By Gavin Kentch
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KINCAID PARK, Anchorage, Alaska — While the older end of the field has been racing for national titles this week at 2025 U.S. National Cross-Country Championships, the younger end of the field has been racing for, among other things, roster spots on the American team for upcoming international competitions. (Yes, Sammy Smith and Murphy Kimball have done both.)
Specifically, World Junior/U23 Championships are in Bergamo/Schilpario, Italy, from February 3–9. The U18 Scando Trip will go to Gjøvik, Norway, February 15–23.
According to the official USSS points list spreadsheet, which you can find here, the following athletes have qualified for the American team for 2025 World Junior Championships, based on their two best performances in the three national championship races:
Women
Sammy Smith, Sun Valley/USST
Lena Poduska, Jackson Hole Ski Club
Nina Schamberger, University of Utah
Neve Gerard, University of Utah
Maeve Ingelfinger, Dartmouth College
Sydney Drevlow, Loppet Nordic Racing
Alternates: Ally Wheeler, Casper Nordic Club; Niki Johnson, Tahoe Endurance Club; and Tula Higman, Bridger Ski Foundation. Wheeler is the first alternate, Johnson the second alternate, and Higman the third alternate.
Men
Grey Barbier, Montana State University
Lucas Wilmot, University of Utah
Jack Leveque, Alaska Winter Stars
Cole Flowers, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Murphy Kimball, University of Alaska Anchorage
Justin Lucas, APU Nordic Ski Center
Alternates: William Bentley, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; Noa Kam-Magruder, Alaska Winter Stars; and Tabor Greenberg, University of Vermont. Again, the alternates are listed in order.
And the following athletes have qualified for the American team for the U18 Scando Trip:
Women
Lena Poduska, Jackson Hole Ski Club
Ally Wheeler, Casper Nordic Club
Tula Higman, Bridger Ski Foundation
Annelies Hanna, Ford Sayre Nordic
Niki Johnson, Tahoe Endurance Club
Linnea Ousdigian, Loppet Nordic Racing
Alternates: Ruth Krebs, Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club; Mia Stiassny, APU Nordic Ski Center; and Britta Johnson, Tahoe Endurance Club.
Men
William Bentley, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
Noa Kam-Magruder, Alaska Winter Stars
Jack Leveque, Alaska Winter Stars
Vebjorn Flagstad, Alaska Winter Stars
Nate Streubel, Jackson Hole Ski Club
Quinten Koch, Plain Valley Nordic
Alternates: Oskar Flora, APU Nordic Ski Center; Callahan Waters, Bridger Ski Foundation; and Logan Drevlow, Loppet Nordic Racing.
Coaches and staff for both trips were previously announced by U.S. Ski & Snowboard in late December. You can find that information in the article above.
Team selections for World U23 Championships will be known shortly after Tuesday’s SuperTour race wraps up. (U23 selection is based on an athlete’s best two out of four races here, so that fourth race has to be held before anyone can run the math definitively. The top spots are probably pretty set by now — you can safely pencil in Michael Earnhart and Walker Hall for the men, and Kendall Kramer and Kate Oldham for the women (plus Sydney Palmer-Leger, who has prequalified) — but there can certainly be some movement among the spots behind them depending on the results of tomorrow’s sprint qual.)
Official team selections should be announced by USSS later this week.
You’re reading this on Nordic Insights, one man’s labor of love dedicated to publicizing American nordic skiing. Last season’s GoFundMe is literally the only reason why I turned a profit in years one and two of Nordic Insights, and in turn the only reason why there is a year three of Nordic Insights for you to be reading now: I was okay with working for very little money to get this love letter to American cross-country skiing off the ground, but I didn’t want to lose money for the privilege of doing so. If you would like to support what remains a brutally shoestring operation, last season’s GoFundMe may be found here. Thank you for your consideration, and, especially, for reading.
