USA U18 Men Win First Ever Relay at Nordic Nation's Championships
USA U18's Win First Ever Relay at Nations Cup
The best U18 skiers traveled to Jyvaskyla, FIN, and ended the weekend on top of the World. At the 2023 Nordic Nation's Championships, the future of the U.S. Cross Country skiing shined bright with two overall wins - one of them being the first-ever win in the men's relay - and eight top-10 results.
For the first international racing experience for many of the young athletes of the U.S. made possible by the support of the National Nordic Foundation (NNF), the men's team relay came out on top for the first time in history. The last time that the U.S. was on the podium was in the women's relay, with now U.S. Cross Country Team athlete Julia Kern and former U.S. athletes, Heidi Halvorsen and Katherine Ogden.
For the first time since 2020, the U.S. sent the best U18 skiers to race in the Nation's Cup, a competition designed to give the young athletes exposure to international travel and begin building positive team bonds on the competitive circuit. Along with the U.S., many other nations sent athletes, including Norway, Sweden, Finland and more.
"A huge thanks goes as the club coaches that led the U18 Nordic Nations Cup trip," said Bryan Fish, Cross Country Development Director. "These development trips would not be possible without the financial support of the National Nordic Foundation. The USA Cross Country system is built on teamwork and this community collaboration is impressive for our short and long-term success."
For the individual podiums, Stratton Mountain School's Finegan Bailey and Green Mountain Valley School's Tabor Greenberg skied to the top in the men's 10km skate, and Sydney Drevlow (Loppet Nordic Racing), Neve Gerard (Mt. Bachelor), Fin Bailey (Stratton Mountain School), Rose Horning (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail), and David Isom (Minneapolis Ski Club) found the top-10.
Men's CLASSIC SPRINT:
4th – Fin Bailey
Women's 5km FREESTYLE:
8th – Sydney Drevlow
9th – Neve Gerard
10th – Rose Horning
11th – Lena Poduska
Men's 10km FREESTLYE:
1st – Tabor Greenberg
6th – Fin Bailey
10th – Davis Isom
RELAY:
USA Boys – 1st
USA Girls – 4th