MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands are expected to pack into Theodore Wirth Park for the Stifel Loppet Cup this weekend – the first time a race like this has been held in Minnesota in decades.
"It's been over two decades, and you know, we attempted this in 2020 and it was canceled," Claire Wilson, Executive Director of the Loppet, said.
The reason why it's back? All thanks to one of our own, Jessie Diggins.
Diggins, the Olympic gold medalist, world champion and World Cup winner helped get Minnesota a World Cup race.
"I just wouldn't shut up about it, more or less," Diggins said, laughing. "I just became a real pest."
This weekend is the result of that push, although it didn't come without it's challenges – our Valentine's Day snow came just in time.
"To have the one cold weekend of the year be for the World Cup, you just have to believe the snow goddess was on our side," Wilson said.
It's chance for Minnesota to be on the world stage, and for Diggins, it's a chance to be back home.
"For all the people who made this World Cup possible, like thank you so much," she said. "I can retire happy now. I'm not retiring now! But when I do, I'll be happy."
We asked her – what would it mean to win in her home state?
"It won't mean anything different than being dead last, because the real win was getting to be here," Diggins said.
Races start Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Wilson says she expects it to be packed as thousands come out to cheer on world class skiers.
"This place is so special, I mean, Theodore Wirth has been the home to many of them as young racers, and so to race at home with the skyline of Minneapolis, I mean, we're expecting thousands of people to be here to cheer for them," she said.
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