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Diggins Claims Her 73 World Cup Podium, Schumacher Fifth in Thrilling Day in Lillehammer

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 8 2024
Jessie Diggins
Jessie Diggins celebrates her third-place result. (NordicFocus)

On the third and final day of racing in Lillehammer, Norway, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team recorded career-best performances. The grueling 20k skiathlon event, featuring a 10k classic leg followed by a 10k skate leg, was on tap today. Jessie Diggins claimed her 73rd World Cup podium with a third-place result, followed by Gus Schumacher in fifth, skiing to his career-best mass start and skiathlon result. The theme today? Career best skiathlon results, fast skis, and team camaraderie. 

The skiathlon is a rare event on the World Cup circuit, testing athletes' abilities in both techniques on Lillehammer’s challenging seven-lap course. Fatigue was beginning to set in after three days of straight racing but the U.S. team put together strong performances, landing six (three men, three women) within the top 30. 

Schumacher Leads U.S. Men with Career-Best Skiathlon Result

Schumacher delivered a career-defining performance, securing fifth place in the men’s race. Starting strong in the classic portion, Schumacher stayed within the top 10 throughout the seven-lap race, positioning himself as a podium contender. This marked a massive leap from his previous best skiathlon finishes—18th in Lahti and 32nd in Trondheim—and his highest-ever result in a mass start. 

"I was feeling like I was skiing pretty well, I obviously knew I was pretty close to the front.. so in the final moments, I wasn't thinking very much, I just knew the speed was still high, so I had to trust myself," said Schumacher. "Mostly, it was just exciting to be that close." 

The Norwegian men's team, led by Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Simen Hegstad Krüger and Harald Oestberg Amundsen, dominated the race. Yet, in a nail-biting finish, Schumacher out-sprinted several competitors to become the first non-Norwegian to cross the line, finishing just seconds behind the leaders and within one second of the finish.

Fresh off his career-best result last weekend in Ruka, Zanden McMullen also delivered a strong performance, finishing 26th in the career-best skiathlon result for the young athlete. Following his standout skate sprint qualification win earlier just yesterday, Ben Ogden placed 25th for his career-best skiathlon result, rounding out a solid day for the men’s team.

"I'm mostly proud of Gus," said Ogden. "He’s just proving himself to be rock solid in these 20ks which is not an easy feat. You have to be extremely fit to do what he is doing and it's really cool to see his dedication and patience paying off in a big way. He’ll be back on top soon, mark my words."

Amundsen ultimately won the day, with Norway's Jan Thomas Jenssen in second and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget in third, respectively. For the U.S., Schumacher was fifth, Ogden 25th, McMullen 26th, Hunter Wonders 46th, and John Steel Hagenbuch 57th. 

With his fifth-place result, Schumacher secures his top 10 in the World Cup distance standings. 

Diggins Claims 73rd Career World Cup Podium

In the women’s race, Jessie Diggins continued her podium streak, earning her 73rd World Cup podium with a third-place finish. Diggins skied a smart and steady race, staying with the lead pack through the classic portion, which Norway’s Therese Johaug largely controlled.

Johaug surged ahead in the skate portion, establishing an insurmountable lead. At the same time, Diggins held her own in the chase group alongside Sweden’s Ebba Andersson and Norway’s Astrid Slind and Heidi Weng.

In the final kilometers, following a grueling uphill, it was all downhill into the stadium. With the course lined with fans from around the world, Diggins put on a masterclass in how to finish a mass start race—draft, look for the best chance to make a move and make it. She ultimately crossed the line in third, securing her second podium of the 2024-25 season, 73rd in her career and the chance to wear the FIS overall World Cup yellow bib for another day. 

Sophia Laukli had a breakout performance, hammering into 11th place—her best skiathlon finish yet and second top-11 of the season. Julia Kern of the U.S. team also had her season's best performance, crossing the line in 20th. Kern and Laukli were seen working together in the chase pack for the majority of the race and crossed the line with career bests in the process.

"I’ve become more and more confident in my racing which I’m realizing is really starting to pay off in my results," said Laukli, post race. "I had no idea if I would blow up because I was going so hard—that was the deepest i've ever dug—but I think that’s what I feel proud about that I just committed and hoped going all out would pay off, which it did."

