Huge Day for American Skiing: Diggins Claims Sixth Win of Season in Falun

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team continued its dominant day in Falun, Sweden with a victory in the 20k skate mass start by Jessie Diggins. Just hours after Gus Schumacher secured the second podium of his career, Diggins delivered a commanding race, nailing her sixth World Cup win of the season. Julia Kern also had a stand-out day, crossing the line in sixth to notch her career-best distance result. 

Diggins, the reigning World Cup overall champion, took control of the race from the start. Through the five-lap course, it was Diggins in the front, setting the tone on the tough Falun track. Challenged by Sweden's Ebba Andersson, Norway's Heidi Weng and Germany's Victoria Carl throughout all the laps, Diggins made a move in the last lap, despite almost falling with a tangled pole. She was in the lead as the skiers rounded into the stadium, pushing over the top of the final hill to put herself into position for the long straightaway to the finish. Diggins took home another win—her 28th World Cup win and 78th podium in only 353 starts. 

Diggins' victory further solidified her lead in the overall World Cup rankings and also led her to take the lead in the distance standings, setting her up perfectly for the upcoming FIS World Championships in Trondheim, Norway in just two weeks.

Behind Diggins, Julia Kern had a breakthrough performance, finishing sixth in the 20km classic—her best-ever World Cup result in a distance race. Long known for her sprinting, Kern’s performance in Falun underscores her continued development as an all-around threat on the circuit.

The U.S. women delivered a strong collective showing, with five athletes finishing in the top 30. Sophia Laukli placed 16th, Alayna Sonnesyn 25th and Sydney Palmer-Leger 26th, rounding out a deep American contingent in the points.

With consistent top results across multiple athletes, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team is building momentum as they head toward the highly anticipated World Championships with medals in the distance, sprint and team events on the line. 

RESULTS
Women