The U.S. cross-country skiing team’s recent World Cup success both in men’s and women’s events could lead to an unprecedented performance at the upcoming World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, with medal events beginning Thursday.
Historically, the U.S. has never secured medals in both men’s and women’s events at the same World Championships, and the men’s team hasn’t medaled at worlds since 1982. However, American skiers have been reaching World Cup podiums more consistently since the last championships in 2023 sometimes even on the same day.
https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/olympics/jessie-diggins-made-friends-with-pain-to-give-full-effort-find-success
Jessie Diggins, the most decorated U.S. cross-country skier, has also dominated the sport over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, U.S. men have achieved 15 top-10 individual finishes last season and have already matched that pace this year their best performance since the World Cup’s inception in 1982.
Despite an injury near the start of the year, Diggins has won five of her last 16 World Cup races. She suffered a partial tear in her plantar fascia after running on soft snow during a Christmas training camp, making it painful to even walk. Though doctors estimated six to eight weeks for initial healing and up to six months for full recovery, she has been ahead of schedule.
At the last World Championships in 2023, Diggins made history by winning the 10km freestyle, becoming the first American to claim an individual world title in cross-country skiing. However, this year’s 10km race will be in the classic technique, which is not her strongest discipline.
Rather than focusing on results, Diggins is setting personal goals. “I just wrote down my goals for worlds, and one of the biggest ones is reminding myself that I am not defined by my results,” she said. “I want to be a steady presence for my team, support my teammates, and cross the finish line knowing I gave it my all. You’ll definitely see a very tired Jessie at the finish lines.”
The U.S. men’s team has also shown significant progress. Twice this season, a U.S. man has made a World Cup podium on the same day Diggins won a race an achievement that had only happened twice before in World Cup history.
Gus Schumacher, Ben Ogden, and J.C. Schoonmaker all born in 2000 have consistently placed in the top five over the last two seasons. Last February, Schumacher became the first American man to win a World Cup race in a decade. Meanwhile, no U.S. man has placed higher than eighth at the Olympics or World Championships since 2009.
The World Championships kick off with the freestyle sprint on Thursday, where Ogden, a Vermont native known for his signature face stickers, has already recorded two sixth-place finishes this season. On Saturday, the 20km skiathlon will take place, an event where Schumacher finished fifth in a World Cup race in December.
Schumacher is embracing a new mindset heading into worlds. “We know we’re capable of winning,” he said. “We may not be favorites, but that possibility is real now. In the middle of a race, I’m no longer just aiming for a top 15, I’m thinking about what I can do to reach the podium or even win. That’s a big shift, and I’m excited to bring that mentality to the championships.”
The U.S. women’s team underwent a similar transformation over a decade ago when Kikkan Randall began a new era of success, which Diggins has since extended. Now, Diggins is eager to pass on her knowledge.
“I’m trying to share everything I’ve learned so these guys can take it even further than I have,” she said, turning to Schumacher beside her.
Schumacher laughed. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
“Well, I’m trying to make it hard,” Diggins replied. “I’ll share everything I know, but I’m also setting the bar high.”
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