Three-time Olympic cross-country skiing medalist Jessie Diggins can鈥檛 wait to show off Minnesota to her competitors.
To the world, too.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced Wednesday that Diggins鈥 home state of Minnesota will host a World Cup cross country ski event next February, giving the Americans a rare home-course advantage. This marks the first World Cup event the U.S. has hosted in the sport since 2001. The races will be held at Wirth Park in Minneapolis.
鈥淭his will be huge,鈥 Diggins said of bringing a sport that's European-event heavy to the state known as the 鈥淟and of 10,000 Lakes."
鈥淭his will be the first time we鈥檙e able to show all the people who believe in us, who are passionate about cross-country skiing, who are getting involved in the sport 鈥 this is our chance to show them what it looks like and to share that energy with them,鈥 Diggins added. "It鈥檚 really going to inspire a lot of people.鈥
A World Cup stop in Minnesota was originally scheduled to take place in March 2020. But just days before the races were to take place the event was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, it鈥檚 slated to be back on the schedule for President鈥檚 Day weekend (Feb. 17-19, 2024), pending International Ski Federation confirmation. It鈥檚 being hosted by the ski team, along with nonprofit organizations and .
鈥淲e know that this event will be a huge success and allow our athletes to showcase their incredible talent in front of a community that has always supported this sport, and inspire the next generation of cross country skiers,鈥 president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sophie Goldschmidt said.
Diggins was nine years old the last time a World Cup cross-country skiing event took place on U.S. snow. It was at Soldier Hollow, Utah, in January 2001 鈥 a test event before the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
鈥淚 did know a lot about cross country back then. I grew up pretty much skiing before I could walk,鈥 cracked the 31-year-old Diggins, who hails from Afton, Minnesota. 鈥淏eing able to finally race at this level in the United States, in my own country, that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e been dreaming about.鈥
Over her storied career, Diggins has won 14 World Cup races, including a 20-kilometer individual start in Switzerland two months ago, with teammate Rosie Brennan taking third.
Diggins has captured Olympic medals of every color, too 鈥 gold from the team sprint at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, along with silver (sprint freestyle) and bronze (30-kilometer mass start) last February at the Beijing Olympics.
She's already looking forward to competing in front of family and friends.
鈥淭he kids are going to line the course and be an arm鈥檚 length from the best athletes in the entire world," said Diggins, who plans to compete at least through the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. "I鈥檓 so excited to share this with everyone.鈥
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