PARK CITY, Utah — One of the best cross-country skiers to come out of Tahoe City is set to return to competition this season as a member of the Stifel U.S. Cross-Country Ski Team.

Schoonmaker, 23, has been a member of the program since 2021 and will be one of two athlete’s to be given full support this season as a member of the men’s A Team.

Last season, Schoonmaker picked up a top-10 finish in World Cup racing. The one-time Olympian also finished ninth in sprint racing at the World Championships in Slovenia. He finished the season ranked 30th in the sprint World Cup standings.

---

---

Schoonmaker is one of 23 athletes named to the U.S. Cross-Country Ski Team, and is the area’s lone representative.

The season will take athletes around the world and will be highlighted with a World Cup stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota during Presidents Day weekend, bringing the best cross-country skiers stateside for the first time in more than 23 years.

---

---

The 2023-24 World Cup season kicks off with period one in Ruka, Finland on Nov. 24-26.

“The U.S. team is hungry to begin the 2023-24 season after a very productive preparation period with excellent training opportunities at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon, the Torsby ski tunnel in Sweden and the Snow Farm in New Zealand, among other locations,” said Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Program Director Chris Grover in Tuesday’s announcement. “Training progress has been evident in the many outstanding performances by our athletes in major rollerski and running competitions around the globe. Although the entire season will be exciting to watch, some highlights from the team will include the Tour de Ski, which will include non-traditional longer events in both Toblach and Davos, and of course our home World Cup at Wirth Park in Minneapolis.”