Dear Cross Country Community,
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
All related documents to this process, including the World Cup Selection Criterion, the Working Group Guidelines, the Working Group Members, and the World Cup Discretionary Selection Dates, can always be found here: https://www.usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-programs/criteria/cross-country-world-cup-criteria
The above discretionary selection process will be repeated for each period of World Cup this coming season. As always, if you have questions or concerns about this process, feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Chris Grover
Cross Country Program Director, U.S. Ski Team
Matthew Voisin
As owner and publisher of FasterSkier, Matthew Voisin manages the day-to-day operations, content, and partnerships that keep the site gliding smoothly. Away from the desk, he’s doing his best to keep pace with his two energetic sons.
