The 2025-26 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season kicked off with stage one in Ruka, Finland. It was not only the official beginning of the cross-country skiing season for the world's best skiers and the start of the road to the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games, but it also was the world's first glimpse at three-time Olympian Jessie Diggins in her final season and she didn't disappoint.

The day began in snow-covered Ruka near the Arctic Circle, with the women's interval start 10km classic event featuring 81 skiers. Diggins donned the yellow bib at the start line as the reigning overall World Cup winner. She also wore her signature smile accented with her trademark cheek glitter. Diggins appeared loose and to be enjoying the moment before the race, a sign she's said that she's ready to go full throttle into the "pain cave." 

"I was just thinking about going out there and smashing a 10k in Ruka one last time and laying it all out. And, as usual in a race, one of my goals is to cross the finish line with nothing left; and today, I did that," Diggins said.

She got off to a strong start and halfway through was in seventh place, just over 18 seconds behind leader and reigning winner, Frida Karlsson of Sweden. Diggins finished in fifth place overall, 27.6 seconds behind Karlsson, who won. It was her best-ever 10km classic finish in Ruka, showing Diggins is doing anything but coasting into retirement.

"It was super exciting to have my best-ever Ruka Classic 10k. My combo of kick and glide on a tricky day was great. All said and done, I am coming into the season right where I want to be,” Diggins said.

Karlsson won the women's interval start 10km classic in Ruka for a second-straight year, holding off a late surge by Heidi Weng of Norway (25.42.3) who took second. Moa Ilar (25.50.1) of Sweden finished third to round out the podium.

American Rosie Brennan finished 24th in 26:53.6 and teammate Julie Kern finished 42nd in 28:02.3.

On the men's side, Norway's Martin Loewstroem Nyenget won the interval start 10km classic with a time of 22:30.8. His teammate and the world's top skier coming into this season, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, finished just 2.1 seconds behind to take second place. The Norwegians shared the podium with Mika Vermeulen of Austria, who finished in third place with a time of 22:35.

Zak Ketterson led the American men and finished 15th overall. After his career-best individual result Ketterson said, "It felt great. I’ve been super dialed all summer and fall and am really proud of the work I’ve put into the preparation for this season. It was really nice to get some good answers on that work today."

The first weekend of the World Cup season continues in Ruka with the men's and women's sprint qualification and final classic events.