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Ford Posts Career-Best To Lead Three Americans Into Top 14

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
March, 3 2018
Tommy Ford posted a career-best World Cup giant slalom finish in ninth Saturday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom - Stanko Gruden)
Tommy Ford posted a career-best World Cup giant slalom finish in ninth Saturday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom - Stanko Gruden)

Tommy Ford (Bend, Ore.) posted a career-best World Cup finish in ninth, and Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.) posted a career-best giant slalom result in 10th as the FIS Ski World Cup circuit resumed in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia Saturday.

“It was a fight,” said Ford. “Two big mistakes, one from each run, but the skiing was there. It’s been a battle throughout the season, but I’m glad to have this race today on this kind of snow.”

Ford, who finished 10th in a World Cup giant slalom at Beaver Creek last season, led three U.S. Ski Team athletes into the points as Tim Jitloff (Reno, Nev.) finished 14th. Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) did not finish the first run.

“That second run, I couldn’t be happier with it,” said Cochran-Siegle, who posted the third fastest second run time on a hard, fast course. “I got to sit down in that (leader’s chair) for a while, which is always fun too.”

“It was cool watching Tommy,” Cochran-Siegle added. “He had that little mistake and I think he could’ve really moved up, but he skied great as well.”

Marcel Hirscher of Austria won the race by a massive 1.66 seconds over Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen. Alexis Pinturault of France was third. Hirscher extended his overall World Cup lead to 249 points over Kristoffersen.

Up next, the men race slalom Sunday in Kranjska Gora.

McKennis Top American in Super-G

Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) was the only member of the U.S. Ski Team to finish in the points in Saturday’s World Cup super-G, finishing 23rd in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho) finished 34th, Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore) was 45th and Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.) was 50th. Both Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) are sitting out this weekend’s events.

Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein won the race, followed by Austria’s Anna Veith in second and Wendy Holdener of Switzerland in third. Shiffrin continues to lead the overall World Cup standings by 611 points over Holdener.

Up next, the women compete in alpine combined Sunday with one run of super-G, followed by one run of slalom.

RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom
Women’s super-G

 

McCargo Third in Tazawako

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
March, 3 2018
Keaton McCargo (right) celebrates her second career World Cup podium, a third place finish, with winner Perinne Laffont of France and second-place Justine Dufour-LaPointe of Canada.
Keaton McCargo (right) celebrates her second career World Cup podium, a third-place finish, with winner Perinne Laffont of France and second-place Justine Dufour-LaPointe of Canada.

Fresh off of her first Olympic appearance, Keaton McCargo (Telluride, Colo.) led four U.S. women into finals and landed her second career moguls World Cup podium with a third-place finish on day one of competition in Tazawako, Japan.

McCargo skied strong all day, qualifying first into finals and then posting the highest score, an 81.26, heading into the super finals. A small mistake on her final run bumped her down to third place, matching her best finish from a World Cup in Ruka, Finland in 2016.

"I was really just thinking about having fun today," said McCargo. "The pressure from before the Olympics was off and I was able to really be aggressive and ski the way I wanted to. I qualified first in the beginning two runs and felt really confident going into the final. I had one mistake in the middle section that cost me the win but I am happy with were I am. I had a blast skiing and that's the only thing that really matters to me."

France’s newly crowned Olympic gold medalist Perinne Laffont took home the win with Canada’s Justine Dufour-LaPointe in second. Olivia Giaccio (Redding, Conn.) just missed the podium in fourth place. Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.) was eighth and Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.) 16th.

On the men’s side, Joel Hedrick (Winter Park, Colo.) was the top U.S. finisher in sixth place. Troy Murphy (Bethel, Maine), Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) and Emerson Smith (Dover, Vt.) also advanced into the final rounds, finishing 10th, 12th, and 16th respectively. Japan’s Ikuma Horishima upset Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury to take the win, with Kazakstan’s Dmitriy Reikhard finishing third.

Action continues in Tazawako on Sunday with the first dual moguls competition of the season. Qualification rounds begin at 12:15 p.m. followed by finals at 1:30 p.m JST.

RESULTS
Men’s Moguls
Women’s Moguls

Quest For World Cup Titles Continue

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
March, 1 2018
Current World Cup mogul leader Jaelin Kauf competes in Japan this weekend in moguls and dual moguls events in her quest to win the World Cup title. (Getty Images - Tom Pennington)
Current World Cup mogul leader Jaelin Kauf competes in Japan this weekend in moguls and dual moguls events in her quest to win the World Cup title. (Getty Images - Tom Pennington)

After bringing home 16 medals from the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, including eight gold, many athletes on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team are back on their respective World Cup circuits to finish out the 2018 season.

