MINNEAPOLIS — Jessie Diggins was just 19 years old when she last competed in Minnesota — a convincing win at the U.S. Junior Nationals competition.

Just days after competing in her first World Championship in 2011, Diggins, an Afton native, put on a show at Minneapolis’ Wirth Park by winning all three of her individual events. The hype surrounding the young cross country skier that year was palpable. Now, returning to that same setting as one of the most decorated skiers in U.S. history, the atmosphere is perhaps even more electric.

“I have raced over 300 World Cups in pretty much every other country, and this will be my first time racing in my own country at this level,” said Diggins Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s Loppet Cup at Wirth Park. “The last time I raced in Minnesota I was 19 years old and I’m 32 now. So, it’s been a long time representing our state and our country around the world, and this is the first time I get to do this at home.”

This weekend’s Loppet will be the first World Cup event in the U.S. since 2001. There was a World Cup stop in Minnesota scheduled to take place in 2020, but the event was cancelled just days before the races began because of the pandemic.

While there was no pandemic this year, there were still obstacles, primarily when it came to snow. For much of Minnesota, snow has been absent for majority of the winter, so race organizers had to scramble to get the course ready for World Cup competition. Organizers even used a few unusual tricks to help maintain what little snow has hit the metro this winter, including using large snow blankets to prevent melting.

“Really proud of the amazing work the Loppet crew and all the volunteers have been doing to save the snow and make the course viable for the race,” said Diggins. “We’re really grateful and I’ve been looking forward to this for so long.”

For Diggins, this weekend is about more than skiing. While she continues to build on her legacy as one of the best — if not the greatest — cross country skiers in U.S. history, she will have the opportunity to do it in front of the people who helped her along the way.

“These are the people who have supported me unconditionally throughout my whole career. Who believed in me and taught me to love skiing,” said the Olympic gold medalist. “That’s what is so special for me, getting to share this sport with all these families who love it, too, and hopefully inspire some people to try it out for the first time. And some of my grandparents haven’t been able to see me race since I was 19, so that’s going to be really cool to share with them.”

Races start Saturday with sprint races and will continue Sunday with the distance events.

10 a.m. — Women’s sprint qualification

10:30 a.m. — Men’s spring qualification

12:30 p.m. — Men’s and women’s sprint final

10:30 a.m. — Men’s 10K individual start

12:45 p.m. — Women’s 10K individual start

8 a.m.-10:30 a.m. — Loppet Cup Citizen’s Challenge

10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Share Winter Playday

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