

World Cup Lillehammer: Skiathlon; Diggins Takes Third

December 8, 2024
World Cup racing in Lillehammer, Norway came to a close on Sunday with the first skiathlon of the season. Historically a strong event for Jessie Diggins, Sunday's 20K race was no different as she skied smart to finish third just behind a defiant Heidi Weng of Norway. Well out in front in the women's competition however was another Norwegian, Therese Johaug, who erased any doubts about her post-retirement fitness with a statement win. The men's competition was a much tighter affair with the race coming down to the wire in a three-way sprint between three Norwegians: Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Jan Thomas Jenssen, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget. They would finish in that order, but not without an American hot on their heels, Gus Schumacher, who had a strong showing with a 5th place finish. Across the board the US team had markedly improved results on Sunday, with Sophia Laukli and Julia Kern also finding success with 11th and 20th place finishes respectively. It's on to Davos, Switzerland now for the third and final weekend of Period I of the World Cup, with the action getting underway on Friday with a team sprint event.

World Cup Lillehammer: Freestyle Sprints

December 7, 2024
Saturday was for freestyle sprints which marked the second day of World Cup competitions in Lillehammer, Norway. Compared to last Saturday it was a more productive outing for the US team with five making the heats, including the top men's qualifier, Ben Ogden. The team's success would be limited however, as Jessie Diggins was the only athlete to advance, making it as far as the semifinals where she finished 8th. In the women's final it was a race for second as Sweden's Jonna Sundling skied away with the win, leaving her teammate Johanna Hagstroem to duke it out against Norway's Julie Myhre, with the pair finishing in that order. The men's final was no different as Norway's finest, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, left the rest of the field in his dust, so it was up to his teammate Even Northug and Italy's Federico Pellegrino to fight over the remaining two spots on the podium, finishing second and third respectively. Turning their attention to Sunday, athletes will be facing a 20K skiathlon event for the final day of racing in Lillehammer.

Skadi's Chase Coverage

December 7, 2024
Great conditions - weather and snow - for the Skadi's Chase races at Elm Creek on Saturday morning, part of the Minnesota Nordic Opener. Matt Liebsch secured yet another title, pulling ahead of Sam Holt in the final stretch with David Joda rounding out the podium for the men. In the women's race, Gabby Vandendries took the victory over Cheresa Bouley with Nicole Eliasson in third. IN the 4K high school races, St. Paul Central's Elsa Lindfors and MPA's Eddie Snider topped the big fields. Results linked in, plus photosets from both races posted.

Biathlon: Campbell Wright Scores 4th Place in Kontiolahti

December 6, 2024
US Biathlon team member and New Zealand native Campbell Wright finished fourth in the men's 10km sprint in Kontiolahti, Finland, on Friday, his best World Cup result to date. Wright shot a perfect 10/10 and finished just seconds off the podium.

World Cup Lillehammer: Freestyle Distance

December 6, 2024
The second World Cup weekend of the 2024-2025 season kicked off on Friday in the same way last weekend's competitions did: with a 10k interval-start race, this time in the freestyle technique. Taking place in Lillehammer, Norway, home field advantage was in full effect as the home team swept both the men's and women's podiums, with the most notable finish of the group going to Therese Johaug who picked up her first victory on the circuit since two years prior at the same venue. To either side of her on the women's podium where her teammates, Heidi Weng in second, and Astrid Oeyre Slind in third, while the men's podium, from the top down, was made up of Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, Simen Hegstad Krueger, and Haralad Oestberg Amundsen. After some sensational skiing last Sunday, the American results were more subdued, with Jessie Diggins leading the way for the team in 5th, while Sophia Laukli also posted a strong result in 15th. Tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities however as athletes will shift gears and warm up their fast twitch muscles for a round of freestyle sprints.

World Cup Racing: Lillehammer Schedule

December 3, 2024
After a thrilling opening weekend the World Cup circuit moves on to Lillehammer, Norway for the second stop of the season. The competition kicks off on Friday with an interval-start 10K freestyle race for all athletes where the men's field will be heading out first at 3:30 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 5:45 AM CST. Then freestyle sprints are on deck for Saturday, with a qualification round taking place at 2:00 AM CST, and the ensuing heats taking place at 4:30 AM CST. Finally, a 20K skiathlon will close out the weekend on Sunday, with the men's field again getting to go first at 3:00 AM CST, and the women's field getting their turn afterwards at 5:15 AM CST.