Read on to see where U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will be in action this week and how to watch via NBC, NBCSN and the Olympic Channel - Home of Team USA.

FIS Women’s Ski World Cup - Crans-Montana, SUI
The fight for crystal globes continue with a super-G and alpine combined weekend March 3-4 in Crans-Montana. Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.), Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.), Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho), Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.) and Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) are expected to race.

FIS Men’s Ski World Cup - Kranjska Gora, SLO
The men’s tech team will take to the slopes in Kranjska Gora with giant slalom on March 3 and slalom on March 4. Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) and Tommy Ford (Bend, Ore.) are among the athletes expected to compete.

FIS Freeski World Cup - Silvaplana, SUI
U.S. Freeski Team members Julia Krass (Hanover, N.H.), Willie Borm (Chaska, Minn.) and Cody LaPlante (Truckee, Calif.), along with U.S. athletes Quinn Wolferman, Tim Ryan and Ryan McElmon, will compete in the second to last slopestyle world cup of the season at Silvaplana. Qualifications will take place on Friday, March 2 followed by finals on Saturday, March 3.

FIS Freestyle World Cup - Tazawako, JPN
Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) will continue her quest for the overall moguls World Cup title this weekend with single moguls and dual moguls World Cup events March 3-4 in Tazawako. Olympic team members Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.), Troy Murphy (Bethel, Maine), Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.), Emerson Smith (Dover, Vt.), Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.), Keaton McCargo (Telluride, Colo.) and Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) will also be competing.

FIS Freestyle World Cup - Sunny Valley, RUS
Tania Prymak (Goshen, N.Y.), Brant Crossan (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and Tyler Wallasch (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) will represent the U.S. at the ski cross World Cup in Sunny Valley. Qualifications will take place Friday, March 2 followed by two finals competitions March 3-4.

FIS Cross Country World Cup - Lahti, FIN
The FIS Nordic Ski World Cup continues March 3-4 with freestyle sprint, women's 10k and men's 15k classic events.​

​​​​​​FIS Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup - Lahti, FIN
Fresh off some strong performances at the Games, Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, Ill.), Michael Glasder (Cary, Ill.), Will Rhoads (Park City, Utah) and Casey Larson (Barrington, Ill.) are back on the World Cup circuit for two events in Lahti, Finland. HS130 qualifications will take place on Friday, March 2 followed by a team event on March 3 and an individual jump on March 4.

FIS Nordic Combined World Cup - Lahti, FIN
Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), Jasper Good (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), Ben Berend (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, Wis.) will compete in a team event on March 3 and an individual event on March 4 in Lahti, Finland.

FIS Snowboard World Cup - La Molina, ESP
U.S. Snowboard Team members Jonathan Cheever (Park City, Utah) and Alex Deibold (Boulder, Colo.) will lead the way for the U.S. at this weekend’s snowboardcross World Cup in La Molina, Spain. Qualifications will take place on Friday, March 2 followed by finals on Saturday, March 3.

FIS Snowboard World Cup - Kayseri, TUR
Americans Steve Maccutcheon and Ryan Rosencranz will represent the U.S. at the parallel giant slalom World Cup in Kayseri, Turkey. Qualifiers and finals will take place on Saturday, March 3.

HOW TO WATCH
*All Times EST

ALPINE
March 3

3:30 a.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 1, Kranjska Gora - OlympicChannel.com
4:30 a.m. - Women’s super-G, Crans-Montana -  OlympicChannel.com
6:30 a.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 2, Kranjska Gora - OlympicChannel.com
8:30 a.m. - Women’s super-G, Crans-Montana - Olympic Channel TV
9:30 a.m. - Men’s giant slalom, Kranjska Gora - Olympic Channel TV
10:30 p.m. - Women’s super-G, Crans-Montana -  NBCSN

March 4
3:30 a.m. - Men’s slalom run 1, Kranjska Gora - OlympicChannel.com
4:30 a.m. - Women’s combined run 1, Crans-Montana -  OlympicChannel.com
8:30 a.m. - Men’s slalom - Kranjska Gora - Olympic Channel TV
9:30 a.m. - Women’s combined, Crans-Montana - Olympic Channel TV

