This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
A week ago, golfers in shirtsleeves were playing the course that abuts Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A narrow white ribbon of just-skiable snow had been preserved on the course laid out for the upcoming Stifel Loppet Cup, but it seemed that the Twin Cities had already begun looking toward spring. There were serious concerns as to whether or not these marginal ski-conditions would hold, and the immediate future of America’s FIS World Cup events was in doubt . . . a dire outlook that had also begun putting America’s future as a viable World Cup destination in question. If Minneapolis’World Cup plans were to fail, then nordic skiing’s big show might never come back.
And then winter seemed to remember that spring actually does not begin for many more weeks to come. Minnesota seemed to remember that it is actually situated way up north where snows fall and winters linger (though it remains among the southern-most of all cross-country World Cup destinations). Snowy magic arrived to save the day, and skiers awoke to a neatly-groomed world of purest white. A new six inches of snow fell over Wirth Park, making it look like the world-class cross-country skiing venue that it truly is. Game on, Minneapolis . . .
Sprint Qualifying
Throughout the day, the real story in Minnea[olis was the crowd. “That was surreal,” said Jessie Diggins (USA). “It was already the best atmosphere we’ve had all season, and that was an hour before the qualifier! It was really overwhelming, because people showed up for this.”
One of the high-profile motivators behind efforts to bring the World Cup to Minneapolis, Diggins appeared especially motivated in the Women’s Sprint Qualifying starting gate on Saturday morning. Always a quick qualifier, Diggins’ bottled up energy (a reliably potent race-weapon) bubbled to the surface, producing the second fastest qualifying time (sandwiched between fastest qualifier, Jonna Sundling (SWE) and World Cup Sprint leader, Linn Svahn (SWE).
Three other Americans also qualified for the quarterfinals: still flying after her recent silver medal performance in the World Junior Championships Sprint, Sammy Smith laid down a hot qualifier to finish ninth. Close behind Smith were Rosie Brennan 12th, and Julia Kern 19th. Other American results in qualifying (and finishing results) included Erin Bianco 37th, Ava Thurston 40th, Haley Brewster 41st, Alayna Sonnesyn 44th, Renae Anderson 48th, Sydney Palmer-Leger 49th, Margie Freed 50th, and Michaela Keler-Miller 51st.
The top Canadian qualifier was Katherine Stewart-Jones in 34th, followed by Tory Audet 43rd, Allison Mackey 46th, Amelia Wells 52nd, Alexandra Luxmoore 53rd, Anna Stewart 54th, Marie Molinaro 55th, Clara Hegan 58th.
In Men’s Sprint Qualifying there was one notable disappointment: the absence of American Ben Ogden who fell ill during the World Cup in Canmore, Alberta last week. Qualifying also delivered a few notable surprises. While Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo continued to rule the roost with the top qualifying time ahead of perennial Sprint contender Federico Pellegrino (ITA), a few of their high-speed rivals performed at lower levels than expected. World Cup Sprint leader, Erik Valnes (NOR) failed to qualify (32nd)—as did former World Cup Sprint champion, Richard Jouve (FRA) 40th—while Gus Schumacher (USA) qualified a tremendous fourth. Schumacher credited the home-crowd with much of his success:
“It was hard to notice anything besides [the crowd noise]!” beamed Schumacher. “You gotta be going ‘Level 6,’ so it’s really helpful.”
Three other Americans qualified for the quarterfinals: Zak Ketterson 14th, JC Schoonmaker 17th, Kevin Bolger 30th. Other Americans included Jack Young 33rd, John Steel Hagenbuch 37th, Will Koch 38th, Michael Earnhart 44th, Zanden McMullen 46th, Adam Witkowski 53rd, Walker Hall 67th.
Among Canadians, Antoine Cyr advanced to the quarterfinals in 29th. Other Canadian final placings included Julien Smith 39th, Olivier Leveille 41st, Pierre Grall-Johnson 45th, Leo Grandbois 55th, Max Holman 57th, Julien Locke 68th, Felix Olivier-Moreau 70th.
