The International Ski Federation (FIS) today officially confirmed that Minnesota will host a World Cup cross-country ski event in Minneapolis in March 2020.  U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the Loppet Foundation will serve as hosts of the World Cup event, taking place at the new ‘The Trailhead’ facility in Theodore Wirth Park.

“A Minnesotan who brought home a gold medal has now helped us bring home the World Cup,” said host committee co-chair RT Rybak. “Now it’s time for Minnesota too, once again, show we host big events better than anyone.”

Cross country ski champion Jessie Diggins is a native of Afton, Minnesota, and the first American athlete to win a gold medal in Olympic cross country ski competition; she and teammate Kikkan Randall won the women's team sprint at Pyeongchang earlier this year. Diggins was key to securing this international competition for Minnesota.

“Hosting a round of the World Cup is our chance to show skiers from around the world how Minnesota embraces winter - through sport and through our hospitality,” said Diggins. “U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The Loppet Foundation are excited to host a world-class competition and share our state with athletes from around the world. We’re equally excited to give ski fans from around the US a chance to see the action up close for the first time in nineteen years! I am so proud to represent Minnesota as one of the first American athletes to win Olympic Gold in cross country, and now to bring the sport I love to the state I call home.”

“When Jessie called me and asked if the Foundation would support her dream of bringing a cross country World Cup event to the U.S., my team and I responded with an enthusiastic ‘yes!’” said John Munger, Executive Director of the Loppet Foundation. “Her ask was a no-brainer for us because we, too, have dreams of sharing this spectacular sport with the world. That’s why we’ve worked hard over the last 16 years to elevate cross country skiing, and adventure sports widely, starting in our own backyard.”

“Everyone at U.S. Ski & Snowboard is delighted that we and the Loppet Foundation are able to formally confirm that the cross country World Cup will be coming back to the USA in March 2020 and to one of the great hotbeds of cross country skiing in Minneapolis,” commented Calum Clark, Chief of Systems and Operations for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “A lot of hard work has gone into making this announcement possible, from the Loppet Foundation team in Minneapolis to the International Ski Federation (FIS), but none more so than from Minnesota’s own Jessie Diggins and the whole U.S. Cross Country Ski Team whose efforts, especially in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, were the catalyst for the compelling concept to bring the world’s best cross country skiers to the city of Minneapolis.”

On the heels of successfully hosting Super Bowl LII, the WNBA All-Star Game, and now preparing to host the NCAA Final Four, the FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup event is yet another in a string of world-class sporting events to choose Minnesota as host.

“The Loppet has helped put Minneapolis cross country skiing on the map, and Theodore Wirth Park offers the best trails in our state,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Hosting a round of the Cross Country Ski World Cup is yet another chance to showcase how to do winter right and for our city to shine as we show the world that Minneapolis welcomes everyone with open arms.”

“Minnesota is the perfect host state for a cross country ski racing World Cup event,” said Beth Helle of Explore Minnesota. “Minnesota boasts more than 2,000 miles of cross-country ski trails, and the sport is integral to our winter tourism industry. Winter accounts for 24% of tourism expenditures in Minnesota, and our high-quality, groomed ski trails help ensure that skiing-related destinations and businesses are able to thrive throughout the winter months.”

Nearly a decade in the making and just opened this summer, The Trailhead is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Master Plan for the park and the Loppet Foundation’s long-term vision for making lifetime endurance sports more accessible for their local community. This year-round hub for outdoor adventure will host competitive races, community events, and now an international ski competition right in Theodore Wirth Park; solidifying Theodore Wirth Regional Park as a world-class cross country venue.

More information on the World Cup event, including how to secure tickets and see the competition in action, will be available on the local organizing committee’s website, www.mnworldcup.com, or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @mnworldcup.

About the Loppet Foundation

The Loppet Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates a shared passion for year-round outdoor adventure in the Minneapolis area, focusing on underserved youth and families. Since 2002, the Loppet Foundation has worked to create high-quality public events, youth education, and outdoor recreation programs for the local community. Learn more at loppet.org.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body for ski and snowboard sports in the USA. One of the oldest and most established sports organizations worldwide, directly tracing its roots back to 1905, the organization, based in Park City, UT, provides leadership and direction for elite athletes competing at the highest level worldwide and for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders in the USA, encouraging and supporting all its athletes in achieving excellence wherever they train and compete. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to fund athletic programs that directly assist athletes in reaching their dreams and achieving the shared goal of being Best In The World.

PARK CITY, Utah  ­— Internationally recognized outdoor retailer L.L.Bean, known for its legendary customer service and high-quality gear and apparel that help to further people’s enjoyment of the outdoors, and Swix, renowned for its cutting-edge technology in world-class competition and training wear, today announced a partnership with the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team.  

As official supplier to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team, L.L.Bean will provide insulated outerwear and rainwear, as well as casual wear and hats. Swix will develop customized World Cup and World Championship race suits and performance jackets and pants. Both companies will share responsibility for summer training products.

