Highlights
Team Birkie Takes Top Spot in Mixed Team Relay at SuperTour Finals
March 29, 2026Pitted against an APU power squad, Team Birkie took home a big win on Saturday in the mixed team relay, a part of the SuperTour Finals. The team of Alayna Sonnesyn, Kevin Bolger, Luci Anderson and Zak Ketterson had plenty to celebrate, becoming just the third different club to win the event, also having plenty of time to celebrate, finishing in first by over 45 seconds.
Swedetown Trails Easter Bunny Hoppet, April 11th
March 26, 2026Spring may be pushing out the snow in some places, but not on the Swedentown Trails in Calumet, MI. Current they're gearing up for their Fourth-but-not-Annual Easter Bunny Hoppet which is two weeks out, so if you're looking for some spring ski racing set the your sights for the UP!
World Cup Lake Placid: Freestyle Distance; Fourth and Final Overall Crystal Globe for Diggins
March 22, 2026A swan song for the US superstar, Jessie Diggins took to the course in Lake Place, NY on Sunday for the final race of her World Cup career. Misting rain made for more difficult racing conditions, but the competition was still fierce with both races being decided on the final lap of the mass-start 20K freestyle event. Diggins would be in it up until the last uphill, taking a tumble that would cause her to fall out of contention for a 12th place finish, an important reminder that a result is not always measured by the place you finish, but by the effort you put in. Winning the women's race by a handful of seconds after sprinting away was Jonna Sundling of Sweden, with her teammate Linn Svahn taking second, and Heidi Weng of Norway taking third. Seeking to secure the distance crystal globe, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway skied smart to stay near the lead throughout the men's race, making his move on the final climb to capture the win and the distance crystal globe. Second and third on the day went to Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Einar Hedegart, a sweep for the Norwegians, while second and third in the distance standings went Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Andreas Fjorden Ree, another sweep by the Norwegians. Gus Schumacher finished as the fastest of the States' skiers in 20th. On the women's side, Jessie Diggins took home her third straight and fourth career distance crystal globe, with Moa Ilar of Sweden and Heidi Weng of Norway finishing second and third in those standings. Diggins also doubled up by winning the overall crystal globe for the third straight season, her fourth time doing so in her career, with Ilar again second in those standings and Maja Dahlqvist of Sweden third. Last but not least, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo also captured the men's overall crystal globe, making the 2025-2026 season his most complete season to date, sweeping the crystal globes to go with his six gold medals from the Olympics and his Tour de Ski title. Standing beside him in the overall standing were Harald Oestberg Amundsen in second and Federico Pellegrino in third.
World Cup Lake Placid: Freestyle Sprints
March 21, 2026Much more favorable than Friday weather-wise, Saturday brought a touch of sun to Lake Placid as it showcased the final sprints of the World Cup season. With a crowd thousands strong staged all along the course the freestyle event got underway early in the morning for the qualifiers where two dozen American athletes made their start, a third of that number managing to move on to the heats. Two would secure a spot in the semifinals, JC Schoonmaker and Jessie Diggins, but that's as far as either would advance, both finishing 9th. Their absence wouldn't stop the crowd from cheering hard for the rest of the field however, starting with the women's final where the Swedes would show their sprinting prowess once again, sweeping the podium with almost a second to spare. Linn Svahn finished first close to half second in front of Jonna Sundling, while Maja Dahlqvist was a little over a second back in third. The absence of Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made the men's final a bit of a mystery as to who would win, but it was the soon-to-be retired Italian Federico Pellegrino who ended up making his mark in the last sprint of his career, surging ahead on the final climb to clinch one last sprint victory. Norwegian newcomer Lars Heggen would slide in for second, while Sweden's Anton Grahn took third. As the final sprint event of the season, the winners of the sprint crystal globe were also settled, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Maja Dahlqvist topping the men's and women's tables, while Lars Heggen and Federico Pellegrino, and Johanna Hagstroem (Sweden) and Nadine Faehndrich (Switzerland), finished second and third in their respective standings. Now one race remains to see out the season, an exciting mass-start 20K freestyle event, set for Sunday.
World Cup Lake Placid: Classic Distance
March 20, 2026A not so distant memory with Minneapolis playing its part just two years prior, World Cup racing returned to the States once again on Friday for the final competitions of the season. It was the East Coast's turn to host the circuit this time around, with Mt. Van Hoevenberg the venue in Upstate New York. Heading into the weekend snow had been in short supply, but that quickly changed during the opening event, an interval-start 10K classic race. Four to five inches would fall in just a few hours, making for challenging conditions, but that didn't seem to slow down a pair of Swedes, Linn Svahn and Frida Karlsson, who would go 1-2 in the women's race, separated by just 1.2 seconds, while third went to Heidi Weng of Norway, another 20 seconds back. Coming off of a concussion, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo showed no sign of slowing down either, winning the men's race by nearly 15 seconds ahead of two of his teammates, Andreas Fjorden Ree and Mattis Stenshagen, who finished second and third respectively. Closing out the last classic race of her career, Jessie Diggins was the fastest of the American women, finishing 5th and putting a stamp on a season in which she finished within the top-5 in every classic distance event she competed in. Gus Schumacher was her counterpart for the American men, making his way into the top-10 to finish 7th. The final sprints of the season will take place tomorrow, with freestyle the focus.
World Cup Racing: Lake Placid Schedule
March 18, 2026For the second time in as many years the World Cup circuit is scheduled to stop stateside, this time for the conclusion of a send-off season for Jessie Diggins. Competitions at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg venue outside Lake Placid, NY kick off this Friday with an interval-start 10K classic event that will feature the women's field racing first at 12:00 PM CDT, followed by the men's field a couple hours later at 2:00 PM CDT. Saturday will then see the final short event of the season, freestyle sprints, with a qualifying round for the event taking place at 9:30 AM CDT, leading into the heats a little later at 12:00 PM CDT. Last but not least, the final day, Sunday, is reserved for the final long event of the season, a mass-start 20K freestyle event where the men's and women's fields will be racing at 11:30 AM CDT and 1:30 PM CDT respectively. Being held at home, there are extra starts allotted to American athletes which, at this time, include many Midwesterners. Whether you'll be watching the races from up close or afar, here is the list of aforementioned athletes you may want to keep an eye out for: Emma Albrecht, Luci Anderson, Renae Anderson, Erin Bianco, Kevin Bolger, Benjamin Dohlby, Jessie Diggins, Zak Ketterson, John Schwinghamer, Alayna Sonnesyn, and Adam Witkowski.
Biathlon: U.S. Mixed Relay Makes History, Bronze in Otepää
March 16, 2026A remarkable result for US Biathlon, Sunday saw three athletes make their first IBU World Cup podium appearance as the team took third in the mixed team relay in Otepää, Estonia, a historic first for the program. At times competing for first, the team finished just a little over 30 seconds out of the lead and less than 10 seconds out of second after only using seven spares and staying off the penalty loop entirely. The group of four, two men and two women, included two Midwesterners, Margie Freed and Deedra Irwin.
