Team USA’s cross-country skier Jessie Diggins brought her remarkable career to a close on Sunday, March 22, on home-soil at Lake Placid, New York, finishing 12th in the 20km mass start free at the World Cup Finals—an emotional farewell that was about far more than the result sheet.
Before the race even began, there was a pause in the stadium, broken only when Diggins, standing at the front of the field in a glittering race suit, shouted a heartfelt “Thank you!” to the crowd. Tens of thousands had gathered to watch the American star’s final start, and moments later, she pushed out of the gate for the last race of her career to the cheers of the home crowd.
The race itself did not deliver the fairytale ending many had hoped for. Diggins remained in contention deep into the final lap, but a fall on a fast descent in the closing kilometer ended any chance of a podium. She crossed the line in 12th place, but that did not matter today. Instead, she was immediately embraced by teammates, competitors, coaches, and family in a finish area filled with champagne spray and tears. “That was so incredibly special,” Diggins said afterward. “All the people out there chanting, my family out there, the team… I’m just going to miss everyone so much.”
While the result may not have matched her ambitions, the broader picture of her season—and career—remained extraordinary. Diggins had already secured both the overall season World Cup Crystal Globe and the distance Crystal Globe prior to the final race, marking her fourth overall season title and reinforcing her status as one of the sport’s most consistent and versatile athletes. She formally received the overall globe in front of the home crowd, presented by longtime coach Jason Cork, while her parents awarded her the distance title—an emotional moment that brought tears to everyone in the crowd.
The race itself was won by Sweden’s Jonna Sundling, who surged clear late to take victory ahead of compatriot Linn Svahn, with Norway’s Heidi Weng in third. Diggins had been part of the lead group entering the final lap before her fall ended her challenge. Behind her, the American team filled out the results sheet, led by Kendall Kramer in 28th, followed by Hailey Swirbul in 31st and a tightly packed group of teammates through the field.
Yet the defining image of the day came after the racing had ended. As Diggins collected her trophies, hundreds of children gathered at the start line. Wearing a bright pink bib reading “Thank you,” she led more than 600 young skiers on a final lap around the stadium—an impromptu procession that felt symbolic of her impact on the sport.
Even amid rain, soft snow, and difficult conditions, more than 35,000 fans turned out over the weekend, many with glitter on their cheeks in tribute to the American star. Diggins had started the tradition of wearing glitter on her cheeks from the very beginning and it became her signature look at every race, which was later copied by the whole American women’s cross-country team.
Jessie Diggins is the most successful American cross-country skier—male or female. Across her 15 years at the sport’s top level, Diggins amassed four Olympic medals, including most recently at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, where she won a bronze in the 10km freestyle event. She earned 31 individual World Cup victories and stood on 89 World Cup podiums, achievements that make her the most successful U.S. cross-country skier of all time. In 2021, she became only the second American to win the overall FIS Crystal Globe, and remains the only non-European athlete to have won the overall FIS Crystal Globe four times.
Today’s final race at Lake Placid was a fitting tribute to the legacy she leaves behind. The outpouring of love from the crowd, as well as from her fellow competitors, felt both heartfelt and genuine—an acknowledgment of not just her achievements, but who she was within the sport. She will be deeply missed on the cross-country World Cup circuit, not only by her teammates, but by rivals who were inspired by her spirit. The joy she brought to the sport was rare, and its absence will be felt long after her final glide across the snow.