Diggins claimed third, Norway's Weng was second, and Johaug was first. Outside of the top 30, U.S. athlete Alayna Sonnesyn finished 43rd; Rosie Brennan did not start today's race. 

By the Numbers

The Lillehammer Skiathlon showcased career-best performances across the board for U.S. athletes:

  • Schumacher: Fifth place, career-best skiathlon and mass start result.
  • Diggins: 73rd World Cup podium; maintains the overall World Cup leader bib.
  • Laukli: 11th place, career-best skiathlon finish.
  • McMullen: career-best skiathlon finish.
  • Kern: career-best skiathlon finish. 

Next up, the team travels to Davos, Switzerland, for a set of three races next weekend. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

A Big Day for the Maddie/ys; Mastro Clinches First World Cup Win; Schaffrick First World Cup Podium

By Sadie Texer - Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team
December, 8 2024
Maddie Mastro and Maddy Schaffrick on the podium in Secret Garden. (FIS Snowboard)
Maddie Mastro and Maddy Schaffrick on the podium in Secret Garden. (FIS Snowboard)

It was a storybook start to the 2024-25 FIS World Cup halfpipe season for the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. Last season’s World Cup halfpipe Crystal Globe runner-up Maddie Mastro clinched her first victory on the World Cup stage and teammate Maddy Schaffrick earned her first World Cup podium in her first appearance back in the bib in eight years.

Near perfect conditions set the scene for an exciting snowboard halfpipe World Cup final at China’s iconic Secret Garden Resort. The Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team put four athletes through to finals: Maddy Schaffrick, Maddie Mastro and Bea Kim on the women’s side, and Chase Josey representing the red, white and blue for the men.

Coming off a podium-perfect season, Mastro looked confident at the top of the pipe, singing as she dropped into the ditch for the first halfpipe final of the 2024-25 season. Mastro set the tone for the day, throwing a clean first run complete with impressive amplitude that put her in the top spot. Teammate Shaffrick was the only rider to best Mastro’s run, scoring an 85.25 in her first final back from retirement. 

The Americans held on to the top two spots as Mastro dropped in for her second run, kicking things off with her signature double-crippler and lacing together a near-flawless performance. With coaches celebrating at the top and her teammates were stoked at the bottom, Mastro was awarded a massive score of 88.75, which put her in a position to secure the first World Cup win of her already impressive career.

Schaffrick was the second-to-last rider to drop and the final threat to mix up the podium. It had already been an impressive showing for the 30 year old, making her return to competition after an eight-year hiatus from the World Cup circuit. With that, wherever she landed in the final rankings would be her best World Cup finish of her career. Schaffrick showed veteran composure as she dropped in the Secret Garden halfpipe for the final time and put down another solid performance. Still, it was ultimately not enough to best teammate Mastro’s score. Schaffrick ended the day on the podium in third place, an impressive feat in her first World Cup since February 2016. China’s Xuetong Cai split the Americans on the podium and earned a second-place finish in front of her home crowd.

With 15 World Cup podiums to her name, Mastro was all smiles when asked what it meant to land in the top spot for the first time in her career.

“I’ve got a lot of seconds and thirds in these World Cups and this is my first on top and am I happy about it," remarked Mastro. “I came into this contest with a completely new game plan and just wanted to focus on doing my own thing. I had these goals of tricks I wanted to land and runs I wanted to put together and…it happened. This contest just set a new baseline for women’s snowboarding and I’m just really excited to be a part of it.”

For Mastro, it's a victory well worth the wait.

Coming off a breakout 2023-24 season, 17-year-old Bea Kim ended the day in seventh place, improving on each run and continuing to impress at a young age on the world stage. On the men’s side, Chase Josey showed competitive consistency under pressure, ending the day in ninth place amongst a field of heavy hitters like Japan’s Yuto Totsuka, who landed an insane final run complete with a triple cork that put an exclamation mark on his winning performance. Australia’s Scotty James took second and Japan’s Ryusei Yamada finished third.

