For those in northern Minnesota and a lot of places, it's been a tough year for cross country skiing. But there was enough snow for two large races to proceed in Minnesota and Wisconsin: the Stifel Loppet Cup in Minneapolis and the American Birkebeiner in Hayward.
“We race a lot, and so [for], myself, I'm used to not winning...I’ve gotten good at it...Approaching the race as a race, the pressure of winning isn't heavy on me."Gus Schumacher
USA Olympic Team cross country skier, Gus Schumacher raced in both, and came away with gold. By winning the 10-kilometer final at the 2024 Stifel Loppet Cup, he became the youngest American to win a World Cup Cross Country Ski Race, the first American man to win any World Cup race since 2013, and the first American man to win a distance race since Bill Koch in 1983.
While on break from the World Cup tour, Gus won the Birkebeiner last weekend with World Cup teammate Jessie Diggins.
USA Results
The Stifel Loppet Cup was Schumacher’s first win on the World Cup tour, which began November 2023 and continues through March. The tour includes about 40 races between 15 venues, across the world in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, and the United States. This year's Stifel Loppet marked the first World Cup stop in the United States in 23 years.
By winning the 10-kilometer final at the 2024 Stifel Loppet Cup, Gus became the youngest American to win a World Cup Cross Country Ski Race, the first American man to win any World Cup race since 2013, and the first American man to win a distance race since Bill Koch in 1983.
“We don't race in North America much, so when we do, it's a pretty big deal and we have a lot of fun with it.”
For four months, the Norwegian skiers have led the pack with a vast majority of the wins. There are no USA team members in the top 10 overall rankings. For Gus, a 23-year-old from Anchorage, AK, these recent Midwest wins came as a surprise.
Speaking to us from Finland, he is amid preparations for three more races this weekend.
Crowds
Schumacher has grown up skiing around the world and has experienced the passionate ski crowds of Scandanavia. When skiing in the US, there is typically more of a tepid response, but the crowds at the Stifel Loppet races were large, excited and engaged.
According to US Ski and Snowboard, as many as 40,000 people attended the Loppet.
“It was a lot of people... The idea of that many people being super excited for cross country skiing in America where, a lot of the time we feel like we're a niche sport and people don't really care like they do in Norway and Sweden. There [are] Scandinavian countries that are really into skiing, that kind of challenge that, and made us feel valued and just that the community is into skiing, which obviously we care about.”
Climate Change and Skiing
The American Birkebeiner had to greatly pivot this year due to lack of snow. Instead of the usual trail, they packed a 10k loop of man-made snow in a rolling field, surrounded by brown grass.
According to Schumacher, that scene is not all that uncommon these days. “Unfortunately, that's becoming, not normal, I guess, but not out of the question on the World Cup. It often takes a large amount of man-made snow to make it good skiing. We still do see the white strip through a brown field with some frequency these days.”
The changing climate is of concern for those in the ski community. Schumacher has joined the Protect Our Winters (POW) as an athlete Alliance member, an organization and nonprofit focusing on environmental issues. His goal is to help mobilize the outdoor community to speak up for climate action.
The idea of that many people being super excited for cross country skiing in America, where we feel like we're a niche sport and people don't really care... that made us feel valued and that the community is into skiing.Gus Schumacher on the crowds at the Stifel Loppet in Minneapolis
Listener Questions
During our conversation, several listeners sent in questions for Gus including from a 12-year-old cross country skier in Grand Rapids.
Finn asked “What do you love most about cross-country skiing and at what age did you start? If you're ever in Grand Rapids, we'd love to show you the trails at Mount Itasca.”
Schumacher stated he was in skis once he could walk, and one of his favorite parts about skiing — and something he doesn’t take for granted — is the ability to be outside all the time. And made sure to say he’d visit Mount Itasca when he comes to Grand Rapids.
Another listener, Aili, wanted to know his favorite trails in the world to ski – among the Dolomites in Italy, and several places in Norway, Gus gave love to Theodore Wirth in Minneapolis and his hometown trails in Anchorage, Alaska. “I really like Anchorage, honestly. That's where I'm from and the trails are really nice and go around the city; especially in the spring, that's hard to beat.”
Keep up to date on the latest news from Gus Schumacher at his blog.