World Cup Ruka: Freestyle Distance; Diggins Does it Again

December 1, 2024
Sunday was a big day for American athletes as four would finish within the top-10 in the day's 20K mass-start freestyle event in Ruka. Leading the group was Jessie Diggins who was a testament to "if there's a will there's a way," battling back to not only reel in a pair of Norwegian skiers that broke away late, but also pass them in the final few hundred meters for a fiery finish that earned her her first win of the season. She did so by out sprinting Jonna Sundling of Sweden, who had been hot on her heels for much of the race but had to settle for second, while Heidi Weng proved to be a better sprinter than her teammate Therese Johaug, finishing third. Not much further back was Sophia Laukli who finished an impressive 10th. Also impressive was the pair of Zanden McMullen and Gus Schumacher of the US men who finished 7th and 8th respectively, a career high for McMullen. There was a lot of red finishing in front of the two however, with five Norwegians in the top-6 which included the podium of Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Jan Thomas Jenssen, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget. Next up: athletes will be making their way to the other side of Scandinavia for three days of racing in Lillehammer, Norway, starting with a 10K interval-start freestyle race on Friday.

World Cup Ruka: Classic Sprints

November 30, 2024
Classic sprints were the main event for the second day of World Cup racing in Ruka, a day that was filled with highs and lows. For the US team, it was a challenging day, with only two athletes qualifying for the heats, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan, who both struggled to advance out of their quarterfinals. The heats were also rife with crashes, knocking out a few of the favorites, but also leaving opportunities for a few of the up-and-comers. That group included Sweden's Johanna Hagstroem, who got her first victory in the women's final, and the runner-up, Norway's Julie Myhre, who got her first podium. Joining the pair on the podium was Maja Dahlqvist, also of Sweden. The men's sprint final had a different narative, with Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo maintaining his sprint status quo with yet another win, with his teammate Erik Valnes at his side in second. To the delight of the home crowd, Lauri Vuorinen rounded out the men's podium in third. The opening weekend of World Cup racing will conclude tomorrow with a 20K mass-start freestyle for all athletes.

World Cup Ruka: Classic Distance

November 29, 2024
An exciting new World Cup season got underway on Friday at the Ruka ski resort in Finland, this time breaking the decades long norm with a 10K interval start classic race. Norwegian dominance was felt across the board as the nation secured four podium positions between the men's and women's races, but the top finish in both competitions went to a Finn and a Swede respectively—the hometown hero Iivo Niskanen, and Frida Karlsson. Therese Johaug, the returning retiree, and Astrid Oeyre Slind rounded out the women's podium in second and third, and Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget did likewise for the men's podium. Like no time had passed at all, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan led the way for the US team, both securing top-10 finishes in 7th and 9th respectively, while Gus Schumacher was the highlight of the men's squad, finishing just inside the top-20 in 18th. The second of three days of racing will bring a bout of sprinting action tomorrow, again in the classic technique.

Biathlon: Midwest Athletes Get Internationals Starts

November 25, 2024
U.S. Biathlon announced the 16 athletes who will represent the United States on the World Cup and IBU Cup circuits for trimester one. Several Upper Midwest athletes will compete in the Biathlon World Cup and IBU Cup events including Deedra Irwin, Margie Freed, Jake Brown, Lucinda Anderson, Michaela Keller-Miller, and Luke Brown.

World Cup Racing: Season Preview

November 22, 2024
With less than a week to go until the start of a new World Cup campaign we've put together everything you need to know to follow the action all winter long. It's going to be a high stakes season with the World Championships taking place in February, but there's plenty of reason to be exited for a US squad that's been firing on all cylinders the past few years. Dive into the coverage to find out where the team will be headed and who they'll be competing against when the season kicks off next Friday.

Tour de Finn: 2024-2025 Updates

November 12, 2024
The Tour de Finn is gearing up for its second season and has announced its lineup for the 2024-2025 season. Building off of last season, they're implementing a selection of rule changes to make their schedule more accommodating and to better account for race cancelations (which we saw plenty of this past winter), plus they've added two more offerings: the Dirtbag Series, and the Skiwerx Series.

Team Birkie Launches Sponsorship Initiative

November 12, 2024
Team Birkie, with five Olympians and multiple Birkie victories, showcases the region's commitment to an active, outdoor lifestyle. Businesses can now partner with Team Birkie to connect with a health-conscious, upwardly-mobile population and support athletes inspiring the next generation in the upper Midwest.

Birkie: Inaugural Shred de She Fat Bike Event Announced

November 11, 2024
The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is hosting Shred de She, a new women's fat biking event Jan 3-5th in Cable. Modeled after the successful Ski de She series, the event aims to encourage female riders of all levels to explore winter fat biking, develop skills, and connect with a community of enthusiasts. The event will feature skill-building clinics, guided trail rides, and wellness workshops.

