CURRENTLY RANKED 4th. WITH 2 GOLD. 3 SILVER. AND 2 BRONZE. ONE OF THOSE SILVER MEDALS WAS SECURED EARLIER TODAY. WHEN SOME HISTORY WAS MADE BY VERMONT’S BEN OGDEN. FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF THE CROSS COUNTRY SKIER WOKE UP áEARLY THIS MORNING TO CHEER HIM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE FROM HOME. OUR YAMUNA TURCO WAS THERE FOR IT. IT WAS AN EARLY START TO THE DAY IN RICHMOND, BUT FOR FANS AND SUPPORTERS OF VERMONT’S CROSS COUNTRY SKIERS, IT WAS WORTH THE EARLY WAKE UP. <cheering> ON TUESDAY THE RICHMOND COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT CROSS COUNTRY OLYMPIC SKIERS JULIA KERN, JESSIE DIGGINS, AND BEN GODEN… <bells> BOTH OGDEN AND KERN MADE IT TO THE FINALS, AND OGDEN TOOK HOME SILVER IN THE MEN’S INDIVIDUAL SPRINT. <sam noel, ben ogden’s friend “super excited to be out here and like, you know, showing the love for him and Julia today. And it was extra special that is able to bring home silver.”> DOZENS OF SUPPORTERS, FRIENDS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE THERE TO SEE IT HAPPEN IN REAL TIME. <lily mccabe, bivo event coordinator “the whole building was stomping and clapping, and it was so just inspiring to see the kids looking up to the athletes, looking up to Ben and cheering him on.”> INCLUDING OGDEN’S SISTER, CHARLOTTE. SHE SAYS WATCHING BEN IS ALWAYS EXCITING, BUT BEING IN A ROOM FULL OF SUPPORTERS MADE IT EVEN MORE MEMORABLE. <charlotte ogden, ben ogden’s sister “whenever I watch Ben race, I like I’m always nervous. Always. And this was just taking it to another level. But hearing everyone around me was amazing. And like knowing that everyone else was feeling the same way was amazing. And just like the sound when it was racing was amazing.”> THE EVENT WAS AT BIVO, A RICHMOND- BASED WATER BOTTLE BRAND. OWNERS ROB AND CARINA KNOW BOTH KERN AND OGDEN, AND SAID BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER MADE THEIR SUCCESS EVEN MORE EXCITING. <carina hamel, co-owner, bivo: “We all love Ben and Julia so much. They live right here, and they are just like active members of our community and their city. Ben. Sister was here. Roommates. You know, all our neighbors. It’s so much. Energy and so much excitement. It’s awesome.”> KERN AND OGDEN WILL COMPETE AGAIN LATER DURING THE GAMES, IN THE CROSS COUNTRY áTEAM EVENT. WITH JULIA AND BEN BOTH ADVANCING TO THE FINALS AND BEN TAKING HOME THE SILVER IN THE INDIVIDUAL SPRINT, THEIR COMMUNITY IS MORE THAN EXCITED TO SUPPORT THEM THROU
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Vermont’s Ben Ogden takes silver in final cross-country sprint at Milan Cortina Olympics
Dozens of people woke up early in Richmond to watch Ogden race alongside fellow Vermonters, Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern
Ben Ogden, an Olympic cross-country skier from Vermont, has secured the first medal so far for his home state in the Milan Cortina games. Ogden competed in several elimination-style races in the men’s single sprint Tuesday morning before taking second place in the final event. The 25-year-old Olympian secured a silver medal in the men’s sprint classical race with a time of 3:40.61. He became only the second American ever to medal in the event, the last coming from Bill Koch in 1976.Dozens of people gathered for a watch party at Richmond-based business, Bivo, which sponsors Ogden. VIDEO: Watch friends, family cheer as Ben Ogden takes second-place finish in men’s sprint.”We’re excited to see him race, and we’re excited to see the community come together and cheer him on,” said Bivo co-owner Carina Hamel. Ogden, who grew up in Landgrove, Vermont, is a two-time Olympian. He also competed in Beijing in 2022, but did not medal. His friends and family got to watch on as he made it to the finals, and took home the silver medal. “I’m super excited to be out here and like showing the love, and it was extra special that he was able to bring home silver,” said Sam Noel, one of Ogden’s longtime friends.Ogden’s sister, Charlotte, said that while watching always made her nervous, being around people there to support him made the win even more memorable.“Whenever I watch Ben race, I’m always nervous, always, and this was just taking it to another level. But hearing everyone around me was amazing, and knowing that everyone else was feeling the same way was amazing. Just like the sound when he was racing was amazing,” said Charlotte.Two other Vermont skiers competed Tuesday morning for cross-country sprinting events in Italy. Stratton’s Jessie Diggins was eliminated after taking fourth place in the quarter-final. Julia Kern, who also trains at Stratton, made it to the final event but placed sixth. Fans said they were excited to cheer on the U.S. team as they head into the rest of the 2026 Winter Games, and compete in the cross-country team sprint later next week.
Ben Ogden, an Olympic cross-country skier from Vermont, has secured the first medal so far for his home state in the Milan Cortina games.
Ogden competed in several elimination-style races in the men’s single sprint Tuesday morning before taking second place in the final event.
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The 25-year-old Olympian secured a silver medal in the men’s sprint classical race with a time of 3:40.61. He became only the second American ever to medal in the event, the last coming from Bill Koch in 1976.
Dozens of people gathered for a watch party at Richmond-based business, Bivo, which sponsors Ogden.
VIDEO: Watch friends, family cheer as Ben Ogden takes second-place finish in men’s sprint.
“We’re excited to see him race, and we’re excited to see the community come together and cheer him on,” said Bivo co-owner Carina Hamel.
Ogden, who grew up in Landgrove, Vermont, is a two-time Olympian. He also competed in Beijing in 2022, but did not medal. His friends and family got to watch on as he made it to the finals, and took home the silver medal.
“I’m super excited to be out here and like showing the love, and it was extra special that he was able to bring home silver,” said Sam Noel, one of Ogden’s longtime friends.
Ogden’s sister, Charlotte, said that while watching always made her nervous, being around people there to support him made the win even more memorable.
“Whenever I watch Ben race, I’m always nervous, always, and this was just taking it to another level. But hearing everyone around me was amazing, and knowing that everyone else was feeling the same way was amazing. Just like the sound when he was racing was amazing,” said Charlotte.
Two other Vermont skiers competed Tuesday morning for cross-country sprinting events in Italy. Stratton’s Jessie Diggins was eliminated after taking fourth place in the quarter-final. Julia Kern, who also trains at Stratton, made it to the final event but placed sixth.
Fans said they were excited to cheer on the U.S. team as they head into the rest of the 2026 Winter Games, and compete in the cross-country team sprint later next week.
