US Ski Team Announces World Cup Period 4 Starters

Dear Cross Country Community,

We are pleased to announce the Team for Period 4 (Falun, Lahti, Drammen, & Oslo) of the 2025-26 World Cup season:

Falun Sprint F & Lahti Sprint F

Men

Zach Jayne Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden Objective 5^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher Objective 21^st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young Objective 26^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker Objective 28^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Kevin Bolger Discretion 15^th Toblach Sprint F

Zanden McMullen Discretion 20^th Oberhof Sprint F

Zak Ketterson Alternate 18^th Val di Fiemme TDS Sprint C

Michael Earnhart Alternate 35^th Oberhof Sprint F

Women

Hailey Swirbul Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins Objective 25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern Objective 22^nd 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Sammy Smith Discretion 12^th Oberhof Sprint F

Lauren Jortberg Discretion 26^th Oberhof Sprint F

Alayna Sonnesyn Discretion 27^th Davos Sprint F

Rosie Brennan Discretion 15^th Ruka Sprint C

Ava Thurston Discretion 4^th US Nationals Sprint F Qualification

Emma Albrecht Alternate 5^th US Nationals Sprint F Qualification

Gus Schumacher (USA) charges up one of the hills on the sprint course at the base of the Mördarbacken during the 20 k Freestyle Mass Start in Falun, Sweden last season. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Falun 20 km Skiathlon

Men

Zach Jayne Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher Objective 18^th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson Objective 26^th Distance World Cup

John Hagenbuch Discretion 14^th OWG 10 km F

Zanden McMullen Discretion 18^th Oberhof 10 km C

Ben Ogden Discretion 20^th Toblach 5 km F

Hunter Wonders Discretion 24^th Oberhof 10 km C

Luke Jager Alternate 29^th Oberhof 10 km C

JC Schoonmaker Alternate 29^th Toblach 5 km F

Women

Hailey Swirbul Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins Objective 25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern Discretion 10^th Toblach 5 km F

Novie McCabe Discretion 22^nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan Discretion 24^th Ruka 10 km C

Luci Anderson Discretion 25^th Davos 10 km F

Kendall Kramer Discretion 27^th Goms 20 km C

Alayna Sonnesyn Discretion 27^th Ruka 20 km F

Jessie Diggins on her way to winning both the FIS Overall and Distance Crystal Globes in Lahti, Finland last season. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Lahti 10 C

Men

Zach Jayne Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher Objective 18^th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson Objective 26^th Distance World Cup

Zanden McMullen Discretion 18^th Oberhof 10 km C

Hunter Wonders Discretion 24^th Oberhof 10 km C

Luke Jager Discretion 29^th Oberhof 10 km C

Ben Ogden Discretion 29^th Toblach 20 km C

John Hagenbuch Alternate 14^th OWG 10 km F

JC Schoonmaker Alternate 29^th Toblach 5 km F

Reid Goble Alternate 1^st Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

Women

Hailey Swirbul Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins Objective 25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern Discretion 16^th Goms 20 km C

Novie McCabe Discretion 22^nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan Discretion 24^th Ruka 10 km C

Kendall Kramer Discretion 27^th Goms 20 km C

Sammy Smith Discretion 3^rd US Nationals 10 km C

Ava Thurston Discretion 4^th US Nationals 10 km C

Emma Albrecht Alternate 1^st Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

Alayna Sonnesyn Alternate 2^nd Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

Lauren Jortberg Alternate 2^nd Anchorge SuperTour 10 km C

Samantha Smith (USA) racing the individual World Cup sprint in Drammen (NOR) in 2024. (Photo: Modica/NordicFocus)

Drammen Sprint C

Men

Zach Jayne Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden Objective 5^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher Objective 21^st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young Objective 26^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker Objective 28^th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Zak Ketterson Discretion 18^th Val di Fiemme TDS Sprint C

John Schwinghamer Discretion 1^st US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Kevin Bolger Alternate 15^th Toblach Sprint F

Zanden McMullen Alternate 20^th Oberhof Sprint F

Women

Hailey Swirbul Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins Objective 25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern Objective 22^nd 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Rosie Brennan Discretion 15^th Ruka Sprint C

Sammy Smith Discretion 19^th OWG Sprint C

Lauren Jortberg Discretion 30^th OWG Sprint C

Alayna Sonnesyn Discretion 27^th Davos Sprint F

Ava Thurston Discretion 3^rd US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Erin Bianco Alternate 4^th US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Jessie Diggins (USA) on her way to a podium finish during the first women’s 50k version of the famed Holmenkollen in Oslo (NOR) in 2023. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Holmenkollen 50 km F Mass

Men

Zach Jayne Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher Objective 18^th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson Objective 26^th Distance World Cup

John Hagenbuch Discretion 14^th OWG 10 km F

Ben Ogden Discretion 20^th Toblach 5 km F

JC Schoonmaker Discretion 29^th Toblach 5 km F

Zanden McMullen Discretion 18^th Oberhof 10 km C

Brian Bushey Alternate 4^th US Nationals 20 km F

Hunter Wonders Alternate 24^th Oberhof 10 km C

Women

Hailey Swirbul Objective 25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins Objective 25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern Discretion 10^th Toblach 5 km F

Luci Anderson Discretion 25^th Davos 10 km F

Alayna Sonnesyn Discretion 27^th Ruka 20 km F

Novie McCabe Discretion 22^nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan Discretion 24^th Ruka 10 km C

Kendall Kramer Discretion 27^th Goms 20 km 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

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