August 23, 2025 - The 2022 Bejing Olympics was the 50th anniversary of US women cross country skiers competing in the Games. To commemorate each of the women who represented the US from 1972-2022, a group of Olympians formed a book committee to share the experiences and stories of these women and to celebrate the progress and growth of a sport and a community. Trail to Gold: The Journey of 53 Women Skiers was published in December 2021, and quickly became a staple on book shelves across the US ski community. The actual trail to gold was completed when Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins teamed up to win an Olympic Gold in 2018 in the team sprint, an event which capped the rise of US women’s skiing over many decades.

The publication of Trail to Gold generated energy among the members of the US Olympic Women’s Cross Country Book Project to consider a legacy. The result; a partnership with the Women’s Ski Coaches Association, US Ski and Snowboard, and NNF – the Trail to Gold Program.

When it debuted in 2022, the Trail to Gold Coaching Grant (T2G) looked to take advantage of a new FIS rule that reserved two on-course World Cup bibs for women coaching staff, and bolster a US Ski Team World Cup staff with perspectives and talents brought from across the ski community. For the past three seasons, coaches have been selected to complete a two week experience on the World Cup designed to immerse them in all aspects of coaching and wax teching on the World Cup. Each coach has contributed a dynamic presence on the World Cup staff and has returned home to share the excitement and knowledge gained from the experience.

In 2023, NNF added the T2G to its Pillar Projects, ensuring the grant’s funding for successive seasons. In doing so, we hope to continue to make an investment not only in the individual development of American women coaches, but the skiers that they support and inspire across skiing.

The Program:
A continuation of the Trail to Gold Olympic Book Project, the T2G Program funds World Cup coaching grants to talented women coaches, allowing them to join the US Ski Team coaching staff during the course of the World Cup season.

T2G Coaches:
• Become Part of the Team: Join the US Ski Team World Cup staff for 2 weeks of hands-on experience in waxing, testing, coaching, and all aspects of being a team member of a world-class coaching staff.
• On-Course Experience: Utilize FIS’ Women coaches bib allotment to test skis alongside the world’s best athletes and coaches.
• Share and Inspire: Women coaches from across the US bring World Cup experience home, helping spread inspiration and passion across US ski communities from coast-to-coast.

The Application Process:
Trail to Gold Applications are open for a period from August 15-September 1. Applications are reviewed by the Trail to Gold Selection Committee (see below) and the T2G Coaches for the upcoming World Cup season are announced annually in October.

T2G Applicants:
• Can Come From Any Level of US Skiing: Women coaches from junior, high school, collegiate, and professional/elite club skiing are all encouraged to apply for the T2G Program.
• Should Be Prepared to Identify a 2-week World Cup Competition Period: The T2G is completed in 2-week competition periods throughout the World Cup season, November-March. Coaches should be prepared to be away from their regular coaching duties for two consecutive weekends of competition.
• May Have Completed the T2G Before : Coaches who have already earned a T2G Coaching Grant in previous seasons may re-apply for future World Cup seasons. Coaches who have participated in two internships: please give way for new candidates.

Apply here – Applications are open until September 1, 2025.

The Trail to Gold Selection Committee:
The T2G Selection Committee consists of representatives from the Trail to Gold book committee, Women Ski Coaches Association (WSCA), US Ski Team coaches, and another retired woman US World Cup athlete.

The 2024-25 T2G Selection Committee:
• Kristen Bourne – US Ski Team D-Team Coach.
• Sophie Caldwell – Head Coach Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club, US Olympian – 2014 Sochi, 2018 Pyeongchang.
• Nancy Fiddler – Trail to Gold author, US Olympian – 1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville.
• Chris Grover – US Ski Team Cross Country Program Director.
• Leslie Hall – Trail to Gold author, US Olympian – 1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer.
• Annika Martell – Head Coach Saint Michael’s College, Two time T2G Coach.
• Matt Whitcomb – US Ski Team Head Coach, NNF Board Member.