The halfpipe squad returns home for the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Copper Mountain, Colorado, with qualifications set to drop on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Radamus Top Ten in Super-G Opener

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 7 2024
river
River Radamus skis to an eighth place in the Stifel Birds of Prey super-G. (Dustin Satloff)

In the Stifel Birds of Prey super-G opener, hometown hero River Radamus snagged eighth place - on par with his personal best in the discipline. Teammate Ryan Cochran-Siegle was close behind in 11th after he handled another very strong recovery at the top of the course. 

“The home crowd is so special. We can hear the crowd going crazy at the bottom,” said Radamus. “Everytime I come here I try to put on a show and inspire the next generation of skiers.” 

It was yet another classic sunny day in Colorado for the super-G race as the world’s best men sped their way down the famed course. The course is extremely steep and widely known as one of the more challenging super-Gs on the circuit. Not only is it a difficult hill, but the set proved to be a challenge, with six of the first 10 racers not finishing the course. But as the day progressed, the other racers got word of the troubles and made it down to the finish line. 

The winner of the day was last season’s super-G globe winner Swiss skier Marco Odermatt. Second place went to the French phenom Cyprien Sarrazin and Austrian Lukas Feurstein rounded out the podium in third. 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle had a remarkable recovery in the downhill the day before and did it again in the super-G. At the very start of his run, his helmet hooked a gate which caused his goggles to fall down over his face. Cochran-Siegle tried to get his goggles back onto his helmet, losing a chunk of time. But he ripped the rest of the course, making up the second he lost up top and landed in 11th place. 

“I came in too hard on that gate, but sometimes when you make that kind of mistake it's easier to push yourself,” said Cochran-Siegle. "I did what I could and had some good skiing at the bottom."

The rest of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team squad gave it their all on the course for the hometown crowd, with four landing in the top 30. Kyle Negomir finished in 19th and Bryce Bennett in 28th. Sam Morse just missed the points in 31st and Jared Goldberg in 37th. Erik Arvidsson and Wiley Maple did not finish but are ok. 

The weekend is not over yet.  The men’s giant slalom returns to the Stifel Birds of Prey course for the first time since Tommy Ford’s maiden victory in 2019. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G
 

HOW TO WATCH
Sunday, 12/8
12:00 p.m. ET - giant slalom, run 1 - LIVE on Outside TV
3:00 p.m. ET - giant slalom, run 2 - LIVE on Outside TV

Diggins Eighth, Ogden 17th in Lillehammer Skate Sprint

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 7 2024
ben ogden
Ben Ogden races during the Lillehammer World Cup skate sprint quarterfinals. (NordicFocus)

On a challenging, hilly skate sprint course in Lillehammer, Norway, five Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes advanced out of qualifications and into the sprint heats at today’s World Cup, landing five in the top 30. Jessie Diggins led the charge, who finished the day in eighth place, while Ben Ogden qualified first in the men’s field for the first time, ultimately finishing 17th. 

On the start line, Renae Anderson, Haley Brewster, Erin Bianco, Rosie Brennan, Diggins, Julia Kern, Lauren Jortberg, and Alayna Sonnesyn represented the women's sprint team. Three athletes, Diggins, Brennan, and Kern, made the top 30 in qualifications, punching themselves a ticket to the skate sprint heats. Through the heats, it was anyone's game.

Brennan kicked off the sprint heats for the U.S. team, skiing in heat number two, and skied a strong race but ultimately did not advance as she was not in the top two across the line. Kern skied a smart and tactical third quarterfinal heat, putting up a good fight despite breaking a pole mid-race. Then Diggins, who demonstrated her hallmark tenacity to move through the quarterfinals into the semifinals, ultimately claimed eighth place overall. Kern and Brennan secured 17th and 29th, respectively.

Jonna Sundling of Sweden won the women's race, followed by her teammate Johanna Hagstroem and Norway's Julie Myhre, rounding out the podium. For the U.S. roster, Sonnesyn ended the day in 38th, Jortberg 40th, Bianco 47th, Brewster 53rd and Anderson 58th. 

On the men’s side, Ogden and Young were the lone U.S. athletes to advance. Jack Young punched his ticket to the heats in just his fourth career World Cup start and finished an impressive 25th. 

For Ogden, going into the heats ranked #1 was a different feeling than he's had before. 

"It felt good to win the qualifier for sure, and I think it tempted me to look deeper into the sprint day than I normally do and try to be strategic with the final looming," said Ogden. "I got a pretty quick reminder why you can’t do that on the World Cup, especially not in Norway."

