History Made Once Again by our Aussie Cross-Country Athletes

Courtesy Australian Olympic Committee

Under blue skies and sunshine, athletes were greeted with firm, fast tracks for the Women’s 50km Mass Start Classic at the final race of the cross-country skiing program at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, marking the first time in Olympic history that women have contested the 50km. 

Australia’s Rosie Fordham delivered a historic performance, finishing 29th, the highest ever individual Olympic placing by an Australian cross-country skier, in the sport’s 74-year Olympic history dating back to 1952. 

The seven-lap course proved as demanding as expected, featuring long, punishing climbs and fast descents with a hot pace set from the beginning from the pack leaders. 

Fordham’s race, however, didn’t come without its challenges. 

“It was pretty good. I fell early. I was in a really good spot at about 2.5km. I tried to change tracks and took a pretty big fall and like took a second to get up and lost a lot of spots, and ended up alone.” 

“I was just like looking ahead and trying to catch people and, all things considered pretty happy with it.” 

“I was skiing really well at the end, I was still holding good technique, which has been a struggle for me in classic skiing, even in just like a 20K, so to be able to ski well for full 50. It was really good.” 

With her Olympic campaign now complete, Fordham will quickly shift focus back to her collegiate commitments in the United States. 

“I have to go back to the US and finish off my college career, so I’ve got some races coming up this coming weekend, I fly back to the US, race there and then I’ll be in Lake Placid at World Cup Finals for one last World Cup race this season.” 

At the front of the race, Sweden’s Ebba Andersson claimed the historic gold medal, with Norway’s Heidi Weng taking silver. Switzerland’s Nadja Kälin secured bronze following an exciting sprint finish to round out the podium. 

Photo Credit: Australian Olympic Committee/Getty Images