Park City, UT – The 2015-16 U.S. Cross Country Ski Team was announced yesterday, just before this weekend’s International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup opener in Ruka, Finland. A total of 16 athletes were named to the A, B and D Teams, including 2015 World Championship medalists Jessie Diggins and Caitlin Gregg.
“The 2015-16 season is going to be a very exciting one for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. With 16 athletes spread between the A, B and D Teams, we have more athletes on the roster than we’ve carried in many years, which is reflective of the quality of American athletes rising from our development ranks,” said head coach Chris Grover. “We are also looking at a historic season with 37 World Cup starts and two major tours on the calendar. We’ve never had so many World Cups in one season nor two eight-stage tours to focus on. The Team is excited to tackle these challenges. The Team is both healthy and fit, so look for many breakout performances by American athletes this season. ”
The team will be missing the leadership of Kikkan Randall this season who is a 14-year veteran of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and one of its most decorated stars in history. Randall, of Anchorage, Alaska, is taking the 2015-16 season off as she and husband Jeff Ellis are expecting their first child. Randall plans to spend some time at selective World Cups this season as a spectator to maintain contact with the sport and will return for the 2016-17 season.
After a breakout 2015 season, Ida Sargent moved to the A team from the B team. Sargent sprinted her way to a fifth place in the World Cup opener in Ruka, Finland, landing her a career-best individual finish. 2010 Olympian and World Champion bronze medalist Caitlin Gregg, of Minneapolis, and 2014 and 2015 national champion Rosie Brennan of Park City are making their official debut on the U.S. Ski Team.
The team kicked off summer training at the Snow Farm in Wanaka, New Zealand, followed by impressive top-10 finishes from several athletes at the Toppidrettsveka roller ski tour in Norway in August. The team wrapped up fall training with a Park City camp and mini-tour. The team headed to Gaellivare, Sweden in the beginning of November where they had a nine-day on-snow camp prior to the World Cup season, which begins Friday.
There are two major eight-stage tours this season—the Tour de Ski in January and the Ski Tour Canada in March. Both tours will be focal points for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team.
2015-16 U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Roster
Name (hometown; home club) (skis, boots, poles, eyewear, gloves) birthdate
* Olympian
** World Championship Team member
A Team
Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Rudy Project, Swix) 11/21/1989 * **
Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT; SMS T2) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Rudy Project, Johaug) 3/22/90 * **
Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; SMS T2) (Salomon, Salomon, One Way, Rudy Project, Toko) 8/26/1991 * **
Simi Hamilton (Aspen, CO; SMS T2) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Oakley, Swix) 5/14/1987* **
Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT; SMS T2) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Rudy Project, Swix) 11/30/1983 * **
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center) (Fischer, Fischer, Yoko, Rudy Project, Yoko) 12/31/1982 * **
Ida Sargent (Orleans, VT; Craftsbury Green Racing Project) (Madshus, Madshus, Swix, Rudy Project, Toko) 1/25/1988 * **
Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT; Burke Mountain Academy) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Exel, Rudy Project, Johaug) 1/12/1987 * **
B Team
Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Swix, Oakley, Toko) 7/14/1991 * **
Rosie Brennan (Park City, UT; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Exel, Rudy Project, Toko) 12/2/1988 **
Caitlin Gregg (Minneapolis, MN; Loppet Nordic Racing) (Madshus, Madshus, Madshus, Bliz, Toko) 11/7/1980 * **
Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail) (Madshus, Madshus, Madshus, Julbo, Toko) 8/1/1989 * **
D Team
Patrick Caldwell (Lyme, NH; SMS T2) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Rudy Project, Swix) 2/18/1994
Julia Kern (Waltham, MA; Stratton Mountain School) (Fischer, Alpina, One Way, Rudy Project, Toko) 9/12/1997
Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, VT; Stratton Mountain School) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Rudy, Project, Toko) 11/17/1997
Ben Saxton (Lakeville, MN; SMS T2) (Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Julbo, Toko) 6/3/1993
2016 CROSS COUNTRY STAFF
Coaching Staff
Chris Grover, Head Coach
Matt Whitcomb, Woman’s Coach
Jason Cork, Men’s Coach
Bryan Fish, Development Coach