World Cup Oslo: Freestyle Distance
March 14, 2026Probably some of the wildest conditions for World Cup racing so far this season, Saturday's 50K freestyle races were run under severely reduced visibility as a fog formed around the Holmenkollen ski venue in Oslo, Norway. Despite the absence of their superstar, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, the men's race remained a show of strength for the Norwegian team as the Nordic nation took the top-8 spots, with Einar Hedegart winning ahead of Harald Oestberg Amundsen in second and Martin Loewstrom Nygent in third. Conversely, the women's race was a show of strength for the Swedes as they too swept the podium, with Frida Karlsson skiing away to secure her third career victory at the venue, while her teammates Linn Svahn and Jonna Sundling skied to a sprint finish to take second and third respectively. Fighting through the fog, American Jessie Diggins would finish a strong sixth, earning enough points to clinch the women's distance crystal globe a week early. For the US men, Zak Ketterson also had a strong showing, finishing within the top-20 in 18th. Now one last World Cup weekend remains with the circuit set to cross the Atlantic for the World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, NY.
Team Birkie: Champions Discuss 2026 American Birkebeiner Tactics
March 13, 2026Join Team Birkie on Monday evening, March 16th for a Zoom event featuring several elite skiers including Alayna Sonnesyn and Matt Liebsch. These Birkie champions will offer exclusive insights into the front-pack strategies, mindset, and behind-the-scenes decision-making from the 2026 race.
World Cup Racing: Oslo Schedule
March 12, 2026After a dramatic day in Drammen, the World Cup circuit shifts over to Oslo, Norway on Saturday for the longest race of the season, a freestyle 50K. Whereas the last few years were the first time both fields raced the same distance, this year will be the first time both fields will be racing on the same day and, for portions of the event, at the same time. As far as start times go, the men's field will be the one's to get the ball rolling for the big event with their race beginning bright and early at 4:00 AM CDT. The women's field will then join them 45 minutes later, with their start slated for 4:45 AM CDT.
World Cup Drammen: Classic Sprints
March 12, 2026There was drama in Drammen, Norway for the second-to-last sprints of the season as the knockout round quite literally turned into a knockout round. Competing in the classic technique, multiple heats ended in massive pileups, one of which took out the sprint superstar himself, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, who had to be helped off course. With Klaebo out of the picture, the men's final would end with quite a few new faces on the podium including another Norwegian, Ansgar Evensen, who got his first World Cup win, and Jiri Tuz and Kristian Kollerud, of Czechia and Norway respectively, who both got their first podium appearances. The women's final managed to retain most of the reigning favorites, including Jonna Sundling of Sweden and Kristine Stavaas Skistad of Norway, who went to the line neck and neck, finishing in that order. Not far behind, Nadine Faehdrich of Switzerland slotted in for the third and final podium spot. Unfortunatly finding himself at the center of the crash that took out Klaebo, Ben Ogden was still the top US men's finisher, coming in 12th on the day, while Jessie Diggins managed to stay on her feet to finish 10th, the best result among the US women. Two days from now the World Cup circuit will be in another Norwegian city, Oslo, for the huge 50K freestyle races at Holmenkollen.
World Cup Racing: Drammen Schedule
March 10, 2026Down to two weekends to go before the end of the season, the World Cup circuit will be making a quick stop in Drammen, Norway on Thursday for a series of city sprints. The qualifiers for the classic event will start at 8:00 AM CDT, while the heats are scheduled for a little later at 10:30 AM CDT.
World Cup Lahti: Classic Distance; 90th Career Podium for Diggins
March 8, 2026A weekend's worth of World Cup racing in Lahti, Finland came to a close on Sunday with a 10K classic event that had athletes competing in an interval-start format. Consistently finishing within the top-5 in every classic distance competition so far this season, Jessie Diggins continued that streak, skiing to an impressive third place finish behind the likes of Frida Karlsson, the women's winner, and Linn Svahn, the runner-up, both of Sweden. Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo also continued his streak, taking another victory in the men's competition by a hefty margin over his teammate, Martin Loewstrom Nygent, while Savelii Korostelev, an AIN athlete from Russia, reached the podium for the first time in his career, finishing third. Gus Schumacher again led the US men with a 15th place finish, while Rosie Brennan showed signs of bouncing back with a 12th place finish in the women's race. The circuit now heads westward for the remainder of the season, with a stop in Drammen, Norway up next for city sprints.
Sleeping Giant Loppet Results
March 7, 2026The 2026 Sleeping Giant Loppet in Thunder Bay, Canada, drew a field more than 550 racers on Saturday. In the premier 50km events, the skate titles went to Tryg Solberg and Chelsey Youngberg. The 50km classic was claimed by Erik Schlyter and Kerrie Berg, while Mattias Klassen and Mya Marshall took top honors in the 50km skiathlon. In the 20km distances, the freestyle race saw Doug Ranta take the men's title, while Alannah MacLean claimed the women’s win and as well as second-place overall. Finally, the 20km classic titles were earned by Griffin Abbink-Davis and Ashira Levkoe-Stephens. Full results linked in.
Great Bear Chase Results
March 7, 2026The 2026 Great Bear Chase ran all nine race categories on Saturday, from 10K to 52K. In the 52K Skiathlon, Caden Albrecht won the men's race while Erica OHearn topped the women's field. The 52K Classic went to Ivar Dragerengen and Lizzie Sonnefelt. The 52K Freestyle was a tight finish with Mitchell Campbell edging Sam Shaheen by just 5 seconds on the men's side, while Melanie Hammerbeck took the women's title. In the 24K Classic, champions were Kane Straka and Bonnie Weiskopf. The 24K Freestyle men's race also a close result as Elliott Isaacson held off Nicholas Johnkoski by just 7.5 seconds, while Christine Reinhart won the women's race. The 20K Skiathlon titles went to Solomon DeBruyn and Danielle Freshwaters. In the 10K Classic, Illya Velat won the men's race over Vincent Gemelli by just 2.5 seconds, while Liza Lindsay took the women's title. The 10K Freestyle men's race was equally tight, with Gideon Talbot edging Liam Schoeller by just 1.2 seconds, while Ava Polkinghorne narrowly held off Ava Cantway by 3.7 seconds in the women's race. Full results linked in.
World Cup Lahti: Freestyle Sprints
March 7, 2026Freestyle sprint on Saturday started off two days of World Cup racing action in Lahti, Finland as the circuit entered the final few weeks of competitions. Somewhat of a surprise in the women's final, from the start Jonna Sundling of Sweden took it to her teammate, Linn Svahn, setting a pace that would see her rewarded with a win for her tactics. Germany's Coletta Ryzdek would spoil the party for the Swedes, just out sprinting Johanna Hagstroem for third. Not so surprising in the men's final, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo picked up another win, holding off his up-and-coming countryman, Lars Heggen, while France stole the final podium position via a finish line stretch from Jules Chappaz. Gus Schumacher held the highest finish of the US crowd, finishing 9th out of the men's semifinals, while Jessie Diggins was the top women's sprinter, finishing 12th. Tomorrow a 10K classic race will test athlete's technique and endurance as they compete for the top times individually.
World Cup Racing: Lahti Schedule
March 6, 2026As the World Cup season winds down another set of races is scheduled to take place this weekend with sprints and distance competitions on deck in Lahti, Finland. First up are the freestyle sprints on Saturday which will start at 2:00 AM CST for the qualifiers, followed by the heats at 4:30 AM CST. Then it's on to an interval-start 10K classic event on Sunday where the women's field will race first at 4:30 AM CDT, with the men's field starting shortly afterwards at 6:15 AM CDT.
