Kendall Kramer is On the Rise

One of Kendall Kramer’s lifelong goals when she was a young ski racer was to represent the United States in cross country skiing. This past season, she not only represented the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team at various World Cup events but was a member of Team USA at the highest level of sport, the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Many would say her goals were met, but Kramer is always looking for more, which is why she is the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Zions Bank “On the Rise” athlete.

When you look at Kramer’s statistics, you would think she's been a professional ski racer for years; however, she may just be getting started. Up to this point, she's represented the USA at the Olympic Winter Games, Junior World Championships and U23 World Championships. She’s won a bronze medal at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, a team relay silver at the Junior World Championships, won a National Championship title and notched four other podiums and secured several top 20s in FIS World Cup races — most notably her ninth place in the Falun World Cup, the home of this year’s World Championships. But elite cross country skiing wasn’t always on Kramer’s list.

Kramer is successful across the board, academically and athletically. In college, she struggled with burnout, COVID restrictions and overtraining. But as her collegiate years came to an end, she was an NCAA cross-country (running) runner-up – years earlier, she had finished 170th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. In skiing, she won the NCAA National Championships in her final season for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In the classroom, she earned two degrees: biology and psychology. When she’s not representing her country at the highest level of skiing, she’s pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher.

Kramer is the latest athlete featured in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “On the Rise” series, presented by Zions Bank. Through community service, sponsorships and charitable donations, Zions Bank is committed to fueling economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

Q&A with Kendall Kramer

Q: What initially drew you to cross country skiing?

KK: I was drawn to the feeling of improving every day and appreciated how the work I put in created what I got out of it. It felt fair and beautiful! I also thought cross-country ski kids were super funny people whom I wanted to be around.

Q: When you were younger and getting into skiing, what were your goals?

KK: I wanted to make it to Junior Nationals so I could get a fun trip with my friends – the classic teenage motivators! On a more serious note, I wanted to represent the United States internationally.

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment so far in your career?

KK: Getting to represent the USA at World Cups consistently has been a super cool accomplishment for me and not taken lightly. It’s a big opportunity and accomplishment many hope to achieve. Specifically, representing Team USA at the Olympics felt important and impactful.

Q: What is your ultimate goal with skiing, or with being an athlete in general?

KK: I want to be a consistent top performer in the FIS cross country World Cup and do my best to raise the bar in domestic racing!

Q: Who are your heroes? 

KK: Everyone who goes out and skis in Fairbanks – it’s not easy when it’s -20 degrees all winter...

Q: You win $5,000 in prize money: What do you do with it?

KK: I pay a few months’ worth of rent in advance to take the stress off for a few months and make sure the money goes to essentials first. A splurge of mine is good food that makes me happy, so I may go to the grocery store and buy some more expensive nice things, or treat a friend to a meal!

Q: Do you have a budget or follow a spending structure?

KK: After a payment from my job or skiing, I pay rent, utilities, groceries and gas first. I then save half of what’s left over and put the other half towards travel and trips, because that’s a big value of mine.

Q: What’s one money habit you follow?

KK: Save more than you spend!