The 2024 Stifel Loppet Cup was an international cross-country skiing competition held February 17–18 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. As one of the fifteen events in the 2023–24 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season, it featured top-ranked skiers from the global racing circuit. The event was the first World Cup cross-country ski competition held in the United States since 2001.[1] More than 150 athletes from 21 countries competed in the races.[2] About 40,000 spectators attended the two-day, festival-like event that was headlined by the women’s races.[3][4]
| 2023–24 FIS Cross-Country World Cup | |
 Jessie Diggins of the United States in the women's 10 km final on February 18, 2024. | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Cross-country skiing |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Dates | February 17–18, 2024 |
| Administrator | FIS |
| Host(s) | Loppet Foundation |
| Venue | Theodore Wirth Park |
| Participants | More than 150 athletes from 21 nations |
| Broadcast | Eurosport NBC Sports |
| Website | Loppet Cup |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Attendance | 40,000 |
| Freestyle 1.5 km sprint | |
| Dates | February 17, 2028 |
| Champion | M - Johannes Høsflot Klæbo F - Jonna Sundling |
| Freestyle 10 km | |
| Dates | February 18, 2024 |
| Champion | M - Gus Schumacher F - Jonna Sundling |
Development edit
The United States had last hosted a World Cup cross-country ski event in 2001 at Soldier Hollow, Utah, as a test run for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.[5] Jessie Diggins, a native of Afton, Minnesota, after winning a cross-country skiing gold medal alongside teammate Kikkan Randall at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, lobbied for the United States to host a World Cup cross-country skiing event.[6] Due to the efforts of Diggins and others, the Loppet Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was given the opportunity to host an event at Theodore Wirth Park on March 17, 2020, but it was canceled five days prior to its start as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8]
The Loppet Foundation was given another host opportunity in the 2023–24 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season as part of a North American swing, with an event on the tour taking place the week prior in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.[9] Race organizers in Minneapolis, however, had to contend with one of the warmest and driest winters on local record, which threatened to cancel the event.[2][10][11] To mitigate the weather conditions, organizers created a 7-kilometre (4.3 mi) ski trail with a 0.6-metre (2.0 ft) base using snowmaking machines.[2] About 17.78 centimetres (7.00 in) of natural snow fell two days before the races.[12]
The event was broadcast by Eurosport in European countries and by NBC Sports in the United States.[13]
Results edit
Over two days, men and women athletes competed in separate sprint and 10 kilometer races using skate skiing (or freestyle) technique. In the 1.5 kilometer sprint finals on February 17, 2024, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway was the top male finisher and Jonna Sundling of Sweden was the top female finisher.[14] In the 10 kilometer finals on February 18, 2024, Gus Schumacker of the United States was the top male finisher and Jonna Sundling of Sweden the top female finisher.[15][16] Harald Østberg Amundsen of Norway and Jessie Diggins of the United States earned points from their race finishes to help maintain their leads in the overall 2023–2024 season standings for male and female skiers, respectively.[17][16][18]
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[19]
Men edit
1.5 km sprint final freestyle (mass start) edit
| Rank | Bib | Athlete | Country | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | Johannes Høsflot Klæbo |  Norway
|
2:54.24 |
|
2 | Federico Pellegrino |  Italy
|
2:54.51 |
|
6 | Håvard Solås Taugbøl | Norway
|
2:55.45 |
| 4 | 15 | Janik Riebli |  Switzerland
|
2:57.55 |
| 5 | 21 | Even Northug | Norway
|
3:03.28 |
| 6 | 11 | Simone Daprà | Italy
|
3:03.45 |
10 km final freestyle (interval start) edit
| Rank | Bib | Athlete | Country | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
35 | Gus Schumacher |  United States
|
20:52.7 |
|
|
56 
|
Harald Østberg Amundsen | Norway
|
20:57.1 |
|
|
70 | Pål Golberg | Norway
|
20:58.5 |
| 4 | 64 | Johannes Høsflot Klæbo | Norway
|
20:59.2 |
| 5 | 42 | William Poromaa |  Sweden
|
21:00.8 |
| 6 | 30 | Thomas Maloney Westgård |  Ireland
|
21:01.3 |
Overall World Cup standings after Minneapolis edit
| Rank | Points | Athlete | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2073
|
Harald Østberg Amundsen | Norway
|
| 2 | 1743 | Johannes Høsflot Klæbo | Norway
|
| 3 | 1663 | Erik Valnes | Norway
|
| 4 | 1564 | Pål Golberg | Norway
|
| 5 | 1078 | Friedrich Moch |  Germany
|
Women edit
1.5 km sprint final freestyle (mass start) edit
| Rank | Bib | Athlete | Country | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | Jonna Sundling | Sweden
|
3:06.40 |
|
|
3 | Linn Svahn | Sweden
|
3:07.35 |
|
|
5 | Kristine Stavås Skistad | Norway
|
3:09.08 |