World Cup Falun: Skiathlon; Diggins Takes Second After Sprint Finish
March 1, 2026A scintillating finish to the circuit's stint in Sweden, Sunday featured a pair of sprint finishes in the day's 20K skiathlon World Cup event. On top of her game technique-wise for the women's race, Jessie Diggins looked strong during the opening classic leg, putting herself in a podium position which she would go on to secure during the closing kilometers. Heading into the home stretch it was down to a three-way sprint for the finish, with Norway's Heidi Weng lunging at the line to do just enough to hold off Diggins, while Sweden's Frida Karlsson crossed over in third, close behind. Similarly, the men's field left it late, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway again sprinting away to steal the show, while two of his teammates fought for the final two podium places—second going to Harald Oestberg Amundsen, and third to Marin Loewstroem Nyenget. Two top-10 finishes rounded out the great results by the US group, with Gus Schumacher finishing 7th in the men's race, and Kendall Kramer finishing a career-best 9th in the women's race. Next up, teams will travel to the east to tackle another two days of racing, taking place in Lahti, Finland.
Fast Course Conditions at Fat Bike Birkie
February 28, 2026The 2026 Fat Bike Birkie featured cycling action on the legendary snow-packed Birkie Trails. Corey Stelljes earned his third Big Fat win as Jennifer Youngwerth triumphed in the women's race. The Half Fat 21K race featured a men's sprint finish with Aaron Vandenbusch first, Matthew Bosman second and Logan Grim third -- all within 3 seconds. Meredith Ducuns was the women's Half Fat champ.
World Cup Falun: Freestyle Sprints
February 28, 2026The World Cup circuit entered its final leg, Period IV, on Saturday, kicking things off with freestyle sprints in Falun, Sweden. In the women's final Sweden's Linn Svahn took a victory lap after earning gold at the Olympics, putting the pressure on her competition early on which would pay off at the line. Just outsprinted to finish second was Kristen Staavas Skistad of Norway, while Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland would round out the podium in third. Another day at the office, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo easily took the top spot int the men's final, guiding his teammate, Lars Heggen, to a second place finish, with Benjamin Moser of Austria taking third. Jessie Diggins, setting a new record for World Cup starts in her 357th appearance, was the top US women, finishing 17th, while Gus Schumacher and Jack Young both impressed for the US men, making it to the semifinals where they finished 11th and 12th respectively. Skiers will be switching over to distance racing tomorrow with a skiathlon scheduled for Sunday.
Pepsi Challenge Results
February 28, 2026The 2026 Pepsi Challenge at Giants Ridge drew over 200 competitors across five race categories, from 50K down to the 8K youth event. In the 50K Freestyle, Sam Shaheen took the men's overall win with Nick Ross finishing just 10.5 seconds back while Chelsey Youngberg dominated the women's field. Sam Holt topped the 50K Classic men's field and Taylor Ellison was the sole women's overall finisher. The 25K Freestyle went to Mitchell Campbell on the men's side and Gabrielle Vandendries for the women. The 25K Classic men's race saw Russell Hill finishing ahead of Piotr Bednarski by just 26 seconds, while Julie Garretson took the women's title. The 8K Freestyle closed out the day with the tightest finish of the entire event: Maddie Linn narrowly edged out Kadi Bettendorf by just half a second in the women's race, while Kelenn Perkins claimed the men's overall win.
World Cup Racing: Falun Schedule
February 25, 2026The final Period of World Cup racing kicks off this weekend with a return to the Scandinavian peninsula, starting with two days of racing in Falun, Sweden. Taking place on Saturday, freestyle sprints will be the first race of Period IV, with the qualifiers for that event getting underway at 6:00 AM CST, followed up by the heats at 8:30 AM CST. Sunday then features the other half of the action with a skiathlon scheduled, which will have the men's field racing first at 5:30 AM CST, and the women's field racing after at 9:05 AM CST. With starting spots up for grabs in Lake Placid, NY for the World Cup Finals, there will be a whole host of Midwest athletes to watch out for in the coming weeks, including Emma Albrecht, Luci Anderson, Erin Bianco, Kevin Bolger, Jessie Diggins, Zak Ketterson, John Schwinghamer, and Alayna Sonnesyn.
Visit Cook County: Excellent Conditions for the Ski North Ultra on March 7th
February 25, 2026The Ski North Ultra is coming up fast, on March 7. With a bountiful snow, this classic technique race along the premiere Northshore trail systems offers a unique experience with 38K and 100K options -- but only a few spots are remaining so act fast! Volunteer opportunities are also available.
Olympics: Women's 50K Classic Mass Start
February 22, 2026Closing out the cross-country ski competitions at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy, the women's field competed in their edition of the 50K classic event on Sunday, a first for the field since the shift to equal distance racing was announced. Seeking redemption after a self-imposed second place finish in the team relay, Sweden's Ebba Andersson laid down a tough tempo from the start that saw her slip free of the field, save for Heidi Weng of Norway. The pace would prove to be too much for Weng however, who fell off the front, ceding the gold medal to her competitor while she stuck it out for silver. Meanwhile, a fierce battle would be fought for bronze, with a half dozen athletes all competing for the coveted third medal entering the final few kilometers. One of them was the American Jessie Diggins, who had rallied from a rough first pair of skis that put her in the red early on, but her hopes would be dashed just short as a slightly stronger Swiss skier, Nadja Kaelin, out sprinted her on the final uphill to stake her spot on the podium. A shockingly strong performance by Diggins nonetheless, she would go on to finish 5th in her final career Olympic competition. With the Games wrapping up, World Cup racing will return for the start of Period IV in just a few days time, the first races taking place in Falun, Sweden next Saturday.
American Birkebeiner Coverage
February 21, 2026Awesome trail conditions greeted the participants of the 52nd edition of the American Birkebeiner on Saturday morning. API's Luke Jager edged out a tight men's pack for the victory with teammate Michael Earnhart second and Wisconsin's own Ben Dohlby third. Alayna Sonnesyn, Team Birkie, held off all challengers to collect her fifth Birkie title. Germany's Anna-Maria Deitzie was second, with Emma Reeder third. Hannah Rudd won her second classic title, Fabian Stocek repeated as the mens classic champ. Full results linked in, along photosets and video recaps of the elite skiers.
Olympics: Men's 50K Classic Mass Start
February 21, 2026Already suggested by some to be the greatest cross-country skier of all time, that suggestion became a certainty on Saturday as Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway took home the gold in the men's 50K classic marathon, completing his collection of all six gold medals in the men's competitions. That conclusion was much less certain earlier on though, as Klaebo had to compete with two of his teammates for the title despite breaking away from the rest of the field roughly a third of the way into the race. He would stay within striking distance that whole time however, ultimately sprinting away on the final uphill to set the record for the most gold medals won by a single athlete at the Winter Olympics. Martin Loewstrom Nygent would happily settle for second, while Klaebo's training partner, Emil Iversen, took third. Gus Schumacher was the top US skier, finishing well within the top-20 in 13th. Tomorrow the cross-country ski competitions come to a close at these Games, with the women's edition of the 50K event slated for Sunday.
Two Weeks to Go for the UP Health System Great Bear Chase
February 19, 2026We're a little over two weeks out from the 2026 edition of the Great Bear Chase and excitement is building with the arrival of over a foot of new snow from the latest storm. Read all about it in their recent press release!