The seven starters for the U.S. men's sprint team delivered solid skiing from the entire team, including Gus Schumacher in 31st, JC Schoonmaker in 39th, Kevin Bolger 45th, Zak Ketterson 47th and Michael Earnhart 51st, respectively. First place went to Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who took home his ninth consecutive World Cup sprint victory, with his Norwegian teammate Even Northug in second and Italy's Federico Pellegrino in third. 

With a strong team effort on a grueling course, the U.S. athletes showed they’re ready to take on tomorrow's race, the 20k skiathlon, where athletes will ski both a skate and classic 10k. 

Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, with the men at 4:00 a.m. ET and women at 6:15 a.m. ET. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

U.S. Men Sweep in Secret Garden, Irving Third

By Erin Doyle - Stifel U.S. Freeski Team
December, 7 2024
Alex Ferreira, Nick Goepper, and David Wise share the podium in Secret Garden, China
Alex Ferreira, Nick Goepper, and David Wise share the podium in Secret Garden, China (Chad Buchholz / @fisparkandpipe)

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team wrapped up their second World Cup of the season by sweeping the men's halfpipe podium, led by three-time Olympic slopestyle medalist Nick Goepper taking his first World Cup halfpipe victory Saturday at Genting Resort Secret Garden, China.

All eyes were on Goepper as he was the final rider to drop in the modified finals format that featured two runs instead of the customary three. Sitting just off the podium in fourth place behind teammates Alex Ferreira and David Wise in the top two spots after the first run, Goepper executed with precision and style to edge out Ferreira for the top spot with a massive score of 95.00.

Goepper is happy with the win but happier to just be on snow and working hard. After reflecting on his first halfpipe win, he said, “The journey is the best part. All the people are a part of it. I hope to show the world if you love what you do and believe in yourself you can make anything happen.”

The victory came in only his fifth halfpipe World Cup start. The win marks his seventh park & pipe podium (five slopestyle, one halfpipe) and his first time on the top step since the Seiser Alm, Italy slopestyle World Cup in 2018.

Despite pulling ahead early with a first-run score of 92.25, Ferreira, the defending FIS Park & Pipe Crystal Globe champion, finished in the day in second but maintained the overall FIS Park & Pipe World Cup lead. Two-time Olympic gold medalist David Wise rounded out the American sweep, earning his 18th career halfpipe podium with a score of 89.00.

Hunter Hess finished the day in fifth, Dylan Ladd in sixth, Cassidy Jarrell in tenth, Ben Fethke in 12th, Matt Labaugh in 13th, and Kai Morris in 16th.

On the women's side, Svea Irving was the lone American to qualify through to finals and earned a third-place finish with a solid third run score of 80.00. She shared the podium with China's Eileen Gu and Fanghui Li who both earned top spots in front of a home crowd. 

Irving was very pleased with her result today, saying, "My main goal was to get redemption since the last time I was here I tore my ACL/MCL, so I really wanted to ski my best and leave healthy. I'm super hyped with the result and hyped with how I'm skiing. What an awesome event! I had so much fun!"

Head coach Mike Riddle is proud of everyone today, saying, "I’m super proud of how the whole team skied this week here at Secret Garden. Nick Goepper got his first Halfpipe win of his career and is looking strong for the season. Alex Ferreira kept his podium streak going with his technical prowess and Dave Wise with his first podium since his knee injury is huge. Svea Irving held it down on the women’s side with huge amp and smooth style and is looking poised to hit the podium repeatedly this year. Overall the team is skiing at an amazing level and looking to continue the strong showing in Copper."

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team gets a well-deserved week off before returning to action in Copper Mountain, Colorado for the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix December 19-21. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

Bennett Sixth at Stifel Birds of Prey

By Courtney Harkins
December, 6 2024
bryce
Bryce Bennett skis to sixth place in the Stifel Birds of Prey. (Dustin Satloff)

It was an exciting first day of racing of a two-weekend long Stifel Birds of Prey series at Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado. Bryce Bennett was the top American in the men’s downhill, finishing in sixth place. Ryan Cochran-Siegle also punched it into the top 15, finishing 12th.