FREESKI
March 3

8:30 a.m. - Slopestyle, Silvaplana - OlympicChannel.com
8:00 p.m. - Slopestyle, Silvaplana - Olympic Channel TV

FREESTYLE
March 2

11:30 p.m. - Moguls, Tazawako - Olympic Channel TV

March 3
3:30 a.m. - Ski Cross, Sunny Valley - OlympicChannel.com
8:30 a.m. - Slopestyle, Silvaplana - OlympicChannel.com
10:30 a.m. - Ski Cross, Sunny Valley - Olympic Channel TV
8:00 p.m. - Slopestyle, Silvaplana - Olympic Channel TV
11:30 p.m. - Dual Moguls, Tazawako - Olympic Channel TV

March 4
2:00 a.m. - Ski Cross, Sunny Valley - OlympicChannel.com
9:00 a.m. - Ski Cross, Sunny Valley - Olympic Channel TV

CROSS COUNTRY
March 3

7:15 a.m. - Men and women sprint - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
7:00 p.m. - Men and women sprint - Lahti - Olympic Channel TV

March 4
5:15 a.m. - Women’s 10k- Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
8:45 a.m. - Men’s 10k- Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
4:00 p.m. - Women’s 10k- Lahti - Olympic Channel TV

SKI JUMPING
March 2

12:00 p.m. - Men’s individual qualifying - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com

March 3
10:30 a.m. - Men’s team - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
9:00 p.m. - Men’s team - Lahti - Olympic Channel TV

March 4
9:30 a.m. - Men’s individual - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
6:00 p.m. - Men’s individual - Lahti - Olympic Channel TV

NORDIC COMBINED
March 3

6:15 a.m. - HS130 - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
9:30 a.m. - Team sprint - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com

March 4
4:00 a.m. - HS130 - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com
8:45 a.m. - Individual 10k - Lahti - OlympicChannel.com

SNOWBOARD
March 3

5:00 a.m. - Snowboardcross - La Molina - OlympicChannel.com
7:30 a.m. Parallel giant slalom - Kayseri - OlympicChannel.com
6:00 p.m. - Snowboardcross - La Molina - Olympic Channel TV

Diggins Seventh in 30K Classic To Close 2018 Games

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 25 2018
Jessica Diggins finished seventh in the final event of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Sunday in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Getty Images - Quinn Rooney)
Jessica Diggins finished seventh in the final event of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Sunday in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Getty Images - Quinn Rooney)

Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) wrapped up the 2018 Olympic Winter Games finishing seventh in the 30k mass start classic race Sunday at the Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Centre.

“It was a tough race for sure,” said Diggins, who finished with a time of 1:25:54.8 after suffering a first-lap crash. “Any time you do 30k it is really hard and it takes a lot of guts. For me, it was my worst race of the games, but I was seventh in the world today and I am really proud of that.”

Norway's Marit Bjoergen won the gold with a time of 1:22:17.6. Finland's Krista Parmakoski claimed the silver medal, while Stina Nilsson of Sweden won the bronze.

Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.) finished 17th with a time of 1:28:50.2, Rosie Frankowski (Anchorage, Alaska) was 21st in 1:31:11.4, and Caitlin Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska) was 26th, crossing the line in 1:32:43.6.

“It was really fun the last 15K, nothing felt really good out there but it was really fun to dig deep,” Bjornsen said. “It was a fun 30K suffer-fest.”

Following the event, Diggins led Team USA into PyeongChang Olympic Stadium as flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony.

RESULTS
Women’s 30k classic
 

Patterson 11th in 50k Classic

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 24 2018
Scott Patterson finished 11th in the men’s 50k classic, the final men’s cross country event of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. (Getty Images – Clive Mason)
Scott Patterson finished 11th in the men’s 50k classic, the final men’s cross country event of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. (Getty Images – Clive Mason)

Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska) led Team USA, finishing 11th, in the 50k classic cross country race at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Saturday at the Alpensia Cross Country Ski Centre.

“I had a great race,” said Patterson, who posted the best-ever finish by a U.S. athlete in the 50k. “It was exciting and for that last 5k people were starting to dangle in front of me. It was really fun picking off some of the big names, I really wanted another couple of K’s to get into the top 10, but still, 11th is awesome for a result.”