Olympics: Freestyle Team Sprints; Ogden, Schumacher Secure Second Silver for US
February 18, 2026Only a little over a week after Ben Ogden brought home the first medal in 50 years for the US men's team, he was back at it again on Wednesday, delivering the second, another silver, in the men's team sprint. His contributions were crucial in keeping the US in medal contention as the first leg skier, but the skiing of his teammate, Gus Schumacher, shouldn't be undersold. Putting the pressure on the king, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Schumacher kept the rest of the field at bay on the final lap, leaving no question as to who would secure silver behind the Norwegians. Struggling to stay with Schumacher, Italy's star sprinter, Federico Pellegrino, stuck it out to take third. Hopes were also high for the US women's team of Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern, but the dominos wouldn't fall their way with Sweden unsurprising taking the top spot on the podium, followed by Switzerland and Germany who both earned their first medals of these Games. One last event remains for these Olympics, a mass-start 50K classic competition, which will be split between Saturday and Sunday, with the women's field racing first.
Olympics: Men's 4 x 7.5K Relay
February 15, 2026The warm weather final broke on Sunday for the second running of the team relay event—the men's field getting their turn this time. From the start athletes didn't hold anything back, with the first leg being led in large part by the US starter, Ben Ogden. He would tag off to Gus Schumacher who did his best to stay close to the competition, but it was at that point that Norway started to pull away through the efforts of Martin Loewstrom Nygent. The Scandinavians would continue to ski uncontested for the remainder of the freestyle legs, netting their finisher, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, his 9th career gold medal, a record for the Winter Olympics. Fierce racing by the French would see them finish second for silver, while Italy secured the perfect send-off for their favorite sprinter, Federico Pellegrino, with a bronze medal performance. John Steel Hagenbuch and Zak Ketterson did what they could for the US during the freestyle legs, but ultimately slipped to sixth which is still their best finish since 2002. Athletes will now have a couple days off as they eagerly await the team sprint event on Wednesday.
Olympics: Women's 4 x 7.5K Relay
February 14, 2026With conditions continuing to break down in Val Di Fiemme, Saturday saw the women's team relay event get underway. Drama ensued early on, with the wet course causing several crashes, including one that would cost the favorites, Sweden, the gold medal. Bouncing back from a tumble that resulted in a broken binding, Sweden would rally to finish second, but it was Norway who would steal the spotlight, benefitting from Sweden's bad break to take gold. Third went to Finland who's team put on an impressive performance to take home the bronze, their first relay medal in over a decade. Never quite able to maintain contact with the leaders, the US team of Julia Kern, Rosie Brennan, Novie McCabe, and Jessie Diggins still skied to a strong fifth place finish, equaling their best result to date. Also lining up as teams of four, the men's field will get their shot at the team relay event tomorrow.
Minnesota Finlandia Results
February 14, 2026An abbreviated Minnesota Finlandia was held on Saturday at Buena Vista, featuring 18K classic and freestyle races using trails on the west side. In the freestyle race, Mitch Campbell skied away with the victory with Craig Cardinal and Ian wright rounding out the mens podium. Kathryn Pintar won the womens skate with Allie Rykken second and Andrea Patten third. Classic champions were Nicolas Youso and Laura Cattaneo. Full results linked in.
Olympics: Men's 10K Freestyle Individual Start
February 13, 2026Another unfortunately warm day in Val di Fiemme, it was the men's turn to take on the interval-start 10K freestyle event on Friday. Setting out to become the first athlete to win six gold medals at an Olympic Winter Games, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo was one step closer when all was said and done, winning the race by just under five seconds to claim his third gold medal thus far. Finishing second for the second time these Games, Mathis Desloges of France took silver, while bronze went to the Norwegian youngster Einar Hedegart. A surprisingly strong showing despite his teammates' struggles, John Steel Hagenbuch, in his first Olympic start, was the best of the US men by far, finishing 14th on the day. Tomorrow the true depth of teams will be tested as the first of the two team events takes place, starting with the women's team relay.
Olympics: Women's 10K Freestyle Individual Start; Diggins Digs Deep for Bronze
February 12, 2026The Olympic champion in managing pain, Jessie Diggins gutted out a grueling 10K freestyle race on Thursday to take home her fourth career Olympic medal, a bronze. Bearing through bruised ribs, an injury she picked up on Saturday, she skied with everything she had to secure the medal, just besting Astrid Oeyre Slind of Norway by a little over three seconds. Ahead of her, Sweden's Ebba Andersson would hold on to silver by the same margin, while her teammate, Frida Karlsson, absolutely crushed the rest of the field, winning the women's interval-start event by over 45 seconds. Running it back, the men's field will feature in the same event on Friday.
Olympics: Classic Sprints; Ben Ogden Breaks 50-Year Drought with Silver
February 10, 2026It's been 50 years since an American man last won a medal in an Olympic cross-country competition, and on Tuesday that history entered a new chapter as Ben Ogden took silver in the classic sprint. A thrilling final in Val di Fiemme, three athletes broke away early in the men's race, a clear move for the medals, and leading that group was none other than Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway. Putting on a huge surge heading up the final hill, he shut the door on any other athletes winning a medal brighter than silver, but Ben Ogden was ready to answer that call. Making his own move, Ogden smartly sprinted away from the third skier on that same hill to grow a gap that would see him secure second at the finish line, less than a second behind Klaebo and several seconds ahead of the next fastest Norwegian, Oskar Opstad Vike. An American, Julia Kern, also advanced all the way to the women's final, but a spectacular show of force by the Swedes saw them sweep the podium with Linn Svahn taking gold, Jonna Sundling silver, and Maja Dahlqvist bronze. Kern would finish sixth. Wednesday offers another break in the action before the competition continues on Thursday for the women's interval-start 10K freestyle race.
Canadian Birkie Cancels Events Due to Poor Conditions
February 9, 2026Rain and warm weather have forced organizers to cancel the Canadian Birkebeiner Society classic and skate races scheduled for this weekend, Feb 14-15. The Barnebirkie Family Ski and Viking Feast will still be held.
Vasaloppet USA Classic Results
February 8, 2026The Vasaloppet USA featured classic technique racing on Sunday, using a slightly shorter course than Saturday. Petr Kolaja (CZE) obtained the mens 42K distance victory after coming in third on Saturday. Sam Holt was second, Adam Witkowski third. Gabrielle Vandendries pulled away for the womens 42K title, Laura Cattaneo taking second with Margie Nelson third. In the 21K race, Louis Sirota and Greta Lemmons were champions. Full results linked.
Olympics: Men's Skiathlon
February 8, 2026Another slick day in the sun, the men's edition of the Olympic skiathlon took place on Sunday in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Again the temperature took its toll on the field, breaking it down over the course of the classic leg until a group of just five remained at the front following the freestyle exchange. Of that group, the most notable was Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, who's very presence meant the rest of the men would be racing for second. Heading into the final climb, he unleashed a surge that stunned the group, creating a gap that only grew all the way to the finish. A sprint finish for second, France's Mathis Desloges and another Norwegian, Martin Loewstrom Nygent, reached the line at virtually the same time, with silver decided for Desloges by a tenth of a second. The corner that Jessie Diggins crashed on yesterday claimed a couple more skiers today, including a couple of Americans, one of which was Gus Schumacher. Despite the dive, Schumacher would still ski back to tally the top result of US men, finishing 24th. Monday marks a rest day for all athletes before skiers switch gears for classic sprints on Tuesday.
Pre-Birkie Results
February 7, 2026Crisp temperatures on Saturday for the Pre-Birkie races in Hayward. In the 42K skate, Eli Gore and Elaine Nelson claimed the titles while Murray Dunsirn and Michelle Flanagan-Haag won the 42K classic races. In the 25K freestyle, Adam and Melanie Hammerbeck made it a family sweep. And 25K classic crowns for Luke Bedberg and Claire Brings. Full results linked in.
