US Ski Team Announces Period 3 Starts

Dear Cross Country Community,

 

We are pleased to announce the Team for Period 3 of the 2025-26 World Cup season:

Oberhof Sprint F

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          4^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young                                Objective          21^st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          27^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          36^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Kevin Bolger                             Objective          40^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         18^th Val di Fiemme Sprint C, 36^th Toblach Sprint F

Zanden McMullen                     Alternate          1^st US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Owen Young                             Alternate          2^nd US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Michael Earnhart                      Alternate          3^rd US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          20^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27^th Davos Sprint F

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         15^th Ruka Sprint C, 32^nd Davos Sprint F

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         1^st US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         3^rd US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         4^th US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Emma Albrecht                         Alternate          5^th US Nationals Sprint F qualifier

Oberhof 10 km C & Goms 20 km C Mass Start

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          15^th 25-26 Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          29^th 25-26 Distance World Cup

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         29^th Toblach 20 km C Pursuit

Hunter Wonders                       Discretion         1^st US Nationals 10 km C

Luke Jager                                Discretion         2^nd US Nationals 10 km C

John Hagenbuch                       Discretion         4^th US Nationals 10 km C

Zanden McMullen                     Alternate          5^th US Nationals 10 km C

JC Schoonmaker                        Alternate          Historic WC Distance C Results

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          30^th 25-26 Distance World Cup

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         24^th Ruka 10 km C

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         2^nd US Nationals 10 km C

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         3^rd US Nationals 10 km C

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         4^th US Nationals 10 km C

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         5^th US Nationals 10 km C

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Alternate          27^th Ruka 20 km Mass Start

Goms Sprint C

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          4^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young                                Objective          21^st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          27^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          36^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Kevin Bolger                             Objective          40^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         18^th Val di Fiemme Sprint C, 36^th Toblach Sprint F

John Schwinghamer                  Alternate          1^st US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Will Koch                                  Alternate          2^nd US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Owen Young                             Alternate          3^rd US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          20^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         15^th Ruka Sprint C

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         1^st US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         3^rd US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Erin Bianco                               Discretion         4^th US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         5^th US Nationals Sprint C qualifier

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Alternate          27^th Davos Sprint F

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

Chad Salmela                            Team Birkie

Andy Newell                             Bridger Ski Foundation

Erik Flora                                  Alaska Pacific University

Pepa Miloucheva                      Craftsbury GRP

Colin Rodgers                            SMS T2

Peter Holmes                            SVSEF Gold Team

Sophie Caldwell                        Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club

Eliška Albrigtsen                        Denver University

Chris Grover                             USST

Matt Whitcomb                        USST

Jason Cork                                USST

Kristen Bourne                          USST

 

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

 

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

chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org