Diggins, Brennan head 2022 U.S. Olympic cross-country skiing roster

Age: 33
Birthplace: Salt Lake City
Hometown: Park City, Utah
Residence: Anchorage, Alaska
Club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
Past Games: 2018

IG: rosiewbrennan | Twitter: @rosiewbrennan
FB: /rosiebrennanxc

Rosie Brennan won back-to-back World Cup events in December 2020, taking first in the individual sprint freestyle and 10km freestyle in Davos, Switzerland, adding to two previous podium finishes in Lillehammer, Norway, as a relay team member. The 32-year-old Utahn is a five-time U.S. champion – winning three titles at nationals in 2015 – and a four-time U.S. world championship team selection.

Raised in U.S.-winter sports hub Park City, Utah, Brennan initially competed in the summer sport of gymnastics and stopped at age 14 when her coach moved away. She discovered skiing around the same time — it was 2002 and, perhaps not coincidentally, the Olympics had come to town earlier that year. Brennan’s mom Wiggy spent a year trying to convince her to try cross-country, and when she finally did, she entered a community race and won.

“Seeing the Olympics come to my hometown was so exciting,” Brennan said. “For those three weeks, we were out of school. I went and saw all these different events. This definitely inspired me to find a winter sport to become competitive in.”

Brennan has a degree in geography from Dartmouth College and a twin brother named Charlie. In 2014, she lost her dad Tom and almost gave up the sport. She credits Alaska Pacific University coach Erik Flora with helping her keep going, reminding her of daily accomplishments, to believe that anything’s possible and that she had support to face the challenges. “I have no doubt that I would not be here if Erik was not my coach.”

The Anchorage, Alaska, resident volunteers with girls in sports empowerment charity Fast and Female, as well as Alaska community ski instruction club Skiku.