Vasaloppet USA Freestyle Coverage
February 7, 2026Starting on the streets of Mora, the Vasaloppet USA freestyle races competed on a 17K loop course through the woods north of town Saturday under bright sunshine Saturday morning. The event shuffled up the start order, sending the 51K field out an hour before the 34K, leading to both races finishing within about 40 minutes of each other. In the 51K, Matt Liebsch broke away in the final kilometers to win his 63rd Vasaloppet title (or something like that), with David Joda winning the three way sprint for second, Petr Kolaja third just ahead of Isaac Wieber. Chelsey Youngberg dominated the womens division, winning by over 14 minutes, plus was 6th overall! Stephanie Lewis claimed second, Sarah Widder was third. In the 34K, Paavo Rova pulled away of the tight mens field to take the victory, James Kyes edged out Jack Aldrich at the line for second. Another photo finish for St. Olaf this year in the womens race, as Liesl Cope-Schaeffer was determined to have crossed the line just ahead of teammate Lily Ward, with Nicole Eliasson trailing for third. The 12K skate titles went to Charles Kroschel and Ada Halverson. Full results linked in, plus big photosets.
Olympics: Women's Skiathlon
February 7, 2026Cross-country events at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games kicked off on Saturday with a 20K skiathlon for the women's field. Warmer than desired temperatures were on display as the race got underway in Val di Fiemme, making the classic leg crucial for medal contention. By the time skiers reached the exchange for skate equipment a group of three was well in front, consisting of Frida Karlsson of Sweden, her teammate Ebba Andersson, and Astrid Oeyre Slind of Norway. A relentless tempo by Karlsson in the second half saw her ski away to secure gold, while Andersson would stick it out to take silver. Slind, however, could not hold on for bronze, instead being overtaken by another of her nation, Heidi Weng, who completed the podium. A crash early in the classic leg proved too costly for Jessie Diggins, the top American, would toughed it out to earn a strong 8th place finish. Now skiing in her fourth Olympic Winter Games, only twice has Diggins ever finished outside of the top-10, both of which results were in her first Games over a decade ago. Sunday will feature another skiathlon as the men get their turn to take in the event.
Olympics: Watching the Winter Games
February 6, 2026With the opening ceremonies about to get underway, the Olympic Winter Games are here! We've gone through and gathered everything you need to know to watch one, or all, of the six cross-country events, so check out our summary of the schedule as we set our sights on Milno Cortina for the next 16 days. Let the Games begin!
City of Lakes Loppet Freestyle Coverage
February 1, 2026A snowy morning for racing at the City of Lakes Loppet Sunday as skiers took to the course for freestyle format events. Matt Liebsch collected another title in taking the marathon victory, Roger Anderson took second with Tryg Solberg third. Chelsey Youngberg topped the womens field with Karolina Kaleta second, Katie Wieber taking third. Puoli titles went to James Miller and Lindsey Lyrenmann. Results linked in, along with a photoset from Shannon Brault.
Mt. Ashwabay Summit Results
January 31, 2026Big turnout at Mt. Ashwabay for the Summit ski races. The collegiate skiathlon had the largest field as Kai Donnelly and Anna Peikert took top honors. In the 30K freestyle, David Joda edged out Andrew Millan for the victory with Elaine Nelson posting the fastest women's time. The 30K classic titles went to Mitch Campbell and Laura Cattaneo, 15K freestyle crowns for Jonathon Rulseh and Hannah Panci with Mark Parman and Cecelia Toshner the 15K classic champions.
City of Lakes Loppet Classic Coverage
January 31, 2026Cold conditions and clear skies made for great classic skiing on Saturday for the first day of the City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival. Adam Witkowski handily won the men's marathon race, leaving second and third to be decided in a sprint finish that went the way of Sam Holt and Andrew Tilman. Vivian Johnson skied similarly, standing alone as the women's winner, with Margie Nelson securing second and Stephani Johnson taking third. Top prizes in the Puoli went to Ben Ruhme and Clara Wicklund. A large photoset is online and linked in, along with the full results.
Across the Pond: Skinnyski Overseas, Part 2
January 26, 2026After being approached by Salomon late last year, a unique opportunity presented itself. A few weeks later we were en route to Europe and to cover World Cup racing and a product event. Part 2 covers our tour of Salomon's Annecy Design Center in Annecy, France, and the unveiling of their renewed ÉQUIPE line.
Marine/O'Brien Race Coverage
January 25, 2026Bright sunshine helped offset crisp single digit temperatures for the Marine/O'Brien races Sunday at William O'Brien State Park. In the 25K freestyle race, Andy Schakel edged out Dennis Curran for the victory, with Kitty Earl-Torniainen the women's champ. David Joda and Julia Reich earned the 25K classic victories. In the one lap, 12K races, Erik Erickson and Live Myers topped the freestyle race and Kaden Osmundson and Kaia Osmundson were the best of the classic. Full results linked in, photosets posted.
World Cup Goms: Classic Distance; Diggins Makes it Three-for-Three
January 25, 2026A show of strength heading into the Winter Olympics, Jessie Diggins made it three-for-three for US skiers reaching the podium in Goms, Switzerland over the weekend, skiing to second in the final event of Period III of the World Cup circuit, a mass-start 20K classic competition. With less than a second to spare, Finland's Johanna Matintalo just outsprinted Diggins, winning the women's race, with Astrid Oeyre Slind close behind in third. Norway was the big winner in the men's race, taking the top-7 spots with the podium positions going to Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Emil Iverson, and Harald Oestberg Amundsen who finished in that order. Another solid showing by the US men's team, the top time for the group was held by Zak Ketterson who finished just inside the top-20 in 18th. Under two weeks out, athletes will be taking time off from World Cup racing to prepare for the Olympic Winter Games, with the first competition scheduled for the 7th.
Noquemanon Results
January 24, 2026Consumed by a subzero-spell that saw yesterday's Junior Noque and adaptive events canceled, the Noquemanon Ski Marathon toughed it out on Saturday with over 800 skiers showing up despite the cold weather conditions. Winners in the long races were Xavier Mansfield and Chelsey Youngberg for the 50K classic, and Mitchell Campbell and Hanna Torvi for the 50K freestyle. At half the distance, James Kyes and Lori Seele were the first to finish in the 24K classic, while Trygve Rux and Amaeli Kam-Magruder took the top spots for the 24K freestyle. Last but not least, in the quarter-distance 12K events Joseph Peng and Allie Pietil had the fastest times in the classic race, with Caden Laurn and Kathryn Clark doing likewise for the freestyle race.
World Cup Goms: Classic Sprints; Second Place for Schumacher
January 24, 2026The good times kept on rolling for the US Ski Team in Goms, Switzerland with another great result in Saturday's classic sprints. Making it two podiums in just as many days, Gus Schumacher skied an incredibly smart race to place second, the only skier finishing ahead of him being the one and only Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway. Edvin Anger of Sweden took third, while Ben Ogden and JC Schoonmaker finished 6th and 10th respectively, making it three in the top-10 for the Americans. An equally impressive showing by the women's team, three made the heats with Jessie Diggins making it the furthest, finishing 7th in the semifinals. Linn Svahn won out in the women's final, surviving a sprint finish with Germany's Laura Gimmler and Switzerland's Nadine Faehndrich. One more World Cup race remains before we head into the Olympics which will be a mass-start classic race, taking place tomorrow.
