Our Planet Climate and Geopolitics
The most successful American cross-country skier in history is leading in this year’s World Cup standings. In the likely event that Jessie Diggins wins the women’s title in Sweden next month it will send ripples through the sport, but no more than that. Diggins has done it before, in 2021. Why then does she get the New Yorker treatment in a profile by Bill McCibben in the current issue? Because she successfully and single-handedly campaigned for the World Cup circus to travel to the US ten days ago for the first time in 20 years; and having got there it almost had no snow to ski on. The races were held in Minneapolis, which used to pride itself on winters more severe than Alaska’s but this year sweated through a record 23 consecutive above-freezing days starting in mid-January. Then half a foot of snow fell with two days to go and the shame of racing on an artificial alternative was averted. There were echoes of the 1960 Squaw Valley winter Olympics, saved by a last-minute blizzard welcomed in from the Pacific by Shoshone snow dancers. Diggins missed the podium in the sprint, won bronze in the 10k and called it the best weekend’s racing of her life.