Rosie Brennan competes during the women's cross-country 4x5-kilometer relay at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships on March 4, 2021 in Oberstdorf, Germany.
The first Olympic race — the skiathlon — was a chance to shake off the rust. Brennan hung with the leaders for several kilometers but ended up finishing 14th. Although she was disappointed, the race had its positive side. At the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Brennan had finished almost last in the skiathlon. It was her only race at the PyeongChang Olympic Games. She was suffering from mononucleosis at the time and did not yet know it.
“I had a demon in the back of my mind that I needed to get rid of,” admitted Brennan after the race. “To be in a better place today, even if it wasn’t my best, was a step in the right direction and something that I’m proud of.”
Three days later, Brennan and Diggins made the sprint freestyle finals, giving the U.S. a good chance of winning a medal. But it was Diggins who claimed the bronze, with Brennan crossing under one second back in fourth.
Heartbreaking, yes. But again she was proud of her race.
Over the next 12 days, Brennan scored three more top-six finishes, and on the final day of the Games, she skied a strong 30k, often leading the pack that chased Norway’s Therese Johaug (who won gold) and Diggins, who claimed silver.
Of the handful of women who competed in all six Olympic cross-country ski races, only Diggins and Brennan finished in the top 15 of all of them.
“Successfully doing all the races, not just being on a downward spiral and having a crash and burn sort of situation, that really showed that I was able to handle that load effectively,” she said. “To be competitive in all the events and to really be an all-around ski racer, that’s something that I’m very proud of.”
World Cup Season
Brennan’s consistency was not just confined to the Olympic Games. From the first world cup races in late November to the final races in mid-March, Brennan finished in the top 10 two-thirds of the time and no lower than 17th.
“I’m super happy to have that kind of consistency,” she said. “It’s definitely something that I’ve been trying to figure out how to do better and improve on.”
Last season, her highs were very high last year — finishing on the podium four times, including twice during the Tour de Ski, and leading the overall world cup tour for almost a month — her lows were lower. A the end of the season, Brennan fell out of the top three in the overall standings.
“Having massive lows can be pretty draining,” she explained. “It’s hard to get going again. That’s something that had a negative impact on some of my seasons previously.”
“I really hope I can keep this kind of consistency,” she added, “then build on some of the top-end as well and then have some standout results.”
Rosie Brennan competes during the women's cross-country 7.5-kilometer + 7.5-kilometer skiathlon at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on Feb. 5, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China.
Mixed Relay Win
One of the season’s standout results came on the final day of the world cup season in the first-ever mixed 4 x 5km relay. The U.S. fielded Brennan and Diggins, along with Olympian Scott Patterson and 24-year-old Zak Ketterson, competing in his second year on the world cup.
At first, Brennan figured it would just be fun to experience this new event. But then Patterson and Ketterson had best-ever results in the 15k race the day before the relay, and suddenly, they realized that they might have a good day in the relay.
It turned out to be a very good day. Brennan, Ketterson and Patterson kept the team in contention, then Diggins — one of the fastest 5k skiers in the world — crossed the line first, beating strong teams from Finland and Norway.
“It was really unexpected and fun and exciting,” said Brennan. “It’s helpful to leave the world cup on such a happy note, with good memories. It motivates you to keep going.”
Adding To Her Bucket List
But Brennan’s season was not over yet. After the mixed relay, she traveled to Norway for the 2022 Norwegian Birkebeiner.
A bucket-list item for Brennan, the Birkebeinerrennet is a 54k classic ski marathon that crosses two mountains. The course crosses the same landscape over which Birkebeiner loyalists carried the king's son to safety in the 13th century. To mimic the weight of carrying the baby, racers must wear a backpack weighing 3.5 kilograms (7.72 pounds). They must also carry survival gear (extra clothes, ski wax, food, water, etc.) because the course is so remote.
Brennan loaded her Camelbak with the required gear but still came up short on weight. So she added a 1.25 kilo metal weight to her bag, plus lighter weights on the outside to compensate for the food and water she would consume during the race.
“I will not lie, I was outrageously sore for three of four days afterwards,” Brennan confessed with a laugh.
The women’s race has never been won by a competitor double poling. So Brennan competed with kick wax on her skis. But the top six (including Johaug and Olympic legend Marit Bjoergen) completed the entire 54k course by only double poling. Brennan finished seventh.
“I was the first person on kick wax [to finish], so I was happy about that,” she said.
As for what’s next, Brennan plans to stay at home in Alaska this spring and take advantage of all the adventures the state has to offer. Then she will plan for next season.
“I don’t know exactly what it’s doing to look like,” she said. “But I do plan to race.”