World Cup Goms: Team Sprints; History Made for US Men's Team
January 23, 2026Only the second team sprint of the season and the last time to test the event before the Olympics, Friday was an exciting preview of what to expect at the Winter Games in two weeks' time. Starting things off in Goms, Switzerland was the women's final which went down to the wire with the German duo Laura Gimmler and Coletta Rydzek taking the top prize ahead of two Norwegian teams. Only a handful of seconds behind, the US team of Samantha Smith and Julia Kern would finish just off the podium in 5th. The men's final was also a race of fine margins, with the Norwegian team of Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Einar Hedegart just getting the gap on their two closest competitors, Italy and the US. Gus Schumacher, paired with Ben Ogden, wouldn't quite have the legs left to out sprint Italy's Federico Pellegrino, but would still cross the line in third, a first ever World Cup podium for the US men in the event. Tomorrow the excitement continues with classic sprints scheduled.
US Ski Team: Cross-Country Team Announced for Olympic Winter Games
January 22, 2026Following final considerations over the weekend, U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced on Thursday the 16 athletes that will be representing the United States of America at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy. Eight women and eight men were nominated, with two Midwesterners in total making the cut: Jessie Diggins and Zak Ketterson. The cross-country competitions kick off in two weeks' time on Feb 7th.
World Cup Racing: Goms Schedule
January 20, 2026A final stop before the Olympic Winter Games, the World Cup circuit returns to Switzerland for three days of racing in Goms this weekend. Friday is the second team sprint of the season, taking place at 5:30 AM CST and 7:30 AM CST for the qualifiers and finals individually. Saturday then sets the stage for more sprinting, switching to the classic technique and sticking to a similar schedule with the qualifiers at 3:00 AM CST and heats at 5:30 AM CST. Finally, Sunday showcases the final competition of Period III, a mass-start 20K classic race that starts with the women's field out first at 4:15 AM CST, and finishes with the men's field on course at 7:15 AM CST.
MNOC: Minnesota Ski-Orienteering Events; US Team Seeks Upper Midwest Talent
January 18, 2026Ski-Orienteering, blending Nordic skiing and navigation, offers two Minnesota events in 2026. Partnering with Loppet Winter Festival, MNOC hosts an event at Theodore Wirth Park on Jan 31, and with DXC, in Duluth at Spirit Mountain on Feb 28. The US Ski-O Team seeks athletes and coaches, offering a virtual info session (CST) on Jan 18 to promote the sport and identify talent, potentially taking local Minnesota skiers to national and international competitions.
World Cup Oberhof: Classic Distance
January 18, 2026A significant warming of the weather on Sunday led to sugary conditions for the day's 10K classic race in Oberhof, Germany. Making his case to the Norwegian national team, Martin Loewstrom Nygent won the men's interval-start event by double digits, besting a familiar favorite in Finland's Iivo Niskanen and his own teammate, Erik Valnes. A surprisingly close contest came of the women's race, with Moa Ilar of Sweden only taking the top spot over Teresa Stadlober of Austria by less than a second. Jonna Sundling, also of Sweden, took third, just holding off Jessie Diggins who fought hard for fourth after an early fall. Improving on his result from yesterday, Zanden McMullen turned out another top-20 performance in 18th, the best result of the US men. Goms, Switzerland is up next for the World Cup circuit, the second stop of Period III and final races before the Winter Olympics.
Ski de She Results
January 17, 2026Fresh snowfall had the Birkie trails looking like a winter wonderland for the Ski de She races on Saturday morning. In the 30K, Chelsey Youngberg cruised to victory a full five minutes ahead of second place, Karona Kaleta, with Annika Landis third. Della Bettendorf scored the 20K classic victory, Gretta Scholz won the 10K skate and Ingrid Widenbrant the 5K freestyle.
World Cup Oberhof: Freestyle Sprints
January 17, 2026Just two weekends of World Cup racing remain before a break for the Winter Olympics, the first being this weekend in Oberhof, Germany. Freestyle sprints started the stop off on Saturday and showcased the return of some favorites, and the debut of a lot of new names. Sweden's Jonna Sundling showed she is still in top shape in the women's final, seizing victory ahead of a surging Coletta Ryzdek of Germany, with another Swede, Maja Dahlqvist, right behind her in third. Likewise, Lars Heggen of Norway held off Italy's Federico Pellegrino in the men's final, earning his first career World Cup win after two previous podiums this season, with Even Northug, a fellow Norwegian, taking third. The big standout for the stars and stripes was Samantha Smith who made her first semifinal appearance, finishing 12th, while Zanden McMullen made the top-20 for the men, finishing 20th. A classic competition takes center stage tomorrow with athletes racing individually for the interval-start event.
Lapham Loppet Results
January 17, 2026Over 130 skiers turned out Saturday morning for the annual Lapham Loppet races! Ryan Thieme took the men's freestyle title, just ten seconds ahead of Conner Nilsen and Andrew Bertram. High school star Ellie Collins had the top women's freestyle time, Olympia Todd second, and Christine Reinhart third. Tom Labisch and Mary Taggett collected the classic titles.
World Cup Racing: Oberhof Schedule
January 15, 2026We're under a month out from the Winter Olympics and in that time nations will be looking to lock in their teams. Period III of the World Cup circuit, starting this weekend in Oberhof, Germany, will give those nations a final opportunity to see where their athletes stand. First up on Saturday are freestyle sprints which will be taking place at 6:35 AM CST and 9:05 AM CST for the qualifiers and heats respectively. Then, an interval-start 10K classic race on Sunday will appeal to any athletes still looking to stand out, with the men's field racing first at 3:45 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 5:55 AM CST. A host of new names have been added to the list of candidates available for Period III starts for the US, including two Midwesterners, Emma Albrecht and Erin Bianco.
Across the Pond: Skinnyski Overseas, Part 1
January 12, 2026After being approached by Salomon late last year, a unique opportunity presented itself. A few weeks later we were en route to Europe and to cover World Cup racing and a product event. Part 1 details our time in Davos, Switzerland for the World Cup competitions in the Swiss Alps.
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This extended coverage brought to you in part from Salomon Nordic
Minnesota Finlandia Changes Course
January 12, 2026The Minnesota Finlandia has an announced a number of changes to the 2026 edition. Citing issues with land access they have modified the course and are dropping the famed 50K freestyle and 25K skiathlon races. Registration is now online.
Law-pet Low-pet Challenge Results
January 11, 2026The Law-pet Low-pet (PreLoppet) Challenge men’s 10K was a closely contested race, with Joe Thuente taking the win by just two seconds over Jacob Dean, while Paavo Rova rounded out the podium. In the women’s field, Lily Ward edged out Liesl Cope-Schaeffer with Anna Peikert in third, as St. Olaf skiers swept the top three spots.
Seeley Hills Classic Results
January 10, 2026A perennial favorite, the Seeley Hills Classic took place on Saturday, bringing a crowd of nearly 400 to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Chelsey Youngberg took the title in the women's 42K race, winning by a cool five minutes ahead of Vivian Johnson in second and Nel Hanson in third. The men's 42K race was won by Tryg Solberg, who sprinted away from Matt Liebsch and David Joda to finish first. At half the distance, the victors of the 22K race were Karl Nelson, who also won out in a sprint finish, and Gabby Vandendries, who mirrored the longer women's race, putting five minutes on the rest of the competition in her win.
