Jessie Diggins roars into the new season of Nordic World Cup ski racing with grit and a touch of glitter

She’s a two-time World Cup champion, a three-time Olympic medalist, the most dominant Nordic skier in U.S. history, and the U.S. Nordic Ski Team’s glitter fairy. It’s Afton’s own Jessie Diggins, who took time from training to share thoughts on competition, having fun, and what kids need to do to become good skiers. In a Q&A that was done by email and then edited for length, Diggins talked about how she handles big pressure and what explains the recent success of the U.S. Nordic Ski Team. Even the wax truck gets a mention. It all gets put to the test on Nov. 29 when Ruka, Finland, hosts the first World Cup race of the 2025 season.

Q: I know someone who watches the finish to your Olympic gold medal finish in 2018 — the “Here Comes Diggins! Here Comes Diggins!” race — every so often to re-charge. And he’s not even a Nordic skier. Did you have any idea at the time that it would become a viral moment?

A: That is so cool, and such an honor to hear that! At the time, I was simply focused on giving everything that I had to the team and showing up with my heart on my sleeve in each race of the Games. But seeing the ripple effect afterwards, especially with Chad’s epic call, was incredibly moving. I love knowing that this moment where I found the grit to push past my limits has helped inspire others to push past their own hurdles, in sport or in life.

Q: Coming into a new season, how do you set goals and does the pressure of high expectations make that difficult?

A: The goals part is easy for me, because I feel like I am always striving to improve, always looking to fine-tune the little details that help me to become a better skier, athlete and team leader. The pressure part is much harder. It’s easy to feel that I have to keep raising the bar and staying at the top of the sport, but I also remind myself constantly that the people who love me are going to be there whether I’m first or last, and they love me for my work ethic, for how I give back to the sport and to my team, and for HOW I go about approaching trying to be the best in the world … not whether or not I’m actually the best.

Q: I often think about something you wrote on your blog once, that a person doesn’t have to be a hero, but just be themselves, and know that that’s enough. It struck me as fantastic advice for young athletes. How do you balance being competitive with being yourself?

A: For anyone struggling with feeling too much pressure on their shoulders — I can absolutely relate to that! I used to really struggle with feeling like I had to be perfect, and that came from within me. That’s why I share my struggles so openly with others, because I think we need imperfect heroes in sport to show us that it’s OK to simply show up as the best version of yourself that you can be on any given day … and you’ll be enough. I work on this all the time, through sports psychology, journaling, talking through the hard days with friends and family. I also set goals that are all about the process, not the outcome. At the end of the day, I can’t control whether or not I win a race, but I can control my effort, my planning, my pacing and technique focus, and the heart that I put into it. And if I can check those boxes then I’ve earned the right to be proud of my efforts! I also make sure I take a few moments after crossing the finish line to honestly evaluate how my race went, and look at where I can improve but also where I succeeded, before I see the results. This helps me keep it in perspective and also judge for myself how I’ve performed before I let a number next to my name determine my self worth.

Q: Last year was a big year for you by almost any measure, but it almost was derailed before it started when you revealed that you were having a relapse of an eating disorder that you’ve dealt with before. How did you recognize this was happening and how did you manage it?

A: This is important for me to talk about, because mental health is human health and it’s so incredibly important. I struggled with a relapse of my eating disorder in 2023 and the most important thing I did was reach out to my support team for help. I was met with so much love, compassion and support, and although telling someone can be the scariest thing (and often, the hardest hurdle to get over, because to do so you need to acknowledge what’s happening and be ready to accept help), it meant that I wasn’t alone in my recovery and I had so much love and support to help me through it. It’s also important to acknowledge that recovery is not always linear, and everyone’s timeline is different. I had many healthy, “easy” years before this relapse, and that doesn’t meant that I’ve failed or am starting from square one; it just means that my brain is wired in such a way that I need to be on guard against my eating disorder coming back in times of huge stress, pressure and when I’m not getting the break that I need. I also think it’s so important for me to say that I succeeded outwardly last season in results only because I was inwardly focused on finding recovery and getting help. I raced well in spite of my eating disorder, not because of it, and I was only racing because my doctor and care team agreed that it was ok for my body to ski while I kept working on recovery.

Q: You had a great coach at Stillwater High School in Kris Hansen and were part of a program there that has a long history of success. What do you think kids need to become good skiers?

A: I am forever grateful to Kris and the SAHS team for not only creating an amazing and inspiring high school skiing experience, but for instilling all the values of teamwork first, joy in racing, goal setting and a growth mindset. I think to become good skiers, kids need to keep the fun and joy within the hard work, be dedicated to their teammates and be ready to show up with a willingness to grow and work hard every day.

Q: We can’t skip over the first ever Cross-Country World Cup race at Theodore Wirth Park last season. How did it feel to see it all come together?

A: I’ve never had a more emotional day in my entire ski career, and it meant everything to me to have this career-long dream brought to life by the incredible Loppet team, volunteers, Share Winter Foundation and each and every spectator who brought the passion, the joy and the noise to the course! I will always be grateful for this incredible experience, and for the chance to race in front of my family, friends and the ski community that raised me and taught me to love the sport so much.

Q: It’s not only your racing that’s gone so well lately, but other U.S. skiers are having podium finishes, too, whether it’s Rosie Brennan, Sophia Laukli and Julia Kern or, on the men’s side, Gus Schumacher, Ben Ogden and JC Schoonmaker. Incredible results for U.S. skiing! What’s going on?

A: I am so, so incredibly proud of this team — and not just for the podium finishes but for the years of dedication and hard work and perseverance that have led to these moments. Seeing my teammates succeed made me feel like a proud big sister, and I actually cried for each and every one of them! I think there are so many things you can point to for each of these breakthrough moments, and the very first I want to point out is the hard work that each of these athletes has been putting in for years, as well as the hard work behind the scenes from our wax techs and coaches. We’ve also received more support, and when it comes down to seconds, the wax on your skis matters a lot, and we have been able to staff a full wax truck for the past few years which has led to us being on a more even playing field. We also believe that we belong, and racing with that spark of confidence and belief in yourself can help unlock some of those big moments! Last but not least, we work hard to create a supportive, caring and growth oriented team culture, and when you feel safe, supported, and know that your team has your back, that can also bring about some amazing performances.