WOMEN Kikkan Randall
U.S. NORDIC SKIER OF THE YEAR
MARGO CHRISTIANEN; GEPA
If the nordic world thought Kikkan Randall had a breakthrough last
year, this season must have really blown them away. She started things
off with a bang in Sjusjoen, posting her best distance result ever with a
seventh-place finish.
It was a sure sign of things to come. Randall amassed more than 1,300
World Cup points this season, good enough for fifth in the overall, a
high-water mark for women’s cross country. But that wasn’t all from
the Alaskan star. She dominated the World Cup sprint circuit with five
podiums and two wins, taking the first-ever crystal globe in U.S. women’s
cross country history. In a season that saw the U.S. Ski Team produce
outstanding results on the women’s side all season long — including
career-first top-10s from both Liz Stephen and Jessie Diggins, and
points scored by three other World Cup rookies Sadie Bjornsen, Ida
Sargent, and Holly Brooks — it is clear that Randall’s success has lifted
the whole program to new heights and created fresh momentum for the
nordic squad. Randall has shown what 10 years of hard training and full
commitment can bring.
WOMEN Sarah Hendrickson
HONORABLE MENTION
In the inaugural season of women’s World Cup ski jumping, Sarah Hen-
drickson set the bar at a very lofty height. With nine wins and three sec-
ond-place finishes in 13 events, her mark may not be challenged anytime
soon.
She also collected a silver
medal at the World Junior
Championships and won
some Continental Cup
events along the way. Not
bad for a 17-year-old. We
hope to see a larger field
of jumpers very soon.