Finland’s Iivo Niskanen won the gold with a time of 2:08:22. Athletes from Russia took the silver and bronze with Alexander Bolshunov and Andrey Larkov finishing second and third respectively. Canada’s Alex Harvey just missed a medal, finishing in fourth, in a two-up sprint for bronze with Larkov.

Noah Hoffman (Aspen, Colo.) was 33rd, and Taylor Kornfield (Anchorage, Alaska) was 48th.

“Every race has gotten better for me in these Olympics and I would have loved to get a top 30,” Hoffman said. “I thought it was possible with 8k to go, but I had used my two ski exchanges and towards the end, I couldn’t quite hang. It was a brutal race - a 50k classic at the Olympics on a hard course.”

“The first two laps were a little rough for me,” Kornfield said. “At the first ski exchange my new skis were great, and I started to pick people off. You have to put yourself in position to do well and ignore how your body feels. I did that for the first 5k and then when you go off the back like I did, you need to compose yourself and ski your own race.”

RESULTS
Men’s 50k classic
 

Mack Claims Silver In Inaugural Big Air

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 23 2018
Kyle Mack celebrates after winning the silver medal during the big air final at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. (Getty Images - Clive Mason)
Kyle Mack celebrates after winning the silver medal during the big air final at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. (Getty Images - Clive Mason)

Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, Mich.) claimed the silver medal in inaugural Olympic Winter Games snowboard big air Saturday morning at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Center.

“I’m really stoked,” Mack said. “I came in with the mindset of doing my backside triple and my frontside 14, and I did it. To land those two tricks right off the bat, took all the pressure off me, and to walk away with a silver medal today is just mind-blowing.”

Mack posted a total score of 168.75 for his two best jumps, 5.5 points behind the gold medal score of 174.25 for Canada’s Sebastien Toutant. Great Britain's Billy Morgan won the bronze medal with a score of 168.00.

Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) finished fourth, while Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.), the gold medalist in snowboard slopestyle earlier in the Games, was fifth.

RESULTS
Men’s Big Air

Live Stream Slumberland American Birkebeiner

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 23 2018
Slumberland American Birkebeiner

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, in partnership with Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC), will live stream Saturday’s Slumberland American Birkebeiner, which is part of the U..S. Ski & Snowboard Super Tour Series.

Racing kicks off with the Elite women’s skate at 8:30 a.m. CDT. Followed by the combined men and women’s elite classic race at 8:35 a.m. and the elite men’s skate race at 8:50 a.m.

The live stream will be available on this page, in addition to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Facebook page.

Super Tour LIVE Stream

Olympic Update: Alpine Team Event Debuts Saturday

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 23 2018
Alice Merryweather joins five of her teammate in the Olympic debut of the alpine team event Saturday. (Getty Images - Dan Istitene)
Alice Merryweather joins five of her teammate in the Olympic debut of the alpine team event Saturday. (Getty Images - Dan Istitene)

ALPINE
Alpine Team Event Debuts Saturday

Team USA has announced the six athletes who will start in the Olympic debut of the alpine team event at the Yongpyong Alpine Center. The starters are:
Men: David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, Colo.), Mark Engel (Truckee, Calif.), Nolan Kasper (Warren, Vt.)
Women: Megan McJames (Park City, Utah), Tricia Mangan (Buffalo, N.Y.), Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.)
The alpine team event starts at 11:00 a.m. KT Saturday / 9:00 p.m. EST Friday.
START LISTS
Alpine Team Event
Start List Ladder

 

CROSS COUNTRY
Patterson, Kornfield, Hoffman To Start 50K Classic

Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska) Tyler Kornfield (Anchorage, Alaska) and Noah Hoffman (Aspen Colo.) lead Team USA into the final men’s cross country event, the individual 50k classic, Saturday 2:00 p.m. KT / 12:00 a.m. EST.

 

SNOWBOARD
Mack, Corning, Gerard Advance to Big Air Medal Round

Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, Mich.), Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) and Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.) advanced to the medal round in big air competition at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Center.  Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, Alaska) finished 13th in qualifying heat 2 and did not advance to the finals.
The medal round is scheduled for Saturday, 10:00 a.m. KT / 8:00 p.m. EST Friday.
START LIST
Men’s big air finals

Muss, Trapp For Parallel Giant Slalom
Aaron Muss (Rumson, N.J.) and Michael Trapp (Hyannis, Mass.) will represent Team USA in parallel giant slalom qualifying Saturday, 9:30 a.m. KT / 7:30 p.m. EST Friday.
START LIST
Men’s Parallel giant slalom

 

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23
NBC
8:00-11:00 p.m. - Alpine team event, big air snowboarding (live), men's parallel GS snowboarding.