"I've been skiing really well all summer long and I had some good training runs so I felt confident on my skis," said Bennett. 

The podium was not what many had predicted. After a previous season of Odermatt vs. Sarrazin in downhill, it was the unassuming Swiss Justin Murisier who claimed the top spot and his first ever World Cup win. His teammate Marco Odermatt landed in second and Miha Hrobat of Slovenia took third for his first World Cup podium.

It was also a strong start for Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle. He had a large mistake and still managed a top-15 result - a testament to the hard work the men's speed team put in this summer. 

"Our places were good for sure," said Cochran-Siegle. "It's awesome seeing Bryce ski so well right now. He is locked in, and our team as a whole has been executing the training runs really well." 

Under classic Colorado blue skies, the day proved dramatic, seeing a number of crashes on the terrain-ladened course that caused long course holds. Sam DuPratt was one of the men who went into the net and down in a sled. His injuries are still being evaluated.

The result marked yet another top 10 for Bennett, who continues to show his strength in downhill. With four top 10s last season and two podiums—including his first career win—the 6’ 7” speed skier was pleased with the result of the season-opening downhill. It's been an exciting week for the speed skier; his wife also announced her pregnancy... and her due date: March 22, the day of the World Cup Finals downhill.

"One of my goals after last season was to keep skiing and being competitive and so it was great to have this result to reinforce that feeling," said Bennett. 

Sam Morse also found the top 30, finishing 21st. Erik Arvidsson was 34th, Jared Goldberg 39th, Kyle Negomir 45th and Wiley Maple 52nd.

Next up, the men race super-G on Saturday and a giant slalom Sunday. The women race the Stifel Birds of Prey the following weekend. 

"Beaver Creek super-G is a very challenging course so I just need to keep doing what I am doing and trying to have fun with it," said Cochran-Siegle. 

RESULTS
Men’s downhill

HOW TO WATCH

Saturday, 12/7
12:30 p.m. ET - super-G - LIVE on Outside TV
5:00 p.m. ET - super-G - tape delay on NBC/Peacock

Sunday, 12/8
12:00 p.m. ET - giant slalom, run 1 - LIVE on Outside TV
3:00 p.m. ET - giant slalom, run 2 - LIVE on Outside TV

Saturday, 12/14
5:00 p.m. ET - giant slalom - tape delay on NBC/Peacock

All races available on-demand on Outside+.

Kauf Fourth in Idre Fjäll

By Ryan Odeja - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 6 2024
Jaelin Kauf
Jaelin Kauf skis during training in Idre Fjäll, Sweden. (FIS Freestyle)

It was a foggy, cold, and icy day in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, which helped athletes find extra speed and higher scores, including seven U.S. athletes who advanced to the finals, with Jaelin Kauf finishing fourth.

The fastest woman on the World Cup circuit, Kauf, set the tone early, putting down the fastest time in qualification, landing in fifth right behind teammate Olivia Giaccio. Alli Macuga, Kasey Hogg, and Tess Johnson also advanced to finals alongside Giaccio and Kauf, giving the U.S. the largest contingency. 

In finals, Kauf put down a scorcher, earning just under 18 speed points, moving her up to third in the standings. Giaccio earns her high scores from the air section of the points scoring, and she finished finals with the highest air score in the field, landing in fourth. Johnson rounded out the women moving on to super finals with her textbook turns and consistency, qualifying in fifth. 

The women’s super finals battle was intense, with competitors earning scores higher than we’ve seen so far this season. In her super finals run, Kauf put down the fastest time of the day along with an impeccable turns score but was unable to battle the air scores from Anthony (AUS), Lafont (FRA) and Schwinghammer (CAN) to land on the podium, finishing fourth. Giaccio was close behind in fifth, followed by Johnson in sixth. 

On the men’s side, Nick Page and Dylan Walczyk qualified on to the finals round. Throughout the day, Page put down consistent runs, finishing finals in fourth place. The competition was incredibly close, with just over one point separating first from fourth place. Page ended the day in fifth overall following a beautiful super finals run.  

