A celebrated Fairbanks cross-country skier is days away from competing in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. 23-year-old Kendall Kramer is currently training in Switzerland and Italy, where she said the atmosphere is intense — but professional.
"The U.S. team holds some of the best skiers in the world," Kramer said. "So, it's really cool to not have these rose-colored glasses around them and see them as real people, which makes your own skiing aspirations feel more attainable."
Kramer is one of eight Alaskans competing in the cross-country events. She previously represented Team USA at the 2020 Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, earning silver and bronze medals. She's also a decorated national collegiate competitor.
But before the world stage, there was home. Kramer said she cherishes her childhood memories of skiing at Birch Hill in Fairbanks. She went on to ski for West Valley High School, and then for her alma mater, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she graduated last year with a degree in biology and psychology.
Even half a world away, Kramer said her mind is never far from the place that set her in motion.
"Its harsh conditions and hardy people, and the can-do, disciplined attitudes that I was around — to just be tough and do it anyway, even if it's hard and uncomfortable. That is a really good recipe for being an athlete, especially in cross-country skiing," she said.
She said that however the games pan out, she's grateful for the opportunity to go. And it feels meaningful to race for more than just herself. She knows she's being watched by hundreds of fans, friends, and family members back in Alaska, especially in Fairbanks.
The women's Olympic cross-country ski events start on the morning of Feb. 7.
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