Industry News
U.S. cross country skier Scott Patterson officially announced his retirement from World Cup ski racing on his social media account on March 15, 2024. In the lead-up to the World Cup Finals in Falun, Sweden, the 32-year-old Alaska native stated “I’m not sure what role ski racing will play in my future, but this weekend marks the end of chasing World Cup for me. One last hurrah in Falun!”
Patterson made his World Cup debut in 2018 in Nova Mesto, Czechia, and went on to compete in a total of 116 World Cups, two Winter Olympics, and three World Championships.
“Scott has been the linchpin of our American men’s distance team for the last two Olympic cycles,” said Chris Grover, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team program director. “He’s been the guy we look to in a Championship 30k or 50k, and he has consistently delivered. Scott’s ability to build momentum in fitness and performance through the season and be healthy and ready to deliver results at the big races has always been impressive. Beyond the performances, Scott has been a model of quiet leadership on the team, demonstrating daily his professionalism and determined approach to training, recovery, and balancing athletics with a career. Scott is a great athlete and an incredible human being. Although he will be sorely missed on the World Cup tour, something tells me we’ll still be getting passed by him regularly on the mountain trails and the ski tracks.”
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Patterson holds a degree in mechanical engineering and mathematics and has been working an engineering job alongside his cross country career. While the cross country skier remains cryptic about what the future will hold for him. “Through all this, I’m also proud of the balanced lifestyle I maintained, finding success on the World Cup while also developing as an engineer, getting my professional engineering license, and enjoying adventures in Alaska,” he said in an interview with U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
We wish him good luck in his future endeavors and trust he will find a new balance that will bring him joy and fulfillment.
