Cross Country Skiers Representing U.S. on International Stage

HANOVER, N.H. — The FIS World Junior and U23 Championships will be held on Jan. 28-Feb. 4 in Whistler, British Columbia, and Dartmouth has three current skiers — John Steel Hagenbuch, Ava Thurston and Jack Lange — who have qualified to represent the United States for the prestigious event and another who will serve as an alternate (sophomore Emma Reeder). In addition, sophomore Hannah Chipman has qualified for the 2023 International Biathlon Union Youth/Junior World Championships on March 4-12 in Kazakhstan.

Hagenbuch, a sophomore from Ketchum, Idaho, will be a member of the men's U23 team. While he has yet to ski for the Big Green, he has plenty of experience on this stage having been a member of the 4x5K relay team that won the Junior World Championship in both 2019 and 2020. More recently, Hagenbuch claimed podium steps in three of four Super Tour races in December and another at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships earlier this month.

Earning spots on the juniors team are a pair of freshmen in Thurston and Lange. A native of Waterbury, Vermont, Thurston won the Vermont girls' individual state titles in both freestyle and classic each of her four years of high school, and won the U20 10K classic race at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships two weeks ago. In her collegiate debut at the Bates Carnival this past weekend, she placed second in the 7.5K skate before finishing fifth in the 10K freestyle the next day.

Lange, who hails from just up the road in Lyme, New Hampshire, also raced at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships and finished fourth among the U20 crowd in the 10K freestyle before claiming third in the 10K classic. The rookie had a solid collegiate debut over the weekend as well, crossing the tape in fifth in the 7.5K skate and 12th in the 10K freestyle.

Hailing from across the river in Norwich, Vermont, Chipman is a veteran of this competition, having competed at it two years ago during a gap year. Prior to the event, she is set to compete at the IBU Junior Cup and Junior Open European Championships in mid-February.

The Big Green Nordic teams will be in action this weekend for the St. Michael's Carnival, though the races will be held at Middlebury's home, the Rikert Nordic Center. The first heats for the sprint races on Friday will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the 10K classic the following day will start with the women at 10 a.m.

Schedules