Alaska Pacific University Skiers Shine at Olympic Opening Ceremony Watch Party

Eight of the 16 members of Team USA Cross-Country are APU skiers, celebrated by the local community.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The Alaska Pacific University (APU) campus in Anchorage hosted an opening ceremony watch party for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where the community cheered on the eight APU skiers representing Team USA in cross-country skiing. The APU program has produced a significant portion of the U.S. Olympic cross-country team, highlighting Alaska's strong tradition in the sport.

Why it matters

The strong representation of APU skiers on the U.S. Olympic team showcases Alaska's status as a Nordic skiing powerhouse, with the state's cold climate and terrain providing ideal conditions for developing world-class cross-country skiers. The watch party celebrates the accomplishments of these local athletes and the pride the community takes in their success on the global stage.

The details

The opening ceremony watch party at the Alaska Pacific University campus in Anchorage drew a crowd of supporters eager to cheer on the eight APU skiers who are part of the 16-member Team USA cross-country skiing squad. The skiers representing the U.S. and Alaska at the 2026 Winter Olympics are Rosie Brennan, Hunter Wonders, Hailey Swirbul, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker, Zanden McMullen, Novie McCabe, and Kendall Kramer.

  • The opening ceremony watch party took place on Friday, February 7, 2026.
  • The first cross-country ski race, the women's skiathlon, will be held at 3 a.m. AKST on Saturday, February 8, 2026.
  • The men's 20-kilometer skiathlon event will take place the following day, Sunday, February 9, 2026.

The players

Forrest Mahlen

The coach of the APU Nordic ski program.

Hatcher Menkens

A 19-year-old member of the APU Nordic ski team.

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What they’re saying

“If Alaska were it's own nation in the parade of nations, we would be well-represented in the sport of cross-country skiing.”

— Forrest Mahlen, APU program coach (webcenterfairbanks.com)

“It's definitely pretty incredible to have so many people from our team make the Olympics, it is wild. It's a big driving force on our team, seeing the accomplishments that our men's team and women's team are making, just proves the work we are doing works.”

— Hatcher Menkens, APU Nordic ski team member (webcenterfairbanks.com)

What’s next

The first cross-country ski race, the women's skiathlon, will be held at 3 a.m. AKST on Saturday, February 8, 2026. The men will race in the 20-kilometer skiathlon event the following day, with more cross-country medals up for grabs throughout the week.

The takeaway

Alaska's reputation as a Nordic skiing powerhouse is reinforced by the strong representation of APU skiers on the U.S. Olympic cross-country team, showcasing the state's ability to develop world-class talent in the sport. The community's enthusiastic support for these local athletes at the opening ceremony watch party underscores the pride and excitement surrounding their Olympic pursuits.