| 4 | 2
|
Jessie Diggins | United States
|
3:11.29 |
| 5 | 6 | Victoria Carl | Germany
|
3:21.20 |
| 6 | 15 | Emma Ribom | Sweden
|
3:53.87 |
10 km final freestyle (interval start) edit
| Rank | Bib | Athlete | Country | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
38 | Jonna Sundling | Sweden
|
22:38.9 |
|
|
32 | Frida Karlsson | Sweden
|
22:54.3 |
|
|
58
|
Jessie Diggins | United States
|
23:10.7 |
| 4 | 50 | Linn Svahn | Sweden
|
23:13.9 |
| 5 | 34 | Victoria Carl | Germany
|
23:22.5 |
| 6 | 52 | Kerttu Niskanen |  Finland
|
23:26.1 |
Overall World Cup standings after Minneapolis edit
| Rank | Points | Athlete | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2290
|
Jessie Diggins | United States
|
| 2 | 2033 | Linn Svahn | Sweden
|
| 3 | 1831 | Frida Karlsson | Sweden
|
| 4 | 1657 | Victoria Carl | Germany
|
| 5 | 1602 | Rosie Brennan | United States
|
Achievements edit
Jonna Sundling of Sweden dominated the final rounds of the women’s competition by winning both the sprint and 10 kilometer finals.[20][16]
Gus Schumacker, a 23-year old from Anchorage, Alaska, had a surprise victory in the men’s 10 kilometer final. He became the youngest American to win a World Cup cross-country skiing race, the first American man to win any World Cup race since Simi Hamilton in 2013,[21][15] and the first American man to win a World Cup distance race since Bill Koch in 1983.[22][23]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Grove, Casey (February 16, 2024). "Alaskan skiers among contenders at first World Cup event on U.S. trails in more than two decades". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c Karwowski, Alex (February 9, 2024). "Minneapolis to host cross-country skiing World Cup despite record high temps". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Blount, Rachel (February 19, 2024). "Jessie Diggins wraps up hometown World Cup weekend with third place in 10k race". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Marsh, Steve (February 19, 2024). "Jessie Diggins Brings Stifel Loppet Cup Back to the USA". Mpls St.Paul (magazine). Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Graham, Pat (February 15, 2023). "Minnesota to host 1st World Cup XC ski event in US since '01". Associated Press. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
- ^ Campbell, Dave (February 7, 2024). "The US cross country ski team keeps climbing. Up next: Hosting a World Cup race". Associated Press. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ Zaccardi, Nick (February 14, 2024). "Jessie Diggins comes home to Minnesota to realize a dream World Cup". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- ^ Svrluga, Barry (January 16, 2024). "Perspective | Jessie Diggins and U.S. cross-country skiers are reaching new heights". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Shinn, Peggy (February 9, 2024). "World Cup Races Come to North America in 2024". Cross Country Skier. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Blount, Rachel (February 10, 2024). "Dirty, rocky, dangerous snow: When world-class cross-country skiing meets climate change". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ McKibben, Bill (2024-02-22). "A Skiing World Cup Comes to the United States". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ Wurzer, Cathy; Sundgaard, Sven; Younger, CJ (February 15, 2024). "'There were tears': Fresh snow is welcome news for Cross Country World Cup organizers". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Watta, Evelyn (February 15, 2024). "How to watch Jessie Diggins in action in Minneapolis: Full schedule for 2024 cross-country ski World Cup races in the U.S." Olympics.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Bergin, Ron (February 18, 2024). "Sundling and Klaebo Win Loppet Cup Sprints in Minneapolis". Cross Country Skier. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b "Gus Schumacher makes U.S. cross-country skiing history in Minneapolis". NBC Sports. February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Knusende Sundling-seier – dobbelt svensk i Minneapolis". Aftenposten. February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Lutz, Leandro (February 20, 2024). "World Cup standings after Minneapolis". ProXCskiing. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Teaford, John (February 17, 2024). "Stifel Loppet Cup Sprints—Norway and Sweden Win, but It's Definitely Jessie's Victory – FasterSkier.com". Faster Skier. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "FIS Cross-Country - Minneapolis (USA) - Event Details". www.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ "Jonna Sundling tog karriärens första distansseger". Expressen (in Swedish). February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Harkins, Courtney (February 18, 2024). "Magic in Minneapolis: Schumacher Wins, Diggins Third". U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Meyers, Naila-Jean (February 19, 2024). "Alaskan claims surprise win in World Cup cross-country race". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Dreier, Frederick (February 28, 2024). "This Cross-Country Skier Just Ended America's 41-Year Losing Streak". Outside. Retrieved February 28, 2024.