Jessie Diggins Honored By U.S. Ski & Snowboard With Beck International Award As Overall Athlete Of The Year
U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athlete Jessie Diggins was honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard with its Beck International Award as overall athlete of the year. Diggins was one of eight athletes recognized for their accomplishments in the 2020-21 season. It was her third time winning the overall athlete honor (2016, 2018, 2021).
Diggins was recognized for her overall FIS Cross Country World Cup title, the first time an American has taken the overall crystal globe since Bill Koch’s win in 1982. Diggins also became the first American to win the Tour de Ski title.
The Beck International Award dates back to 1931, honoring some of the greatest champions in ski and snowboard sport.
“The pandemic season created an unusual playing field for our athletes, but their performances still came through,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “There were myriad breakout seasons for our athletes, but the accomplishment of Jessie Diggins in winning the overall FIS Cross Country World Cup title was an extraordinary accomplishment.”
Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin was awarded the Alpine Athlete of the Year award. Shiffrin, who lost her father tragically a year earlier, was honored for her resiliency and her four medals at the 2021 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. It was the sixth time she has won the alpine award.
Freeskier Colby Stevenson was recognized for his breakout season with the Freeski Athlete of the Year honors. Stevenson won the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix Slopestyle, took silver at FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships slopestyle, then went on to take the slopestyle and overall FIS Freeski Crystal Globes. It is his first time winning the freeski award.
The Freestyle Athlete of the Year award went to Winter Vinecki. The aerial skier captured three World Cup podiums, including second at Deer Valley Resort and her career-first win in Moscow. She finished second in the FIS Freestyle World Cup aerials standings.
Pioneering women’s nordic combined athlete Tara Geraghty-Moats won her third-straight Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year recognition. Geraghty-Moats has been a leader in the movement to bring nordic combined for women into the Olympics. She won the debut women’s FIS Nordic Combined World Cup Crystal Globe.
Teen ski jumper Paige Jones was named Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year. Jones scored the best U.S. women’s ski jumping results in two seasons. It was her first time winning the award.
Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim earned her second Snowboard Athlete of the Year crown. She returned after a year away from competition to record a dominating season, winning X Games and World Championships gold, plus the FIS Snowboard World Cup title. She was also the athlete of the year in 2016.