NBCSN
12:30-4:00 p.m. - Medal Ceremony, men's 50k classic mass start (live)

Olympic Channel: Home Of Team USA
12:30-1:00 p.m. - Winter Olympics Daily with Jimmy Roberts

NBCOlympics.com - Live Streaming
8:00-9:45 p.m. - Men's big air snowboarding (Saturday)
9:00-10:55 p.m. - Alpine team event (Saturday)
10:00-11:30 p.m. - Parallel giant slalom snowboarding (Saturday)

SATURDAY, FEB. 24
NBC
3:00-6:00 p.m. - Men's 50k classic mass start

Olympic Channel: Home Of Team USA
5:00-7:00 a.m. - Medal Ceremony (live)

NBCOlympics.com - Live Streaming
11:00 p.m.-3:05 a.m. - Men's 50k classic mass start

SUNDAY, FEB. 25
NBC
3:15-5:20 p.m. - Women's 30k classic mass start
7:00-8:00 p.m. - Olympic Gold recaps the PyeongChang Winter Games
8:00-10:30 p.m. - Closing Ceremony

NBCSN
2:00-4:00 a.m. - Women's 30k classic mass start

NBCOlympics.com - Live Streaming
1:15-3:20 a.m. - Women's 30k classic mass start
6:00-8:30 a.m. - Closing Ceremony

 

Diggins Selected as Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer for 2018 U.S. Olympic Team

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 23 2018
Jessie Diggins
Jessica Diggins will carry the U.S. flag for Team USA at the Closing Ceremonies. (Getty Images - Lars Baron)

Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) was selected to lead the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team into Sunday's Closing Ceremony as flag bearer, as announced today by the United States Olympic Committee. Diggins was chosen by a vote of fellow members of Team USA.

A two-time Olympian, Diggins made history at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 along with teammate Kikkan Randall, winning Team USA’s first-ever medal for women in cross-country skiing as the pair captured the gold medal in the freestyle team sprint. Diggins powered through the finish, outlasting the team from Sweden in a near-photo finish, winning the Olympic title by 0.19 seconds. It marked the second medal for the U.S. in cross-country skiing in Olympic history, with the first – a silver – won in 1976.

“This is such an incredible honor for me,” said Diggins. “I’m really humbled and moved that the athletes voted for me. It’s so inspiring to feel the support and cheering from everyone. The coolest thing for me about the Games has been getting to meet other athletes on Team USA, and getting to cheer them on at their events and learn about what they do. I have so much respect and admiration for everybody here and am beyond honored to be able to lead us out of these Games.”

In addition to Diggins’ gold medal-winning performance, she also posted four top-six finishes in these Games. Earlier in her career, Diggins was part of the first American team to win a world cup team sprint event, and she and Randall became the first U.S. cross-country skiers to win a world championship gold medal.

“Jessie’s breakthrough performances here in PyeongChang have been inspirational and historic, and her success is representative of years of teamwork and determination from all our athletes,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “I am proud that she has been recognized with the distinction of being our flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony. Her spirit and dedication to her sport and team members is contagious, and her influence on cross-country skiing and Team USA are remarkable.”  

Diggins is the first cross-country skier to serve as Closing Ceremony flag bearer for Team USA.

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FLAG BEARERS – CLOSING CEREMONY

1960     Donald McDermott, Speedskating
1964     Jean Saubert, Alpine Skiing
1968     Tim Wood, Figure Skating
1972     Barbara Ann Cochran, Alpine Skiing
1976     Sheila Young, Speedskating
1980     Eric Heiden, Speedskating
1984     Phil Mahre, Alpine Skiing
1988     Bonnie Blair, Speedskating
1992     Bonnie Blair, Speedskating
1994     Dan Jansen, Speedskating
1998     Cammi Granato, Ice Hockey
2002     Brian Shimer, Bobsled
2006     Joey Cheek, Speedskating
2010     Bill Demong, Nordic Combined
2014     Julie Chu, Ice Hockey
2018     Jessie Diggins, Cross-Country Skiing

Randall Elected IOC Athletes Representative

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
February, 22 2018
Kikkan Randall
Gold medalists Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins during the medal ceremony for the cross country team sprint. Randall was elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission at the 2018 Games. (Getty Images - Clive Rose)

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Five-time U.S. Olympian Kikkan Randall – who made Olympic history by winning the first-ever U.S. gold medal in cross country skiing – was elected by her peers to the International Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission. She joins Finnish ice hockey player Emma Terho as newly elected members of the 20-person commission that serves as a link between athletes and the IOC.

