The American men fired a real warning shot during last weekend’s World Cup sprint in Östersund. Only Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Erik Valnes were faster. This is why the USA is now succeeding, and why it’s so important.

The American women have been at the top of international cross-country skiing for years. Now, the USA leads the World Cup for women. But the American men are also gaining momentum, and it’s a game changer for cross-country skiing.

During this weekend’s World Cup in Östersund, two Americans made it to the men’s sprint final: JC Schoonmaker and Ben Ogden. The former reached the podium, while the latter came in fourth. They beat both Even Northug and Håvard Solås Taugbøl, with only the world’s best sprinters ahead of them: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Erik Valnes.

What’s happening with the Americans now? And why is it so important?

Langrenn.com spoke with Ben Ogden after his successful run in Saturday’s World Cup race. For him, the fourth place in the classic sprint in Östersund is a milestone. It was his first time reaching a World Cup sprint final.

The 23-year-old from Vermont has been close before, but his best sprint result prior to this weekend was seventh place. The same applies to Schoonmaker.

“I am very proud of the sprint this weekend. Reaching a final is a major and important goal for me. Achieving it so early in the season was both a relief and very motivating. Especially doing it side by side with a teammate and a very good friend. It was extra cool,” says Ogden to Langrenn.com.

Also Read: World Cup standings after the Östersund weekend

A Game Changer for the Team

But Ogden sees this weekend’s sprint success in a broader perspective than his own triumphs. He believes it’s a milestone for both the team and American men’s cross-country skiing.

“The sprint has really helped to boost our confidence. Before, JC and I genuinely believed we could compete with 90 percent of the sprinters in the World Cup. But there were some we considered to be in a league of their own. So a day like this reminds us young athletes that we can fight with anyone and that we should never count ourselves out. That’s going to be my attitude moving forward,” says Ogden.

Also Read: US Team for the World Cup period 1

And it’s definitely a young national team on the men’s side from the USA: With the exception of Scott Patterson at 31, no one is over 24: Ogden, Schoonmaker are 23 years old. The same goes for Gus Schumacher and Luke Jager. John Hagenbuch and Zanden McMullen are 22, and Will Koch is 21. He is, incidentally, the son of former national team skier Bill Koch, who won an Olympic medal and two World Championship medals and became known for developing skating in the 1980s.

What’s common among all these young and now up-and-coming Americans is that they belong to the same generation of runners: a generation that got to match up internationally early. And they are part of a systematic effort that has been ongoing for many years.

Read also: Norwegian team for the Trondheim World Cup 

Unity, Drive, and Work Ethic

Ogden believes there are several factors behind the success of the American men. Keywords are unity, drive, and work ethic.

“I think the progress with the USA’s men’s team is due to several things. But we have fun competing with each other. We like to chase each other and chase the small details that make us better every day. It has always been like this, for many years. I think this is what we are starting to reap results from now,” says Ogden, and continues:

“I am convinced that we as a team can do even better. It’s fun to be part of this, and I hope it shows to those who watch.”

Also Read: FIS inspection gives thumbs up for Minneapolis World Cup

A Game Changer for Cross-Country Skiing

For Ogden, the success of the USA is important not only personally and for the American team. He points out that more strong nations are crucial for the future of cross-country skiing.

It’s undeniable that the sprint final in Östersund was almost entirely Norwegian except for the two Americans. In the 10-kilometer race the next day, Norway took all five of the top spots and had seven men among the top nine. It quickly becomes boring for the rest of the world.

“Participation from more nations at the World Cup level is crucial to maintain interest in cross-country skiing, and to keep it financially viable,” says Ogden.

“We need to get more runners from more countries to the top level. It’s always more fun to be able to cheer for your own favorites. We’re doing what we can, step by step,” he says.

This weekend, Ben Ogden and the rest of the American national team are ready for the trial World Championships in Trondheim. In just over a year, the World Championships will be held in the same place. The 23-year-old hopes that by then there will be both stars and stripes and more nations on the podium in men’s cross-country skiing than today.

Read More – Trondheim World Cup: Complete program for the weekend