Quick Facts

Daughter of Wiggy and Tom Brennan
Has a twin, Charlie
Began skiing when she was 14
Would like to become a teacher before pursuing a more advanced geography degree to eventually work in dam removal
Volunteers with Fast and Female, a program dedicated to empowering young women through sport
Hobbies include baking, painting, camping, biking, hiking and running

Biographical Information

Rosie Brennan grew up in a family and community that cherished outdoor recreation and alpine skiing. Her mother encouraged her to try cross-country skiing in eighth grade, a year after she watched the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002. Though she began the sport later than most elite athletes, Brennan quickly found her path forward. She graduated from Park City High School and went on to compete for Dartmouth College, where she earned a degree in geography while racing on the collegiate circuit.

After college, Brennan relocated to Anchorage to train with the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center while pursuing a master's degree in education. Her graduate work focused on developing ski curriculum for rural Alaska, reflecting her commitment to expanding access to winter sports. She credits APU coach Erik Flora with helping her persevere through setbacks, including being cut from the U.S. Ski Team multiple times and battling injuries.

Brennan achieved a breakthrough moment in December 2020 when she won back-to-back world cup races in Davos, Switzerland at age 32. She became the first American to simultaneously hold the overall world cup leader's bib, world cup sprint leader's bib and world cup distance leader's bib, demonstrating her versatility across both sprint and distance events in classic and freestyle techniques.

Brennan competed in all six cross-country ski events at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, finishing fourth in the freestyle sprint — less than one second from a medal — and recording top-15 finishes across all her races. She has represented the United States at multiple world championships and Olympic Winter Games, contributing to Team USA's rise in international cross-country skiing.

Beyond competition, Brennan dedicates herself to developing the next generation of athletes. She serves as an ambassador for Fast and Female, empowering young women through sport, and volunteers with Skiku, which provides Nordic ski instruction to children and communities throughout rural Alaska. Her master's thesis focused on creating accessible ski curriculum for teachers in remote communities, combining her passion for education with her love of the sport. Through her volunteer work and competitive achievements, Brennan continues to inspire young athletes while representing American cross-country skiing at the highest level.

Olympic Experience

3-time Olympian

Olympic Games Milan 2026, 5th (4 x 7.5km Relay - Women), 15th (50km Classic Style - Women), 37th (2 x 10km Skiathlon - Women)
Olympic Games Beijing 2022, 4th (Sprint Freestyle - Women), 5th (Team Sprint Classic Style - Women), 6th (30km Freestyle - Women, 4 x 5km Relay - Women), 13th (10km Classic Style - Women), 14th (2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women)
Olympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, 58th (2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women)

World Championships Experience

Most recent: 2025 – 6th (4 x 7.5km Relay - Women), 22th (10km Classic Style - Women), 30th (Sprint Freestyle - Women)
Years of participation: 10km Classic Style - Women 2017, 2019, 2025; 4 x 7.5km Relay - Women 2025; Sprint Freestyle - Women 2025; 10km Freestyle - Women 2021, 2023; 2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023; 30km Classic Style - Women 2015, 2023; 4 x 5km Relay - Women 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023; Sprint Classic Style - Women 2021, 2023; Team Sprint Freestyle - Women 2021; 30km Freestyle - Women 2019
Top finish: 4th – 2015 (4 x 5km Relay - Women), 2021 (4 x 5km Relay - Women)

Education

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