Despite the many proud comments and optimistic predictions regarding the development of American skiing, Diggins proved to be the only American skier—woman or man—capable of advancing beyond the quarterfinals.
Loppet Cup Freestyle Sprints
In the Men’s Sprint semifinal Lucas Chanavat (FRA) took the pace out extraordinarily hard, followed by Haavard Solaas Taugboel (NOR) and Klaebo. Chanavat faded quickly and was overtaken by Taugboel, Klaebo, and Pellegrino. In the end, Klaebo did what he does so well, darting effortlessly into the lead just before the finishing straightaway, and coasting across the line for the win ahead of Pellegrino and Taugboel.
In the final, Taugboel went straight to the front with Johannes Riebli (SUI) clogging Klaebo’s line briefly. Klaebo again allowed Taugboel the lead over the top of the second climb, seeming far more concerned with Pellegrino lurking in third. Klaebo knew where to engage the after-burners, and he shot into the lead at the head of the homestretch. He was followed across the line by Pellegrino and Taugboel.
“It’s so much fun,” said Sprint winner, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR). The course and all the people: it was so much fun to race out there. I wish this could be part of the World Cup circus every season. We need to come back here, that’s for sure. I’ll just cheer a little extra for [Jessie] tomorrow.”
Jessie . . .
This Minnesota crowd had gathered here to see Jessie Diggins, an athlete who possesses the ability to smile broadly at the starting line. Diggins really does seem to enjoy what she does, and never has that been more apparent than when she was introduced to a roaring crowd for her Sprint quarterfinal. Diggins advanced beyond her quarterfinal by incorporating her usual strategy of leading from the front, punishing any pure sprinters with her injection of pace.
Diggins repeated her strategy in the semifinal, storming to the line ahead of Maja Dahlqvist (SWE) and Emma Ribom (SWE), though it appeared she may have used a bit too much energy in the first two rounds. In the final, Diggins skied another solid race, but the real speed on the course belonged to the true sprinters—Sundling, Svahn, and Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR)—who finished first, second, and third. Diggins came across fourth to the company of the loudest crowd-roar of the day. The post-race celebration was another happy occasion, as the entire field went up and down the finishing straightaway on a victory lap in which Diggins beamed to the denizens of her home state, and German’s Victoria Carl (fifth place) attempted to high-five every single person in the crowd. Minneapolis had hosted a World Cup: total success.
Women’s Freestyle Sprint RESULTS
Men’s Freestyle Sprint RESULTS
Racing in the USA
“I’ve never skied a race like this before,” grinned USA’s Jack Young. “You could feel the entire park willing you to ski faster. It was awesome!”
“I couldn’t even feel how tired I was because I was in a tunnel of noise!” said USA’s Erin Bianco. “It was so sweet . . . it got me up that hill for sure!”
“A little snow came the day that we arrived,” commented Andrew Musgrave (GBR). “It’s beautiful now; so different from anywhere else we race. ‘Minnesota Nice’ has definitely proven true so far!”
“I had big emotions before the start,” said Federico Pellegrino (ITA). I almost cried with all these people knowing my name.”
“No matter what happens out on course in the race itself, the fans are so amazing!” said Julia Kern. “I’ve cried so many times today out of sheer emotion . . . you just look around and you’re like, ‘Holy Shit! I’ve never experienced anything like this before!’ It’s more than I could’ve dreamed of.”
John Teaford
John Teaford—the Managing Editor of FasterSkier — has been the coach of Olympians, World Champions, and World Record Holders in six sports: Nordic skiing, speedskating, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, triathlon. In his long career as a writer/filmmaker, he spent many seasons as Director of Warren Miller’s annual feature film, and Producer of adventure documentary films for Discovery, ESPN, Disney, National Geographic, and NBC Sports.
