American Jesse Diggins wins overall World Cup title

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American Jesse Diggins won the 20K freestyle mass start race in Falun, Sweden on Sunday, clinching his second career overall World Cup title.

Not only did Diggins win the overall Crystal Globe title, he was also the Crystal Globe long-distance champion. Her historic World Cup season included six wins, 12 podiums, a team relay podium, and an overall Tour de Ski victory.

Diggins, who also won the overall title in 2021, became the first American to win two overall World Cup cross-country ski titles. Bill Koch was the only American to compete in the Crystal Globe, the overall World Cup winner, winning the title in 1982.

“I just wanted to go and skate a brave race and skate as hard as I could,” Diggins said. “That’s what I did. I’m really proud of the way the season ended, but more than that I’m proud of the team that was there for me. There were a lot of ups and downs. It’s not easy. No. It’s been a tough year, and I think that’s why it’s so special that we were able to get through this together.”

The Americans had arguably their best World Cup season ever. Many Alaskans contributed to its success.

Anchorage’s Rosie Brennan, who finished 10th on Sunday, had five individual podiums of her own, and Sophia Lauchri also earned a win for Team USA.

The men’s team also achieved unprecedented success. This season, Alaskans JC Schoonmaker and Gus Schumacher join Ben Ogden, making it the first time in history that three American men have finished on the podium. A month ago, Schumacher became the first American man to win a World Cup distance race in 43 years.

[Alaskan Gus Schumacher claims historic win in World Cup cross-country race in Minneapolis]

On Sunday, Diggins won with a time of 51 minutes, 53 seconds. She also became the second American woman to win the Individual Distance Globe. Anchorage’s Kikkan Randall is a three-time sprint crystal globe winner.