Next up, the team takes on the first dual moguls World Cup of the season tomorrow in Idre Fjäll. Watch live at 7:30 am ET on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

Sophie Goldschmidt Named to Sports Business Journal’s 2024 Power Players in Women’s Sports

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 6 2024
USA

Park City, Utah (Dec. 6, 2024) — U.S. Ski & Snowboard is proud to announce President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt has been named to Sports Business Journal’s (SBJ) 2024 Power Players in Women’s Sports, an honor recognizing individuals driving significant progress and innovation in women’s sports. 

This recognition comes as women’s sports reach new heights, with projected revenues surpassing $1 billion in 2024 and groundbreaking milestones across leagues, teams and individual athletes. In her three years at the helm of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Goldschmidt’s leadership has cemented U.S. Ski & Snowboard as one of the many leaders in advancing gender equity in sports, particularly through the launch of the HERoic initiative in 2022, an initiative focused on empowering women in skiing and snowboarding.

Under Goldschmidt’s direction, HERoic has already had a significant increase in women coaches at the elite level, addressing the imbalance of only 1 in 4 coaches in the sport. Alongside the success at the coaching level, U.S. Ski & Snowboard reflects this commitment, with 67% of its executive team comprised of women.

Goldschmidt’s extensive experience and accolades underscore her transformative impact on the sports industry. She has held executive roles at globally renowned organizations, including the World Surf League, National Basketball Association, Women’s Tennis Association, Rugby Football Union, PGA European Tour and Adidas. Throughout her career, she has been at the forefront of global sports, media and entertainment industries.

Her achievements have been widely recognized, with honors including one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in Sport, AdWeek’s Most Powerful Women in Sport, Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under Forty, Sport360’s Most Powerful Woman in Sport and Marketing Week’s Vision Award.

“It’s an honor to be included in Sports Business Journal’s Power Players in Women’s Sports alongside so many trailblazers pushing boundaries and creating opportunities,” said Goldschmidt. “At U.S. Ski & Snowboard, we are committed to empowering women at every level of our sport. HERoic is a testament to what’s possible when we prioritize equity and inclusion.”

Goldschmidt’s vision and commitment to empowering women in sports continue to set the tone at the organization and within the industry as women's sports continue to thrive at all levels.

Lillehammer World Cup Kicks Off with 10k Skate; Diggins Fifth, Laukli 15th

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 6 2024
Jessie Diggins
Jessie Diggins races to the finish line in the Lillehammer World Cup. (NordicFocus).

In a weekend featuring a trio of races at the iconic Lillehammer cross country venue, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team put together a strong day despite the challenging conditions. Jessie Diggins led the charge in fifth, Sophia Laukli in 15th and Gus Schumacher in 25th. 

One might say today's conditions were slow; Schumacher described them as "tough," but the athletes did what they had to: click the skis on and hammer down for 10k of skating. The Lillehammer venue, which dates back to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, is one of the most iconic Olympic venues, and today, it plays host to the best cross country skiers in the world, including many hometown favorites. 

The men kicked off the action, with seven U.S. men on the start list, including, Michael Earnhart, John Steel Hagenbuch, Zak Ketterson, Zanden McMullen, Ben Ogden, Hunter Wonders and Schumacher. 

It was anyone's game, with 15-second intervals splitting up a field of 87 men. Interval start races can be mentally challenging, with athletes only knowing their results from coaches on the course giving "splits." Splits are where a coach can use live timing to determine the time it takes to complete a section of the race course, essentially giving the athlete an idea of how far ahead or behind they are to the leader or another athlete. 

How does one define success in a race like today's? Schumacher adds, “success for me is executing well, going through the motions and not getting too caught up in the results. It’s a long season, if I can recognize that I will do better at World Champs, where things matter more - its just time to relax and not stress too much about it - that’s success for me." 

Behind Schumacher in 15th was Ogden in 31st, McMullen, coming off a career-best result in Ruka in 32nd, Hagenbuch in 38th, Wonders in 53rd, Earnhart in 64th and Ketterson in 72nd, respectively. Norway ultimately dominated the day and swept the podium, led by Lillehammer's own Martin Loewstroem Nyenget in first, Simen Hegstad Krueger in second and the 2023-24 Overall World Cup champion Harald Oestberg Amundsen in third. 

