USSS Announces XC Team for Period 1 of the 2026-27 World Cup Season

Dear Cross Country Community,

 

We are pleased to announce the XC Team for Period 1 of the 2026-27 World Cup season:

 

Ruka, FIN 10 km C & Trondheim, NOR 10 km C

 

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          12^th Distance World Cup 25-26

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          36^th Distance World Cup 25-26

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         11^th Lake Placid World Cup 10 km C

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         18^th Oberhof World Cup 10 km C

Hunter Wonders                       Discretion         24^th Oberhof World Cup 10 km C

Luke Jager                                Discretion         29^th Oberhof World Cup 10 km C

John Hagenbuch                       Alternate          32^nd Lake Placid World Cup 10 km C

JC Schoonmaker                        Alternate          Historic Dist. Results (23^rd Falun 10 km C 24-25)

 

Women

Emma Albrecht                         Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         12^th Lahti World Cup 10 km C

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         16^th Goms World Cup 20 km C

Hailey Swirbul                           Discretion         19^th OWG 50 km C

Sophia Laukli                            Discretion         Historic Dist. Results (16^th Les Rousses 20 km C 24-25)

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         22^nd Goms World Cup 20 km C

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         27^th Goms World Cup 20 km C

Ava Thurston                            Alternate          33^rd Lake Placid World Cup 10 km C

Sammy Smith                            Alternate          33^rd Oberhof World Cup 10 km C

Ruka, FIN Sprint C

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          7^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          16^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Jack Young                                Objective          19^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          27^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         18^th Val di Fiemme Sprint C

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         Historic Sprint Results (22^nd VdF Sprint C 24-25)

Murphy Kimball                        Alternate          Historic Sprint Results (28^th Falun Sprint C 24-25)

 

Women

Emma Albrecht                         Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          29^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         15^th Ruka World Cup Sprint C

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         19^th OWG Sprint C

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         30^th OWG Sprint C

Hailey Swirbul                           Discretion         22^nd Oberhof Sprint F

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27^th Davos Sprint F

Ava Thurston                            Alternate          9^th Lillehammer U23 Champs Sprint F

 

Ruka, FIN 20 km F & Davos, SUI 5 km F Heat Mass Start

 

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          12^th Distance World Cup 25-26

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          36^th Distance World Cup 25-26

John Hagenbuch                       Discretion         14^th OWG 10 km F

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         20^th Toblach 5 km F Heats Mass Start

JC Schoonmaker                        Discretion         29^th Toblach 5 km F Heats Mass Start

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         Historic Dist. Results (7^th Ruka 20 km F 24-25)

Corbin Carpenter                      Alternate          10^th Lillehammer U23 Champs 20 km F

Kevin Bolger                             Alternate          33^rd Trondheim World Cup 10 km F

 

Women

Emma Albrecht                         Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         10^th Toblach 5 km F Heats Mass Start

Sophia Laukli                            Discretion         Historic Dist. Results (8^th Les Rousses 10 km F 24-25)

Luci Anderson                           Discretion         25^th Davos 10 km F

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27^th Ruka 20 km F

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         28^th Lake Placid 20 km F

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         31^st OWG 10 km F

Hailey Swirbul                           Alternate          31^st Lake Placid 20 km F

Ava Thurston                            Alternate          32^nd Lake Placid 20 km F

Trondheim, NOR 20 km Skiathlon

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          12^th Distance World Cup 25-26

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          36^th Distance World Cup 25-26

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         Historic Skiath. Results (17^th VdF Skiathlon 24-25)

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         Historic Skiath. Results (21^st VdF Skiathlon 24-25)

John Hagenbuch                       Discretion         14^th OWG 10 km F

Hunter Wonders                       Discretion         24^th Oberhof 10 km C

Women

Emma Albrecht                         Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         9^th Falun World Cup Skiathlon

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         24^th OWG Skiathlon

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         26^th OWG Skiathlon

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         29^th Trondheim World Cup Skiathlon

Sophia Laukli                            Discretion         Historic Skiathlon Results (11^th Lillehammer 24-25)

Hailey Swirbul                           Discretion         24^th Goms World Cup 20 km C

 

Trondheim Sprint F & Davos, SUI Sprint F

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          7^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          16^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Jack Young                                Objective          19^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          27^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         15^th Lake Placid World Cup Sprint F

Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         15^th Toblach World Cup Sprint F

Murphy Kimball                        Alternate          6^th Lillehammer WJC Sprint F 2026

Women

Emma Albrecht                         Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          29^th Sprint World Cup 25-26

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         12^th Oberhof World Cup Sprint F

Hailey Swirbul                           Discretion         22^nd Oberhof World Cup Sprint F

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         28^th Oberhof World Cup Sprint F

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27^th Davos World Cup Sprint F

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         29^th Lahti World Cup Sprint F

Ava Thurston                            Alternate          9^th Lillehammer U23 Champs 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

Andy Newell                             Bridger Ski Foundation

Eliška Albrigtsen                        Denver University

Erik Flora                                  Alaska Pacific University

Randy Gibbs                             Team Birkie

Peter Holmes                            SVSEF Gold Team

Annika Martell                          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

chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org