“We are thrilled that Swix will be joining us in partnership with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association,” said Christina Semanyshyn, L.L.Bean’s manager of strategic partnerships. “For more than sixty years, Swix has been one of the strongest, most recognized names in the ski industry, and L.L.Bean has been carrying our quality products for years. Like us, as well as U.S. Ski & Snowboard, they share our collective passion for living an active lifestyle and enabling people to get outside.”

“U.S Ski & Snowboard welcomes Swix as a clothing supplier to the U.S. Cross Country Team”, stated Dan Barnett, Chief Commercial Officer.  “The Swix product line complements L.L.Bean’s offerings and together will provide the comfort and performance the Team will need in the clothing category.  Swix’s product mix, technology and attention to detail will help the U.S. Cross Country Team achieve athletic excellence during the 2018-19 competition season.”

The U.S. Cross Country Ski Team achieved historic results last season with many top performances on the World Cup and at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.  On the World Cup, among many podiums, Jessie Diggins placed second overall with Sadie Bjornsen finishing sixth overall. Sophie Caldwell finished third overall in the Sprint category.  Diggins also finished third overall in the Tour de Ski. The season highlight was Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, Alaska) winning the gold medal in the in the Team Sprint at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

“I am thrilled that Swix will be a clothing supplier to the U.S. Cross Country Team, while simultaneously building on our strong partnership with premier retail partner, L.L.Bean,” said Swix Sport USA President & CEO Steve Poulin. “Together, we’re committed to ensuring this team will have unrivaled performance clothing while competing against the best in the world.”

“The U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes and staff are very excited to be wearing Swix this season,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Head Cross Country coach Chris Grover.  “Swix has a long history of providing high-end performance wear for some of the best athletes and teams in the world. The fit, functionality and performance of Swix racing and training gear is world-class, and we’ll need this level of performance to meet our goals of winning multiple medals at the 2019 Seefeld Nordic World Championships. The combination of L.L.Bean outerwear and Swix performance gear is ideal for the USA program and we are grateful to both companies for their incredible support and their belief in United States’ cross country ski racing.”

About L.L.Bean, Inc.

L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. Still family owned, Shawn Gorman, great grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean, was named Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2013. While its business has grown over the years, L.L.Bean continues to uphold the values of its founder, including his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors. In the past five years, L.L.Bean has donated over $6 million toward conservation and land stewardship. L.L.Bean currently operates 41 stores in 17 states across the United States, along with 27 stores in Japan. The 220,000-sq. ft. L.L.Bean retail store campus in Freeport, Maine, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide at www.llbean.com, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.

About Swix

Swix with roots running deep in the snow and ice of Scandinavia, is an industry pioneer in the development of ski waxes, tuning tools, poles and apparel for both alpine and cross-country skiers around the globe. With a constant focus on research and development, athletes skiing on Swix wax, poles and technical wear have captured countless Olympic and World Championships medals since the company’s debut in 1946.  Swix Sport is part of the newly formed Brav outdoor group of brands. Toko, Lundhags, Ulvang, Helsport, Orginal, Hardrocx, and Skisporet. Learn more at Brav.com. Instagram.  Facebook.  www.swixsport.us

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Reese Brown
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Press Officer
reese.brown@usskiandsnowboard.org

PARK CITY, Utah – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced that Bryan Fish has been promoted to the position of Cross Country Sport Development Manager. This is a new position and includes many of Bryan’s current duties at U.S. Ski & Snowboard, in addition to the key domestic and development responsibilities held by former Nordic Domestic Program Director Robert Lazzaroni. U.S. Ski and Snowboard will not fill that role but will hire a coordinator to assist Fish as he takes on his new role.

“This is an exciting time for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team, and promoting Bryan Fish to fill this new role could not come at a better time,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner. “Bryan has done great work as the development coach and the team is now seeing the positive outcomes of his well-orchestrated strategy. He has been a large contributor to the strong results we are seeing at Junior Worlds and most recently at the International Junior Camp in Norway. With these added responsibilities, Bryan will continue to be the driving force with the development pipeline and become a larger player in the national cross country scene.”

Bryan’s new role as Sport Development Manager is unique in that it will allow Fish to continue to coach in camps and lead trips including Junior World Ski Championships and OPA Cup.  Sustainability has been built in these programs and it is important that this consistency for the athletes continues.

“Thanks to U.S. Ski & Snowboard for offering me the opportunity to expand my support to the Cross Country community,” Fish said. “As the Cross Country Development Coach, I have focused on collaborating with our ski community to build out the development system. We have worked together with coaches, clubs, divisions, and regions to fill in structural gaps with needed programming. We have also made significant strides in building a stronger national development system. The preparation and performance of our athletes at every level is proof we are moving in the right direction. I am excited to place a greater focus on establishing a clear pathway as we move ahead.”

Based in Park City, Utah, Fish assumes his new role effective immediately and will be actively seeking an additional hire to assist in this new role.