The Stifel Cross Country World Cup finals got underway on Thursday, March 19, with athlete training at Mt. Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York. Hosted by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Association (ORDA) this much-anticipated event follows the conclusion of the European World Cup circuit and comprises the final three competitions of the season.  And with the conclusion of these events, the distinguished career of Jessie Diggins poignantly came to a close.

The Lake Placid finals, two years after the stunningly successful Minneapolis World Cup, utilize recently revamped and newly constructed Mt. Hoevenberg facilities. Though initially eyed with skepticism considering a mid-March schedule with potentially problematic spring snow conditions, as well as Lake Placid’s remote rural location and whether cross country ski fans would show up to support the events, both concerns proved to be inconsequential as the Mt. Hoevenberg trails were 18 to 24 inches deep in man-made snow and the event was a sellout.

Let the Racing Begin

Last Friday, the first full competition day, dawned with an ominous forecast of three to five inches of snow falling during the race -not exactly the conditions one would want for a classic technique event. The women’s 10-kilometer, individual start race went off at 1:00 pm local time with 61 starters toeing the line. Jessie Diggins and other top contenders were seeded mid-field.

With snow falling since late morning, visibility was low, and the tracks were beginning to fill with snow when the Women’s 10km individual start got underway. The Lake Placid course, comprised of two 5 km loops, was a challenge even without the new snow. Over a kilometer and a half of intense climbing took competitors from the stadium to the high point on the twisting, technical course. Despite the accumulating snow, most racers fared well, maintaining reasonably good kick and decent glide.

While most top contenders started later in the field, Swedish star Linn Svahn, with start bib 20, blazed through the course, setting the early mark to beat at 29:04.4. Her time consistently held up as time checks came in throughout the event. Her teammate Frida Karlsson narrowly missed spoiling the day for Svahn as she finished only 1.4 seconds behind to clinch second.  Norwegian veteran Heidi Weng took third 22.1 seconds off the pace.

U.S. star Jessie Diggins turned in consistent time checks throughout her race, about 20 seconds off the pace. Skiing with her usual intensity, Diggins hovered at 5th place throughout the race, which is where she ultimately finished. Her fifth-place finish clinched Diggins’ fourth Crystal Globe overall World Cup championship.

By the time the men took to the course at 3:00 pm, several inches of snow had accumulated, and it continued to snow. Fan favorite and historic Olympic silver medal winner Ben Ogden drew an early start and impressed, slotting in in first place. Ogden’s time did not hold up, but he skied with strength and authority, eventually finishing 11th. Teammate Gus Schumacher turned in an even better performance, registering third place at several time checks. As the Norwegian big guns began to check in, however, Schumacher slid down the standings but still logged a very respectable 7th place.

It came as no surprise that the deep Norwegian cadre of classic skiers once again dominated the leaderboard. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo demonstrated his usual prowess, checking in a full 10 seconds ahead of the field at his early time check. He went on to win by a 7.3-second margin. Klaebo’s return to the winner’s stand is even more impressive considering that only a week ago, he was taken out in a dramatic tangle with Ben Ogden in the Drammen (Norway) city sprints that body slammed him to the ground, whiplashing his head off the snow, leaving him with a mild concussion. In the end, Norway claimed the top five places with Andreas Fjorden Ree claiming second and Mattis Stenshagen third.

Looking Back – Looking Ahead

Preeminent among fans’ interests is what the future holds for American superstar Jessie Diggins. During the pre-event press conference, Diggins shared some of her feelings and plans for her post-U.S. Ski Team life.  The standout sentiment she expressed was a desire to recapture a sense of normalcy in her life.  After 15 years of competing professionally, she looked forward to the simple things most people take for granted.  “I’d like to be able to cook what I want, eat what I want, when I want,” she related.  “I’d like to just be able to work in the garden, bake cookies, knit, and do normal things.” Of course, she will still be a presence with the U. S. Team, but “I’m excited to be a fan on the other side of the fence and cheering for them and visiting with them.” Her advocacy efforts with the Emily Program, Save Our Winters, and Share Winter will be a major part of Jessie’s life going forward.

Diggins was reflective not just about her historical accomplishments but also about the team as a whole and its growth over the past 15 years. “The team is in a good place, and I’m proud to have been able to give back to this team. I’m confident that the trajectory the team is on will continue as younger skiers come onto the team to carry it forward.”

Asked to define her legacy post-ski racing, Diggins emphasized, “I define my legacy completely outside of skiing and race results.  I am really proud of the things I’ve done in a race bib, but I am prouder of the things I’ve done off the course. I think my legacy is going to be in my advocacy and the way I have spoken about mental health and eating disorders specifically. I’ve tried to make really difficult discussions easier and to make it possible for people to talk about things that are often stigmatized. So I think the advocacy piece is going to be the thing I leave behind.”  She added, “And probably glitter – I think there will be a lot more glitter in ski racing, and that’s a great thing (as long as it’s biodegradable).”

On her departure from the sport and the team she dearly loves, Diggins related how she’s been saying many goodbyes along the way throughout the World Cup season. “I remember leaving a recent training camp in Bend, Oregon, and having a little cry, but I imagine it’s really going to hit like a dump truck on Sunday.”