Patterson hanging skis

After an illustrious career that included two Winter Olympics, three World Championship team appearances, and 116 World Cup appearances, Scott Patterson (Alaska native) of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team officially retires from World Cup ski racing. It was announced on .

Patterson grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and first joined the team seven years ago in 2018, making his World Cup debut with Nova Mesto in the Czech Republic. Patterson does it all. He is a professional ski racer, a professional mechanical engineer, and one of the most capable long-distance skiers the Stifel US Ski Team has ever seen.

“Scott has been a cornerstone of the U.S. men’s distance team over the past two Olympic cycles,” said Chris Glover, program director for the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. “He is a player we are looking at in the Championship 30k and 50k and has consistently delivered results. He has gained momentum in fitness and performance throughout the season and is healthy and ready to deliver results in the big races. Scott’s ability to be a part of the team is always impressive. Beyond his performance, Scott is an example of quiet leadership for his team, demonstrating his professionalism and determined approach to training, recovery, and balancing athletics and career every day. Scott is a great athlete and a great human being. It’s a shame he won’t be on the World Cup Tour, but I’m sure he’ll continue to pass me regularly on the mountain trails and ski slopes.”

Patterson’s career includes 116 World Cup appearances, two Winter Olympics, two World Championships, two degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics, and a wealth of life experience. You can see that. He has 12 Super Tour wins, six U.S. Championships, four top 10s at three World Championships, 11 World Cup top 10s, and will be part of the all-time mixed relay team in 2022. This was the first mixed relay victory. Going into the Winter Olympics, he couldn’t have expected a higher stage, and at the Beijing Winter Olympics he earned two top-10 finishes and marked the best finish in U.S. men’s cross country in over 50 years. did. Patterson may be quiet and not boastful about his accomplishments, but his presence on the team over the years and the success and pride he brings to the Stifel U.S. Ski Team are noteworthy.

Beyond his results, Patterson made an impact on this team because of his humanity. Even with injury or illness, he always arrived at the other side with calmness and compassion. He was the one who always knew all the trails the team could run, the ski trails outside the venue. Did he want an adventure in a small town in Europe? You should ask Scott. He found balance in a lifestyle where finding balance is difficult.

“Scott was one of the best American long-distance skiers of all time, and he is retiring,” said Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team D Team Coach Kristen Bohn. “He not only achieved success at the highest level of his sport, but was also a vital role model for the athletes on his team. Scott is one of the most determined and hard-working people I have ever met. When he finishes a 50km race, he will almost always be a guy who wishes he could run longer. He loves the struggle and the difficult challenge that comes with it. We will miss him, but we know that his success outside of skiing has already begun and will continue for many years to come.”

Patterson shared his thoughts in a Q&A about how he sees his career, what he’s learned, and what’s next.

Q: What are you most proud of?

Scott: A few results stand out in my career, but looking back, there are also trends that define my ski career. I am proud of my resilience, which has allowed me to overcome a few tough years of injury and illness and come back stronger than before. I am proud that my training has progressed over the years, my results have continually improved, and I have achieved peak performance among the most successful athletes in the United States at championship events. Through all of this, I’m also proud that I was able to maintain a balanced lifestyle that included success at the World Cup, growing as an engineer, earning my professional engineering certification, and enjoying adventures in Alaska. I am.

Q: What is the biggest thing you learned about yourself after racing at the highest level of the sport?

Scott: Throughout my World Cup racing career, I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what’s important to me. It was also a lesson in making the best of a very different situation. A summer training period and a four-month expedition in Europe pose very different challenges in minimizing stress and staying focused. I learned that it is very important to find small adventures in everyday life, try new things, and receive some kind of intellectual stimulation. I also learned a lot of things that I don’t need or try to avoid, but they can remain nameless.

Q: What will you miss the most?

Scott: One of the great things about ski racing is the clarity of purpose for a single event. There are clear goals in training, there is a race to focus on, and a lot goes into being at your best at a certain time on a certain day. That applies not only to me as an athlete, but also to the entire support team. There are opportunities like this in other aspects of life, but skiing provided such a clear example that it will be missed.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would like to leave with your teammates and all future athletes?

Scott: One of the key things that has defined my career is balancing it with other activities. I have been working as an engineer since my university days. This balance has greatly extended the longevity of my ski racing career and allowed me to feel productive outside of ski racing. My advice to all my teammates and athletes is to find your own balance. It doesn’t have to be engineering, but it’s very important to have something in your daily life that challenges and inspires you. This will make it easier to endure the days when you start seeing results or when your training doesn’t seem to be going well. Sports are important, but don’t let your sport or your success in it define you completely.

Q: Outside of racing, what is your favorite activity on the road?

Scott: Outside of racing, my favorite activity on the road was finding little ways to incorporate adventure into or between training sessions. Often this is just a little exploratory riding around new roads or the occasional sledding trip, but adventure skiing is what sets it apart. I usually try to ski all the Nordic trails in the area or even venture beyond. A memorable adventure skiing took place in Davos in 2021 during the preparations for the World Championships. Our group ran halfway up the alpine mountain and found an easy path to slide down a few thousand feet to another town where we were picked up by a van. An absurd combination of running.