Randall and Terho will serve eight-year terms. The pair will be confirmed as members of the IOC on Feb. 25. As a U.S. IOC member, Randall will also become a member of the USOC board of directors. Voting took place among all competing Olympians from Feb. 1-21 in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Villages.

“Wow, what amazing news to get today,” said Randall. “I have so much passion and energy to put toward the Olympic Movement and it feels so good to have the athletes put their faith in me. I look forward to representing the athletes and making the Olympic Movement strong in the future. This is going to be a really fun ride.”

On Wednesday, Randall (Anchorage) and teammate Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) made history by winning the first Olympic medal in cross-country skiing for U.S. women (team sprint). In 2013, the duo became the first-ever U.S. world champions in cross-country skiing in the same event. Overall, Randall has skied in nine world championships, also winning silver in 2009 (sprint) and bronze in 2017 (sprint) after taking the 2015-16 season off for the birth of her child.

Randall is a three-time overall world cup sprint champion, three-time world championship medalist, 27-time world cup podium finisher and the first U.S. woman to earn a top-10 finish in cross-country skiing at the Olympic Winter Games.

“Kikkan has had a very strong impact across many sports as both a role model and a leader of athletes,” said Olympian Tiger Shaw, who is president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Her engagement with youth has become a hallmark, touching thousands of young girls through both her results as an athlete and a leader with Healthy Futures, and Fast and Female.”

Randall’s seat is one of two that become available when current chair Angela Ruggiero of the U.S. and member Adam Pengilly of Great Britain finish their eight-year terms on Feb. 25. Randall was one of six athletes vying for the two positions.

The goal of the IOC Athletes’ Commission is to ensure that the athletes’ viewpoint remains at the heart of Olympic Movement decisions. The majority of members of the commission are elected directly by Olympic athletes. Members of the commission are also present on the majority of other IOC commissions, and the chair serves on the IOC executive board.

“Kikkan has always represented Team USA to the highest levels,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “She’s a selfless and consummate athlete, professional, wife, mother, and advocate, and will no doubt have an extremely positive impact on the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Angela has set the bar high over the last eight years as she tirelessly advocated on behalf of athletes from all over the world, and Kikkan will no doubt further her legacy.”

Ruggiero – a four-time Olympic medalist in ice hockey – was elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission during the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010. She became vice chair in 2014 and chair in 2016.

“Congratulations to Kikkan for this well-deserved honor,” said Ruggiero. “Serving in a key leadership role on behalf of the athletes at the center of the Olympic Movement is not only a great honor, but an important responsibility. Kikkan’s a proven and dedicated advocate for athletes, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact she’ll have in this new role.”

In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Randall has served as an active ambassador for youth through leadership engagement with both Healthy Futures and Fast and Female – organizations that promote the benefits of healthy, active lifestyles to youth. She also played a key role in establishing greater leadership engagement for athletes within the International Ski Federation.

Nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees, the six candidates originated from three continents and five sports. Joining Randall and Terho as candidates were Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (Norway, cross-country skiing), Ander Mirambell (Spain, skeleton), Hong Zhang (China, speedskating) and Armin Zoeggeler (Italy, luge).

IOC Athletes' Commission (as of Feb. 26)

  • Kirsty Coventry, Chair
  • Danka Bartekova, Vice Chair
  • Nadin Dawani
  • Tony Estanguet
  • Chelsey Gotell
  • Daniel Gyurta
  • Britta Heidemann
  • Stefan Holm
  • Yelena Isinbaeva
  • Aya Medany
  • Saina Nehwal
  • Kikkan Randall
  • Seung-Min Ryu
  • Luis Scola
  • Patrick Singleton
  • Emma Terho
  • James Tomkins
  • Sarah Walker
  • Hayley Wickenheiser

Previous U.S. IOC Athletes' Commission Members

  • Bob Ctvrtlik, Volleyball
  • Edwin Moses, Track and Field
  • Angela Ruggiero, Ice Hockey