STRATTON, Vt. – The Stratton Mountain School (SMS) community is celebrating a historic victory today, as alumnus Ben Ogden, Class of 2018, captured the silver medal in the men’s sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
With this podium finish, Ogden ended a half-century medal drought, becoming the first American man to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing since fellow Vermonter Bill Koch won silver at the 1976 Innsbruck Games.
Ogden’s journey from a young skier in Landgrove to an Olympic medalist is a testament to the power of community support and educational opportunity. Raised in Landgrove – a town of fewer than 200 residents – Ogden was able to attend Stratton Mountain School using Vermont’s Town Tuitioning Program. Because Landgrove does not operate a public high school, the program allows families to send students to approved independent schools, which facilitated Ogden’s development.
“Ben’s journey to the Olympic podium is a shining example of the doors that open when talent meets opportunity,” said Carson Thurber, head of school at Stratton Mountain School. “Thanks to Vermont’s unique Town Tuitioning Program, Ben was able to choose SMS, where he was able to access a program that allowed him to develop into a top-tier athlete. We are incredibly proud to see a local Landgrove student maximize that opportunity to represent Vermont and the country on the world stage.”
Ogden, 25, honed his skills on the trails at SMS, eventually making history as a junior racer. In 2018, during his senior year at SMS, he anchored the U.S. team to a silver medal at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships, the first medal ever for U.S. men at that event. He went on to ski for the University of Vermont, winning two NCAA national championships, and achieved a 12th-place finish in his Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022.
Now, he joins Koch as only the second American man to stand on an Olympic cross-country podium.
Ogden will continue his competition at the 2026 Games in the upcoming team sprint and relay events.