SISU Ski Fest Results
January 10, 2026Making its triumphant return after a two year hiatus due to low snow, the Sisu Ski Fest in Ironwood, MI brought nearly 600 skiers to town on Saturday for the 2026 edition of the event. Top prizes in the 30K classic went to Alexander Gude and Delaney Fitzpatrick, while Mitchell Campbell and Katie Wieber won out in the 30K freestyle. Meanwhile, the first freestyle finishers in the 15K were Sullivan Sportel and Laci Provenzano, with Will Andresen and Joan Rundman being credited for the win in the 15K classic.
Biathlon: Olympic Team Finalized with Final Four Athletes
January 6, 2026US Biathlon announced on Tuesday the final four athletes that will be representing the United States at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Two more Midwesterners made the group, Luci Anderson of Golden Valley, MN for her first Winter Games, and Paul Schommer of Appleton, WI for his second, making it a total of four athletes that will be representing the region in Italy.
Sisu Ski Fest: Trail Conditions are Great
January 5, 2026The Sisu Ski Fest in Ironwood is reporting a stellar race conditions after over 80 inches of snow this season. Register by January 7th to secure your spot!
Tour de Ski: Stage 6 Freestyle Distance; Second on the Stage and Third Tour Title for Diggins
January 4, 2026A fantastic finish to the 20th edition of the Tour de Ski, Sunday was the signature sufferfest that saw athletes summit Alpe Cermis for the sixth and final stage in Val di Fiemm, Italy. Almost no one was ready to suffer more than Jessie Diggins who went deep into the pain cave on her way to a second place finish and her third Tour de Ski title. Norway's Karoline Simpson-Larsen was the only one faster, finishing 8.8 seconds ahead, with her teammate Heidi Weng trailing Diggins for third. Completing the overall podium, Teresa Stadlober of Austria snuck in for second after an inspired performance, while Heidi Weng also tied up third with her efforts. Heading into the day Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo held a lead in the men's overall standings that would all but seem to secure him his fifth title, but his teammate Mattis Stenshagen would take a serious shot at it, putting a minute on him to win the stage and secure second in the standings. Last year's leader on the climb, France's Jules Lapierre finished second, while another Norwegian, Emil Iversen, took third. Klaebo would still win out in the overall standings, taking the all-time lead for Tour titles, while Harald Oestberg Amundsen completed Norway's sweep of overall podium, finishing third. The top time for the US men, Gus Schumacher finished the stage in 16th, earning a historic best 7th place overall finish for the group. Taking a two week break, World Cup racing will resume later this month for the start of Period III.
First Chance Results
January 3, 2026A good field for the 5K and 10K freestyle races at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center on Saturday. In the 10K race were Ryan Steger and Isaac Wieber took it to a photo finish, Steger edging out by 4/10th of a second, and Zachary Nelson coming in third. In the female division, the Katie Wieber earned the victory with Phoebe Hackensack second, and Daphne Grobstein third. Bradon McKinnon and Annika Ostby secured first place in the 5K race as the top male and female skiers, respectively.
Tour de Ski: Stage 5 Classic Sprints
January 3, 2026The second to last stage of the Tour de Ski, Saturday had classic sprints as the focus for Stage 5 in Val Di Fiemme, Italy. A preview of what will be the Olympic venue in a little over a month's time, the course proved to be an especially long one with heats taking nearly a minute longer than previous sprints. Finding her form, Finland's Jasmi Joensuu stole the show in the women's final, striding away to secure her first World Cup victory ahead of Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland and Johanna Hagstroem of Sweden. Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo would show off similar tactics in the men's final, leaving second and third to be settled by Jules Chappaz of France and Anton Grahn of Sweden, a first time World Cup podium appearance by the latter. Six were in the heats for the States, but only one broke through to the semifinals, Jessie Diggins, where she finished 7th. Tomorrow athletes will tackle the Tour's final test: a 10K course that ascends Alpe Cermis, with the overall title awaiting the first to finish.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 5 and 6 Schedule
January 1, 2026Closing out a week's worth of World Cup racing in the Italian Alps, the final two events of the 20th edition of the Tour de Ski take place this weekend in Val di Fiemme. Stage 5 on Saturday will see athletes sprinting in the classic technique, starting with a qualifying round at 5:15 AM CST, and the heats themselves at 7:45 AM CST. The competition then concludes on Sunday with Stage 6: the infamous climb up Alpe Cermis. Split between 4:30 AM CST and 8:30 AM CST respectively, the men's and women's fields will make their way up the mountain to cement their standings in this season's Tour de Ski and wrap up Period II of the World Cup circuit.
Tour de Ski: Stage 4 Classic Distance; Back-to-Back Wins for Diggins
January 1, 2026Another strong showing by the US, Thursday's Stage 4 results in the pursuit format classic competition were a testament to the strength of the team in Toblach. With rock-solid kick and glide, plus a minute to spare over the rest of the field, Jessie Diggins did what she does best: gave it her all. Laying down a vicious tempo, she netted herself an additional 30 seconds over the course of the 20K race, finishing first well before any other athletes had even entered the stadium. When the next athletes did finally arrive, it was Moa Ilar of Sweden and Teresa Stadlober of Austria who would claim the final two spots on the women's podium. The men's race played out similarly, with Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo the one out on his own, but there was considerably more excitement surrounding the race for second and third. Eight other athletes found themselves in the mix heading into the finish, including the American Gus Schumacher, but a tactical maneuver would see Mattis Stenshagen of Norway break away to steal second, while Sweden's Edvin Anger just nipped Italy's Federico Pellegrino at the line for third, with Schumacher finishing 6th. Another break in the action, the final two races of this season's Tour de Ski will take place on Saturday and Sunday in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
Tour de Ski: Stage 3 Freestyle Distance; Americans Sweep as Schumacher and Diggins Double
December 31, 2025One for the books, Wednesday's debut of the heat mass start 5K freestyle event lived up to the hype and more to mark Stage 3 of the Tour de Ski. Taking it back ten years in Toblach, Jessie Diggins showed an unmatched ability to work the field as she lead her heat to the fastest time on the day in the women's race, her 29th career victory in the exact place and distance she got her first career victory a decade ago. Her win added to an already incredible showing by the Americans, with Gus Schumacher displaying much of the same tactics earlier in the day to win his heat in the men's race, which also upset the rest of the field as the fastest time on the day. This marks the first time the US has ever won both the men's and the women's races on the same day. Julia Kern also had a day in the women's race, taking 10th as she won her heat. Bolstered by the efforts of the aforementioned, Benjamin Moser of Austria reached his first World Cup podium in second ahead of Norway's Lars Heggen, and Emma Ribom and Moa Ilar both snagged a pair of podium spots for Sweden. Thursday's pursuit-start 20K classic race will be the subject of Stage 4 as the Tour's trip to Toblach comes to a close.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 3 and 4 Schedule
December 29, 2025Approaching the midpoint of the competition, the second set of Tour de Ski stages begin on Wednesday with one of the most anticipated events of the competition. Stage 3 will see athletes compete in a pseudo-mass-start freestyle 5K where batches of athletes will be racing together at a time, with another batch starting as soon as the last one finishes. The men get to try it first starting at 4:30 AM CST, with the women getting their turn at 7:30 AM CST. Thursday then closes out the Tour's time in Toblach, with a 20K pursuit in the classic technique scheduled for Stage 4. Like the previous stage, the men will be racing first at 3:30 AM CST, with the women competing afterwards at 5:30 AM CST.
