Several Alaska cross-country skiers achieved notable results at the World Cup competition in Oberhof, Germany, over the weekend. JC Schoonmaker bolstered his Olympic prospects with a solid sprint performance, while others marked returns and debuts. The event highlighted the talents from the Alaska Pacific University elite team.
The World Cup races in Oberhof, Germany, provided a significant stage for Alaska nordic skiers, with multiple athletes from the Alaska Pacific University (APU) elite team posting impressive results.
JC Schoonmaker, a key member of the APU team, recorded the 13th-fastest qualifying time in the men's freestyle sprint on Saturday, the best among Americans. He advanced to place 23rd in the heats, the second-best American finish. This performance elevated Schoonmaker to 31st in the World Cup sprint rankings, positioning him as the No. 3 American behind Ben Ogden (7th) and Jack Young (20th). A top-50 ranking is a selection criterion for the U.S. Olympic team, set to be announced later this week. Only four men will be selected, with Gus Schumacher (33rd overall) qualifying based on combined distance and sprint standings, and Kevin Bolger (46th) also in contention.
Hailey Swirbul returned to World Cup racing after nearly three years, her last appearance in 2023, having announced retirement at season's end but resuming at age 27. She earned points with a 22nd-place finish in the women's sprint and placed 33rd in Sunday's 10-kilometer classic. Teammate Novie McCabe also made a comeback after nearly two years, finishing 35th in the 10K following a season largely missed due to injury.
Zanden McMullen secured his first points of the season, placing 20th in the men's sprint and 18th in the 10K, leading three APU skiers into the top 30—Hunter Wonders (24th) and Luke Jager (29th). This marked McMullen's second consecutive top-30 finish. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Owen Young debuted at the World Cup in the sprint; a South High graduate skiing for the University of Vermont, he trained with the Alaska Winter Stars as a youth and now with APU. APU's Rosie Brennan ended a points drought, finishing 30th in the 10K for her first World Cup points since early December.
These results underscore the depth of Alaska's nordic skiing talent as Olympic selections approach.
