Chris Grover, Cross Country Program Director for the U.S. Ski Team, announced nominations for Period 1 World Cup racing earlier this summer. He did so on behalf of a 15-person working group, whose nominations were then reviewed and approved by a discretionary selection review group.
Period 1 includes the first four weekends of the 2022/2023 World Cup season. It features three historic venues in Scandinavia, then a move south to Davos for what are traditionally somewhat sunnier climes than, say, northern Finland.
Here are the 11 season-opening races for which nominations have been made. Given the World Cup circuit’s recent adoption of equal-distance racing, Period 1 will feature a number of notable firsts: first-ever World Cup 20-kilometer pursuit, 20-kilometer skiathlon, 20-kilometer interval-start, etc. The mixed relay in Beitostølen will technically be the second-ever 4 x 5km mixed relay, following the inaugural one at World Cup Finals in Falun this March.
Nominations for the races are below, organized by race format rather than strictly chronologically. Note that these are nominations, not a full start list; reigning SuperTour leader Adam Martin is unlikely to collect on his start rights, for example, given that he retired from professional skiing this spring. Actual start lists will be available from U.S. Ski & Snowboard much closer to the races themselves.
SPRINTS: Ruka Sprint C, Lillehammer Sprint F, Beitostølen Sprint C, Davos Sprint F
Men
Adam Martin Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
JC Schoonmaker Objective 19th 21-22 Sprint World Cup
Ben Ogden Objective 30th 21-22 Sprint World Cup
Kevin Bolger Discretion 39 Sprint Points 21-22 Season
Luke Jager Discretion 17 Sprint Points 21-22 Season
Logan Diekmann Discretion 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Zak Ketterson Alternate 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Gus Schumacher Alternate 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Women
Rosie Frankowski Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
Jessie Diggins Objective 4th 21-22 Sprint World Cup
Julia Kern Objective 8th 21-22 Sprint World Cup
Rosie Brennan Objective 12th 21-22 Sprint World Cup
Hailey Swirbul Discretion 31 Sprint Points 21-22 Season
Alayna Sonnesyn Discretion 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Lauren Jortberg Discretion 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Novie McCabe Alternate 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
Sydney Palmer-Leger Alternate 2021-22 Season Sprint Racing
DISTANCE: Ruka 10 km C & 20 km F Pursuit, Lillehammer 10 km F, Davos 20 km F
Men
Adam Martin Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
Scott Patterson Discretion 36 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Gus Schumacher Discretion 32 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Zak Ketterson Discretion 16 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Hunter Wonders Discretion 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Ben Ogden Discretion 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
David Norris Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Zanden McMullen Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
John Hagenbuch Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Luke Jager Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Finn O’Connell Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Women
Rosie Frankowski Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
Jessie Diggins Objective 9th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Rosie Brennan Objective 10th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Hailey Swirbul Objective 29th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Sophia Laukli Discretion 49 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Novie McCabe Discretion 35 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Julia Kern Discretion 29 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Alayna Sonnesyn Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Sydney Palmer-Leger Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
DISTANCE: Lillehammer Skiathlon, Beitostølen 10 km C
Men
Adam Martin Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
Scott Patterson Discretion 36 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Gus Schumacher Discretion 32 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Zak Ketterson Discretion 16 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Hunter Wonders Discretion 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Ben Ogden Discretion 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
David Norris Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Zanden McMullen Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Luke Jager Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
John Hagenbuch Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Finn O’Connell Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Women
Rosie Frankowski Objective 21-22 Overall SuperTour Leader
Jessie Diggins Objective 9th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Rosie Brennan Objective 10th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Hailey Swirbul Objective 29th 21-22 Distance World Cup
Sophia Laukli Discretion 49 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Novie McCabe Discretion 35 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Julia Kern Discretion 29 Distance Points 21-22 Season
Alayna Sonnesyn Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Sydney Palmer-Leger Alternate 2021-22 Season Distance Racing
Full names of coaches and athlete representatives in the discretionary working group and review group may be found at the bottom of Grover’s original announcement.
Related reading: Full 2022/2023 World Cup calendar from FIS
