January 24, 2016 (Nove Mesto, Cze) – The U.S. women’s cross country team was unstoppable on their way to historic silver in the FIS World Cup 4x5k relay at Nove Mesto, Czech Republic on Sunday. While the day belonged to Norway, Team USA’s Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen, Liz Stephen and Jessie Diggins skied to a decisive second-place finish at 42.1s behind the winners, with Finland third another 13.8s behind.

Team USA (l-r) Jessica Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen, Elizabeth Stephen © Nordic Focus

“I am just so proud of our whole team – the girls, our guy’s relay and all the hard work from our techs! Soph, Sadie and Liz skied gusty and really smart legs and tagged me with a lead, so I was just hopping up and down I was so excited to race,” said Diggins who pumped her arm as she soloed across the line to claim the U.S. women’s best-ever relay finish.

For Team Canada it was also a day of celebration as Emily Nishikawa, Dahria Beatty, Cendrine Browne and Maya MacIsaac-Jones debuted for the red maple leaf and took home a proud 12th-place finish. Canada last completed a women’s relay with four skiers back in 2008.

Caldwell kicked things off the US and skied near the front. On the second rotation, Norway’s Ingvild Oestberg attacked and was able to open up a sizeable gap as Caldwell held her own in the chase group. Nishikawa led the way for the Canadian girls, skiing the opening lap in seventh spot.

Team Canada (l-r) Emily Nishikawa, Maya Macisaac-Jones, Dahria Beatty, Cendrine Browne © Nordic Focus

“I enjoy following people in races and trying to conserve energy, so the scramble leg was a good fit for me and I couldn’t be more proud and excited to be part of this team. Ingvild took off the second lap, but I was able to stay with our chase pack and come into the tag right in the mix,” said Caldwell. “My goal was to fight as hard as I could to stay with the group and not to blow up in order to tag Sadie off in a good place. Our service crew did an incredible job with skis. I was really happy with my feelings today and am so proud of my teammates for the races they skied.”

Caldwell tagged Bjornsen who battled with Finland’s Krista Parmakoski and Swedish star Charlotte Kalla to deliver the second best time on her leg. Nishikawa handed off to fellow Whitehorse skier Beatty who dropped to 10th by the end of her leg.

“What a fun day today! It has been an amazing vibe in our team this year, so we are showing up in the start line ready to fight! Soph set an amazing pace on the first leg, so I knew my goal was to break up the other teams that were hanging on, and work with Finland to get closer to the Norwegians. We had great skis today, so I just had to go out and ski my heart out! Then Liz finished with some seriously impressive skiing, and Jessie pulled her usually amazing finishing leg,” commented Bjornsen.

Sadie Bjornsen (USA) © Nordic Focus

“It’s fun to feel like the top is in reach, and we are continuing to chase that top step! I’m really proud of everyone out there today, including our men,” she added.

Caldwell and Bjornsen’s efforts set up Stephen who chased down Finland’s Riitta-Liisa Roponen and then attacked on the climb on the second rotation and never looked back. Only Norway’s Therese Johaug had a better time than Stephen who tagged Diggins and the rest was history.

“I strapped on my relay socks and let them do the rest. No, but seriously, there is something that happens when I put those socks on, and it has a lot more to do with confidence and excitement than anything else. When I put on the socks the morning of the relay and show up at the race, I leave my own stuff behind. Whatever thoughts I have regarding where I am at physically or mentally, I leave behind and instead, I take confidence in my team,” shared Stephen.

Stephen gaps Roponen ©

“I take the confidence and the skills and the excitement, and belief that the girls on my team exude and I make them my own.  Perhaps it works that way for everyone on the team on our best day, but for me, it is certainly this way.  Today is not about me, it is about me skiing for this team, on this day, and loving every second I am able to wear those socks,” she added.

Diggins bolted from the start after Stephen tagged her, to put time into Norway’s Astrid Jacobsen up ahead, while expanding her lead over Finland.

“My tactic for the final leg was to take it out as fast as possible to put time between myself and Finland, and the second lap I skied a little more carefully once I knew it was locked in because I didn’t want to bobble or make any mistakes. It was such a wonderful feeling crossing that line and skiing straight into the arms of my teammates, and knowing that we just accomplished something big as a team,” said Diggins.

Jessica Diggins (USA) at the finish © Nordic Focus

Canada’s Browne and MacIsaac-Jones were in a duel with the Russians over the final two legs and ended up 12th. “It was really important to get these girls into a team event. We know we have a young group of female skiers and skiers in Canada, but the key for them was to remember this is the beginning,” said Chris Jeffries, coach of the development tour where Cross Country Ski de Fond is giving its young athletes valuable race experience.. “We knew we would be in tough, but with Emily leading the way we have a lot of hope for future women’s teams.”

Results here.