Tour de Ski: Stage 2 Classic Distance; Diggins Takes Third and the Lead
December 29, 2025Serving as Stage 2 of the Tour de Ski, Monday had athletes skiing solo as they competed for the fastest time on a 10K classic course in Toblach, Italy. Capitalizing on a solid sprint performance from the day before, Jessie Diggins conquered her classic demons for a third place finish in the women's race, pushing her to the top of the Overall standings. A repeat of their results from yesterday, Norway won that race through the efforts of Astrid Oeyre Slind, while Teresa Stadlober of Austria sandwiched herself between Slind and Diggins for second. Another bout of deja vu, Norway again swept the men's race, with Mattis Stenshagen, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, and Emil Iversen taking the top three spots in a tight finish. Finishing just inside the top-20, Gus Schumacher posted the top time among the US men in 17th. A third of the way through the Tour, tomorrow offers athletes a day of rest before the competition continues on Wednesday.
Tour de Ski: Stage 1 Freestyle Sprints
December 28, 2025Jumpstarting Period II of the World Cup circuit, the 20th edition of the Tour de Ski kicked off in Toblach, Italy on Sunday. Freestyle sprints were the featured event for the first day, with a longer course and a lap over the Nordic Arena in store for athletes. Norway's Kristen Staavas Skistad was the one to beat in the women's final, but no one could match her as she skied to just her second win of the season. Germany's Coletta Rydzek would take second, while Maja Dahlqvist of Sweden secured the last podium spot ahead of Jessie Diggins in fourth. The men's final went down as yet another sweep by the Norwegian team led Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo who was on a revenge tour following his disastrous early exit in Davos. With with only about a tenth of a second to spare, he would lead in two of his teammates, Lars Heggen and Oskar Opstad Vike, who took second and third respectively. Four headed into the heats for the US men, but only one advanced to the semifinals, Gus Schumacher, who ended his day in 11th. Tomorrow, athlete's attention turns to a distance event for Stage 2 as they take on a 10K classic race in an interval-start format.
Winter Warm-up Coverage
December 27, 2025A combined field of over 100 skiers turned out just past Christmas for the Winter Warmup races at Elm Creek on Saturday morning. Colin Freed topped the men's 10K with Markus Bryan Grothe just seconds back and Jonathan Clarke in third. Katie Wieber posted the top womens time with Lauren McCollor second and Lena Elveos Kjelstrup third. Full results linked in, plus photos from Pioneer Midwest and a clip from WCCO News.
World Cup Racing: Tour de Ski Stages 1 and 2 Schedule
December 26, 2025Moving into Period II, World Cup racing returns this Sunday for the start of the Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy. Stage 1 will showcase freestyle sprints with the qualifiers taking place at 4:45 AM CST on Sunday, and the heats taking place at 7:15 AM CST that same day. Monday marks Stage 2 which will feature an interval-start 10K classic race where the men's field will compete first at 4:45 AM CST, followed by the women's field at 7:45 AM CST. The US contingent will be a little less crowded for the Tour de Ski, but a majority of the Midwest athletes from Period I remain with Luci Anderson, Kevin Bolger, Jessie Diggins, Zak Ketterson, and Alayna Sonnesyn all set to race representing the region.
Registration Open for 2026 Great Bear Chase
December 22, 2025A much snowier start to the season has Great Bear Chase organizers looking ahead to their March 7th race date. Read their latest press release to find all the reason you need to get registered today!
Biathlon: Four Athletes Announced for Olympic Team
December 21, 2025With about a month and a half to go until the Games, US Biathlon has announced four of the eight athletes that will be representing the nation at the Olympics. Among them is Deedra Irwin of Pulaski, WI who is heading to her second Winter Games, and Margie Freed of Apple Valley, MN who will be making her Olympic debut. The remaining four spots on the team will be announced on Jan 6th following timed trials in Antholz, Italy.
Hoigaards Relays Coverage
December 20, 2025A very gusty morning added a little extra flavor to the Hoigaards Relay races Saturday morning at Elm Creek. The duo of Matt Liebsch and Chris Queitzsch scored the masters victory, just ahead of the pairing of Jacob Dean and Joe Thuente, with the team of Ian Wright and McEwan Rodefeld third. Ingrid Halverson and Erica Kazin had the top womens time, Katie and Isaac Weiber taking the mixed pair title. Full results posted, along with photosets.
World Cup Davos: Freestyle Distance
December 14, 2025Wrapping up Period I of the World Cup circuit, Sunday's interval-start 10K freestyle event was a close contest with only a handful of seconds, and sometimes less, deciding the podium in both the men's and women's races. Probably the most decisive finish of the day, Einar Hedegart of Norway won the men's race by almost 12 seconds, besting two of his teammates, Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Mattis Stenshagen, who completed the all-Norwegian podium. The winner of the women's race was also Norwegian, but not one of the usual suspects. Finishing first by just over two seconds, Karoline Simpson-Larsen took the win, her first World Cup podium, followed closely by Sweden's Moa Ilar in second, and another Norwegian, Astrid Oeyre Slind, in third. Top results for the US team today came from Jessie Diggins in fifth, and notably Luci Anderson in 25th, who finished just three places off of her personal best. Now the world Cup circuit goes on hiatus for a couple weeks before picking up again after the holidays for the start of the Tour de Ski.
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This extended coverage brought to you in part from Salomon Nordic
World Cup Davos: Freestyle Sprints
December 13, 2025Sprints were back on the menu on Saturday for the second day of racing in Switzerland, with the courses signature climb deciding who won and lost each race. In the women's final, Sweden's Jonna Sundling made her return to the top of the podium by making a move on that very climb, although Norway's Mathilda Myhrvold wouldn't let her go easy, challenging her in a photo finish that saw Myhrvold take second by less than a tenth of a second. The hometown hero, Switzerland's Nadine Faehndrich would go on to take third. After a surprise early exit by Norway's superstar, France's Lucas Chanavat went on to win in the same fashion, besting Federico Pellegrino of Italy by an even slimmer margin of three one hundredths of a second. Third would go to Norway's Oskar Opstad who earned his second podium of the season. A fantastic day for American athletes, six qualified for the heats, with two making it all the ways to the finals, Jack Young and Ben Ogden, where they finished 4th and 5th respectively, a career best for the former. Sunday brings an end to World Cup racing in Davos and Period I of the circuit with an interval-start 10K freestyle race on deck for all athletes.
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US Ski Team: Vonn Strikes Again in Second
This extended coverage brought to you in part from Salomon Nordic
World Cup Davos: Team Sprints
December 12, 2025Team sprints, the first of the season, were featured on Friday as the leadoff event for the last stop on leg 1 of the World Cup circuit: Davos, Switzerland. Clear favorites heading into the day, Norway's Erik Valnes and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, and Sweden's Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling, easily defended their reputation, crushing their competition on the way to their respective wins in the men's and women's finals. It was a race for second in the end, as the men's final two podium positions went the way of the Italy I and Sweden I, while the Norway II and Norway I teams completed the podium in the women's final. Saving most of their athletes for the Saturday and Sunday races, the US only fielded one team, Ben Ogden and JC Schoonmaker, who did not manage to qualify for the final. Up next: more sprints on Saturday with a focus on competing individually and in the freestyle technique.