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team

Cross Country World Cup Criteria

World Cup Discretionary Nomination Selection Dates 2025-26

Dear Cross Country Community, 

You can find all finalized selection criteria for the 2025-26 World Cup, the 2026 Olympic WinterGames, the 2026 World Junior and U23 World Champs, and the U18 Nordic Nations Championships here:

https://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-programs/criteria

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have questions.  

Chris Grover
Cross Country Program Director
chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org
(435) 640-8545


We are pleased to announce the XC Team for Period 1 of the 2025-26 World Cup season:

Ruka, FIN 10 km C

Men

  • John Hagenbuch                       Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader

  • Gus Schumacher                       Objective          14th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Ben Ogden                                Objective          22nd Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Zanden McMullen                     Objective          35th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Luke Jager                                Discretion         21st Les Rousses 20 km C
  • JC Schoonmaker                        Discretion         23rd Falun 10 km C
  • Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         27th Trondheim WSC 10 km C
  • Kevin Bolger                             Alternate          22nd Trondheim WSC 50 km F

Women

  • Kate Oldham                             Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Jessie Diggins                            Objective          24-25 Overall World Cup Winner
  • Sophia Laukli                            Objective          18th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Julia Kern                                  Objective          27th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Rosie Brennan                          Objective          30th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Sydney Palmer-Leger                 Discretion         28th Davos 20 km C
  • Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         18th Cogne 10 km F
  • Lucy Anderson                          Discretion         22nd Les Rousses 10 km F
  • Alayna Sonnesyn                       Alternate          25th Falun 20 km F
Ruka, FIN Sprint C & Trondheim, NOR Sprint C

Men

  • John Hagenbuch                       Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Ben Ogden                                Objective          7th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          13th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Gus Schumacher                       Objective          30th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Jack Young                                Objective          31st Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         19th Falun Sprint C
  • Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         21st Les Rousses Sprint C
  • Zanden McMullen                     Alternate          22nd Val di Fiemme Sprint C
  • Murphy Kimball                        Alternate          28th Falun Sprint C                                 

Women

  • Kate Oldham                             Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Jessie Diggins                            Objective          24-25 Overall World Cup Winner
  • Julia Kern                                  Objective          16th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         16th Ruka Sprint C
  • Sammy Smith                            Discretion         30th Falun Sprint C
  • Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         19th Toblach Sprint F
  • Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         28th Engadin Sprint F
  • Lucy Anderson                          Discretion         29th Engadin Sprint F
  • Erin Bianco                               Alternate          33rd Falun Sprint C
Ruka, FIN 20 km F, Trondheim, NOR 10 km F, & Davos, SUI 10 km F

Men

  • John Hagenbuch                       Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Gus Schumacher                       Objective          14th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Ben Ogden                                Objective          22nd Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Zanden McMullen                     Objective          35th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         22nd Trondheim WSC 50 km F
  • Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         30th Engadin 20 km F
  • Luke Jager                                Discretion         21st Les Rousses 20 km C
  • JC Schoonmaker                        Alternate          23rd Falun 10 km C   

Women

  • Kate Oldham                             Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Jessie Diggins                            Objective          24-25 Overall World Cup Winner
  • Sophia Laukli                            Objective          18th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Julia Kern                                  Objective          27th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Rosie Brennan                          Objective          30th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         18th Cogne 10 km F
  • Lucy Anderson                          Discretion         22nd Les Rousses 10 km F
  • Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         25th Falun 20 km F
  • Sydney Palmer-Leger                 Alternate          26th Falun 20 km F
Trondheim, NOR 20 km Skiathlon

Men

  • John Hagenbuch                       Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Gus Schumacher                       Objective          14th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Ben Ogden                                Objective          22nd Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Zanden McMullen                     Objective          35th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Luke Jager                                Discretion         21st Les Rousses 20 km C
  • Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         22nd Trondheim WSC 50 km F
  • JC Schoonmaker                        Discretion         23rd Falun 10 km C
  • Zak Ketterson                           Alternate          27th Trondheim WSC 10 km C            

Women

  • Kate Oldham                             Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Jessie Diggins                            Objective          24-25 Overall World Cup Winner
  • Sophia Laukli                            Objective          18th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Julia Kern                                  Objective          27th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Rosie Brennan                          Objective          30th Distance World Cup 24-25
  • Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         18th Cogne 10 km F
  • Lucy Anderson                          Discretion         22nd Les Rousses 10 km F
  • Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         25th Falun 20 km F
  • Sydney Palmer-Leger                 Alternate          26th Falun 20 km F
Davos, SUI Sprint F

