World Cup Cross-Country Skiing Returns to Lake Placid for First Time Since 1979 as Historic Finals and Jessie Diggins’ Farewell Take Center Stage

The Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) is set to host the Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup event that will bring the world’s best cross-country skiers to Mt Van Hoevenberg for a historic three-day season finale March 20-22.

The event marks the first Cross-Country World Cup in Lake Placid since 1979, and the first-ever Cross-Country World Cup Finals held in the United States. Coming shortly after the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, the Stifel Lake Placid Finals concludes the 2025-26 World Cup cross-country skiing season, with Crystal Globes on the line for overall points champions.

In addition to world-class racing, the Stifel Lake Placid Finals will deliver a festival-style experience for fans of all ages, with themed days celebrating the past, present, and future of cross-country skiing, along with programming that highlights the lasting impact of women and girls in sport. A full slate of fun interactive activities, youth-focused programming, athlete engagements, and community events will give fans opportunities to connect personally with the world’s top skiers.

Lake Placid is the final stop of the 2025-26 World Cup season, which began in November in Ruka, Finland. Mt Van Hoevenberg becomes only the second U.S. venue since 2001 to stage an FIS Cross-Country World Cup event, following the Loppet Cup, which drew large crowds to Minneapolis in 2024.

ATHLETES TO WATCH

Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history, announced earlier this season that the Stifel Lake Placid Finals will be the final World Cup of her career. She will be coming off her fourth Olympic Games and looking to put an exclamation point on a storied career that has included three Olympic medals (gold, silver and bronze), three overall World Cup titles (2021, 2024 and 2025) and seven World Championships medals. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games, Diggins teamed with Kikkan Randall to become the first Americans to win an Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing.

Diggins, a Minnesota native who has trained with the SMS T2 team in Stratton, Vermont most of her career, will be joined in Lake Placid by a strong contingent of teammates from the current U.S. Olympic Team. Olympic veterans Rosie Brennan (2018, 2022, 2026), Julia Kern (2022, 2026), Novie McCabe (2022, 2026), Hailey Swirbul (2022, 2026), Ben Ogden (2022, 2026), JC Schoonmaker (2022, 2026), and Gus Schumacher (2022, 2026) are expected to compete, as well as Olympic newcomers Lauren Jortberg (2026), Kendall Kramer (2026), Sammy Smith (2026), John Steel Hagenbuch (2026), Zak Ketterson (2026), Zanden McMullen (2026), Hunter Wonders (2026) and Jack Young (2026).

International standouts include Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, a five-time Crystal Globe winner who is the most accomplished male cross-country skier in history, and Sweden’s Jonna Sundling, who captured three medals at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

BEYOND RACING

In addition to world-class racing, the Stifel Lake Placid Finals will deliver a multi-day winter sports festival featuring themed race days, live entertainment, film screenings, interactive expo activations, and family-friendly programming. Working with the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), the 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Ski and Snowboard, and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the Olympic Regional Development Authority has curated a weeklong slate of experiences to celebrate Nordic skiing and outdoor winter sports. The schedule will spotlight women and girls in sport through school-based outreach, panels, and hands-on activities. Fans will have opportunities to connect with athletes through meet-and-greets, alumni celebrations, and legacy moments such as Sunday’s “The Last Lap” ceremony. These activities and events are meant to foster engagement, connection, and shared appreciation across the community.

A MOMENT OF LEGACY: THE LAST LAP

Diggins and other athletes expected to step away from World Cup racing will be honored at the conclusion of the competition with The Last Lap ceremony on Sunday, March 22. The emotional farewell will serve as a powerful bookend to an already historic weekend, offering fans a rare opportunity to celebrate the careers, contributions, and lasting impact of some of the sport’s most influential stars.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Friday, March 20 – Interval Start Classic
1:00 p.m. | Women’s 10km Interval Start Classic

Saturday, March 21 – Sprint Freestyle
10:30 a.m. | Women’s Sprint Qualification Free
10:30 a.m. | Men’s Sprint Qualification Free
1:00 p.m. | Women’s Sprint Final Free

Sunday, March 22 – Mass Start Freestyle
12:30 p.m. | Men’s 20km Mass Start Free
2:30 p.m. | Women’s 20km Mass Start Free

Schedule is weather and conditions dependent, and may be subject to change. Further information and updates here: Stifel Lake Placid Finals