Royal Treatment: Jessie Diggins Becomes First American to be Awarded the Norwegian Holmenkollen Medal

Julia Schneemann | | Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Jessie Diggins with the Holmenkollen Medal. | Image: U.S. Ski & Snowboard Twitter (X)

American cross country skier Jessie Diggins became the first American to receive the prestigious Holmenkollen Medal on Saturday, March 9. The Holmenkollen Medal is Norwayโ€™s highest skiing honor and is awarded to the best cross country skier of the season across all disciplines.

In the menโ€™s division, Norwegian skier Simen Hegstad Kruger was awarded the Holmenkollen Medal for 2024.

Diggins received her medal from none other than Crown Prince Haakon after Saturdayโ€™s Holmenkollen 50 km (31.25 miles) race in Oslo, Norway, in which the U.S. skier came 11th. The 50km event, also simply known as โ€œthe Holmenkollen,โ€ was won by Swedenโ€™s Frida Karlsson while teammate Ebba Andersson claimed second and Germanyโ€™s Katharina Hennig came third. Women have only been racing the full 50km length since 2023, before that, women competed on a shorter 30km (18.75 miles) course.

Diggins is currently the Cross Country World Cup leader with 2,437 points.

The womenโ€™s World Cup continues with city sprints in Drammen, Norway, on Tuesday, March 13.

From left to right: Norwayโ€™s Princess Astrid, Crown Prince Haakon, Bodil Kristine Hรธstmรฆlinge, Jessie Diggins, and Simen Hegstad Krรผger at the Holmenkollen Medal ceremony. | Image: Liv Anette Luane via the Royal Norwegian House Website

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