 Men

  • John Hagenbuch                       Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Ben Ogden                                Objective          7th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          13th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Gus Schumacher                       Objective          30th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Jack Young                                Objective          31st Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         20th Lahti Sprint F
  • Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         21st Les Rousses Sprint C
  • Zanden McMullen                     Alternate          22nd Val di Fiemme Sprint C    

Women

  • Kate Oldham                             Objective          24-25 Overall SuperTour Leader
  • Jessie Diggins                            Objective          24-25 Overall World Cup Winner
  • Julia Kern                                  Objective          16th Sprint World Cup 24-25
  • Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         18th Davos Sprint F
  • Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         19th Toblach Sprint F
  • Sammy Smith                            Discretion         25th Lahti Sprint F
  • Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         28th Engadin Sprint F
  • Luci Anderson                           Discretion         29th Engadin Sprint F
  • Erin Bianco                               Alternate          33rd Falun Sprint C

The above discretionary selections were nominated by a 15-person working group that included: 

  • James Southam                         Athlete Rep.
  • Ida Sargent                               Athlete Rep.
  • Perry Thomas                           Mansfield Pro Nordic Team
  • Andy Newell                             Bridger Ski Foundation
  • Eliška Albrigtsen                        University of Alaska Fairbanks 
  • Erik Flora                                  Alaska Pacific University 
  • Chad Salmela                            Team Birkie
  • Peter Holmes                            SVSEF Gold Team
  • Pepa Miloucheva                      Craftsbury GRP
  • Colin Rodgers                            SMS T2
  • Sophie Caldwell Hamilton          Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Clu
  • Kristen Bourne                          U.S. Ski Team
  • Jason Cork                                U.S. Ski Team
  • Matt Whitcomb                        U.S. Ski Team
  • Chris Grover                             U.S. Ski Team

The nominations were then approved by a discretionary selection review group comprised of:

  • Tyler Kornfield                          U.S. Ski & Snowboard Athlete Rep
  • Anouk Patty                              U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport
  • Bryan Fish                                 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Director
World Cup Discretionary Nomination Selection Dates

World Cup Discretionary Nomination Selection Dates 2025-26

The World Cup Coaches’ Discretion Working Group will nominate athletes to World Cup Periods 1-4 on the following dates:

  • World Cup Period 1 – FIN, NOR, SUI (Nov. 28 – Dec. 14, 2025)
    • Selection date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025
  • World Cup Period 2 – Tour de Ski (Dec. 28, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026)  
    • Selection date: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
  • World Cup Period 3 – GER, SUI, (Jan. 17-25, 2026) 
    • Selection date: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
  • World Cup Period 4 – SWE, FIN, NOR (Feb. 28 – Mar. 15, 2026) 
    • Selection date: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026
  • World Cup Period 4 – Lake Placid, USA (see World Cup 25-26 Selection Criterion)

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have questions.  

Chris Grover
Cross Country Program Director
chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org
(435) 640-8545

World Cup Discretionary Selection Working Group​, 2025-26 Season

1) James Southam // ​​​Athlete Rep

2) Ida Sargent // ​​​​Athlete Rep

3) Perry Thomas // Mansfield Nordic Club 

4) Chad Salmela​​​​ // Team Birkie

5) Andy Newell​​​​ // Bridger Ski Foundation

6) Erik Flora​​​​ // Alaska Pacific University

7) Pepa Miloucheva​​​ // Craftsbury GRP

8) Colin Rodgers​​​​ // SMS T2

9) Peter Holmes // ​​​​SVSEF Gold Team

10) Sophie Caldwell​​​ // Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club

11) Eliška Albrigtsen​​​ // University of Alaska Fairbanks​​

12) Chris Grover // ​​​​Stifel U.S. Ski Team

13) Matt Whitcomb​​​ // Stifel U.S. Ski Team

14) Jason Cork​​​​ // Stifel U.S. Ski Team

15) Kristen Bourne // ​​​Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Resources
View All
Cross Country 2025-26 World Cup Criteria
World Cup Discretionary Selection Working Group Guidelines 2025-26