The women's turn. The snow began to fall a little heavier around the man-made artificial snow loop. Eight women represented the U.S. today, led by Diggins, Laukli, then Rosie Brennan, coming off two top-10s the weekend prior, Julia Kern, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Alayna Sonnesyn, and Renae Anderson. With live splits showing how athletes were doing, Laukli and Diggins were putting up a fight in the top 10. 

How do you ski interval start races? "I just want to go out there and ski like every race is a three-second battle for the win. Which is to say, I am going to go out there and try as hard as I can," Diggins said. "I am racing the course against my own limitations. That's what I like to think about - my process goals. How am I going to pace this? How am I going to ski most efficiently? How am I going to pick seconds here... I am just thinking hard the whole time." 

It was a similar story for the women's field, with another Norwegian sweep. 100-time World Cup winner Therese Johaug, officially coming out of retirement last weekend in Ruka, put the hammer down and was victorious in her home country alongside two teammates—Heidi Weng in second and Astrid Oeyre Slind in third. 

Diggins did her best in the finishing stretch - put everything on the line. Across the finish, she was fourth, only to be pushed to fifth by less than two seconds when Sweden's Frida Karlsson crossed the line. Today's fifth place still gives Diggins enough points to continue her top-three rank in the overall standings, sitting second behind Johaug. 

When the last racer crossed the line, the results were set. Diggins was fifth, Laukli 15th, Brennan just out of the top 30 in 31st, Kern 34th, Sonnesyn 35th, Palmer-Leger 47th, Brewster 55th, and Anderson 68th. 

When asked about pressure, Laukli said it's a "good problem." 

 "I would say there is a bit more pressure for sure, but I’d say this is a good “problem," said Laukli. "It just means I’m closer to being at the top in the field, and that’s always what I’m working towards. But it can definitely make racing a bit more stressful, both with more expectations from myself and from others. But again, it’s a sign I’m moving in the right direction, so I take it as positive pressure."

Now, the team will reset before tomorrow's race, the skate sprint. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, with qualifications (not streamed) at 3:00 a.m. ET and sprint rounds/finals at 5:30 a.m. ET. 

RESULTS 
Men
Women

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Unveils Insider Fan Club Program; Win the Ultimate Lift Pass 

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
December, 4 2024
Insider

Park City, UT (Dec. 5, 2025) – The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team is proud to announce the launch of Insider, a unique fan club for winter sports enthusiasts to connect more deeply with the action, athletes and excitement of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. Designed for passionate fans, the program offers exclusive benefits, pro deals from some of the world’s biggest brands and unforgettable experiences with athletes for the inaugural price of $60.

“The Insider Fan Club celebrates the spirit of our incredible community, offering fans VIP-level access to our domestic World Cup events and the chance to interact and cheer on the world’s best athletes,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO. “Insider is a step forward in bringing the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team closer to the community that has supported our 240+ athletes and 10 teams for years.”

What is an Insider?

As an Insider Fan, members gain:

  • Exclusive Welcome Pack: This pack includes a collectible enamel pin, custom neck gaiter, sticker pack and welcome card.
  • Partner Perks:
    • Ikon Pass: 30% off U.S. Ski & Snowboard Insider membership for all Ikon pass holders.
    • Backcountry: 20% off your entire cart, with more discounts on the way. 
    • Outside+: A complimentary 90-day trial. Watch all domestic World Cups live and on-demand, more than 75 Warren Miller films and unlimited access to articles, videos and stories from Outside magazine and affiliated brands like Backpacker, Climbing, Ski, Trail Runner, VeloNews, and more.
    • Protect Our Winters (POW): Free membership and 15% discount on all merchandise. 
    • United Airlines: 5% off select flights for MileagePlus members to dozens of domestic snow destinations. 
  • VIP Experiences: Custom credentials to domestic World Cup events, providing exclusive viewing spots. 
  • Sweepstakes: Entry to win the coveted U.S. Ski & Snowboard ultimate lift pass, an unrestricted, with no blackout dates, ski and snowboard pass to more than 200 resorts throughout the U.S.

How to Join

Becoming an Insider Fan is easy:

  1. Visit our Insider webpage. 
  2. Complete the sign-up process.
  3. Once payment is confirmed, members will receive a welcome email with access to benefits, the Welcome Pack, a personalized web page with partner discount codes, and more.

Eligibility: The program is open to U.S. residents aged 18 and older.