Loppet Foundation Welcomes New Executive Director Meghan Cosgrove

November 8, 2024
The Loppet Foundation has named Meghan Cosgrove as its new Executive Director. Cosgrove, with a track record of making the outdoors more inclusive, looks to build on the organization's success and continue its mission of growing the cross-country skiing community through experiences that foster diversity and equity.

Midwest Racing Season Preview

November 7, 2024
After a warm start to fall, a chill has entered the air which can only mean one thing—winter is coming. Despite a subdued 2023/2024 season on the racing front, each new season brings a renewed sense of excitement to see the first flakes fly, and we're looking to bottle some of that excitement as we preview the Midwest racing scene for the 2024/2025 season.

NNF Launches Officials' Grant to Boost TD Pool

November 7, 2024
The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) has launched an Officials' Grant Program to support volunteers who officiate cross-country skiing competitions. The initiative aims to create a sustainable fundraising model and address the long-standing need for more FIS Technical Delegates (TD). The grant program seeks to reduce financial barriers for new officials, with a focus on recruiting recently retired athletes and others motivated to stay involved in the sport.

Ariens to Host First U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals

November 4, 2024
Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion, WI, will host the inaugural U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals and NorAm Masters Championships on February 14-16th. The event offers midwest cross-country skiing and biathlon enthusiasts, including masters athletes from the region, a chance to compete at a world-class venue. Medals will be awarded in five age categories, plus an "Open" division for athletes under 30.

Sisu Ski Fest: Races Over Half Full, Price Hike Coming Friday

October 28, 2024
Registration is now open for the 16th annual SISU Ski Fest. The ski races will take place Saturday, Jan 11th in Ironwood, MI. Sign up before Friday, Nov 1st and save on this quality early season race on natural snow in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

CXC Rollerski Championships Coverage

October 27, 2024
The CXC Rollerski Championships were held over the weekend on the asphalt trails at the Birkie Trailhead in Cable. Team Birkie and World Cup athletes Alayna Sonnesyn and Zak Ketterson showcased top form on the weekend, with Ketterson taking the 10K skate and classic sprint titles and Sonnesyn also winning the 10K skate and coming in second in the sprint final. Full results linked in, along with classic sprint photos from Bryce Kryzer.

Price Hike: Birkie Tour, Night Race

October 15, 2024
The Birkie Tour and Night Race weekend is scheduled for Saturday, January 25th. Save some on fees by registering by Thursday night.

Biathlon: Sixteen Athletes Named to Final Pre-Season Camp in Vuokatti

October 7, 2024
U.S. Biathlon has announced the roster for the European pre-season camp to take place in Vuokatti, Finland, which includes a bevy of Midwest skiers. The final on-snow camp will later determine the trimester one IBU World Cup and IBU Cup rosters.

Team Birkie Announces 2024-2025 Development Team

October 3, 2024
Team Birkie's Regional Development Team adds six Minnesota athletes: Adrik Kraftson, Benon Brattebo, Colin Freed, Greta Hansen, Maggie Wagner, and Morgan Richter. All are NCAA skiers with strong local backgrounds, supporting Midwest talent development.

US Ski Team: 2024-2025 Cross-Country Team Announced

September 12, 2024
The U.S. Ski & Snowboard named 27 athletes to the 2024-25 Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. A big roster with a number of Midwest skiers selected: Jessie Diggins, A Team along with Kevin Bolger and Zak Ketterson, B Team. Plus coaches and support staff: Eli Brown, Chris Hecker and Paul Choudoir, World Cup Service; Kristen Bourne, D Team Coach.

Birkie Trail Run Film Festival

September 5, 2024
New this year, the Birkie is offering a Friday evening film festival at Mount Telemark Village. As part of the Trail Run weekend, Sep 27-28th, the event is open to all and your ticket includes Mt. Telemark Hike, complimentary beverage, fun and games, campfires and s'mores.

Out There: Citizen Race Service

September 5, 2024
Out There ski shop is offering race service for a number of local ski races this winter, including the Seeley Hills Classic, City of Lakes events, SISU Ski Fest and more. Sign up to get more details on the packages they'll be offering this winter.

NNF: Application for Trail to Gold Fellowship Open

August 27, 2024
The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is excited to announce that the application period for Trail to Gold Coaching Grants is now open. The Trail to Gold Coaching Grant program provides American women coaches and technicians the opportunity to gain international-level experience through an immersive internship with the US Ski Team. Application deadline is Sept 9th.