June 11, 2010 – Here is the latest news from the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, including their annual t-shirt design contest, trail runs, treks, and work days, registration deadlines, and other upcoming events.

2011 T-Shirt Design Contest Announced
The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) is announcing their annual contest to design the official t-shirt for the 2011 American Birkebeiner ski race. The winning t-shirt design will be the featured retail t-shirt for the event.

“We have created the t-shirt design contest as another creative way for artists who love the Birkie to participate in the 2011 Birkie event,” said Ned Zuelsdorff, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. “Proceeds from sales of the official 2011 t-shirt will benefit young skier programs. We hope that people will consider supporting the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation and our effort to foster youth skiing by entering the contest.”

“It is our goal to inspire people to live active and healthy lives by participating in our events throughout the year. More simply put, we hope that people choose to ‘Live the Birkie.'” said Zuelsdorff. “We’re looking for this year’s design to help people ‘Feel the Energy’ of the Birkie and in turn inspire them to ‘Live the Birkie.'”

Artists interested in participating in the contest should….Continue Reading here.

2010 Birkie Trail Run & Trek – September 25, 2010
This year’s Birkie Trail Run & Trek offers some exciting changes and additions. New this year is an individual Marathon Trail Run to lead off the list of events being held on Saturday, September 25, 2010. The individual Marathon joins the Marathon Relay, 13.1 mile individual Half Marathon, 13.1 mile Birkie Trek (Nordic Walk) and the 5K Fun/Run Walk.

Also new this year the 2010 course has been turned around and will now traverse the trail from south to north, after outgrowing the previous finish area at Hatchery Park, just outside of Hayward. The Marathon Run and Marathon Relay will now start at Hatchery Park, while the Half Marathon Run and Half Marathon Birkie Trek will begin at the County Highway “OO” trailhead in Seeley. All events will finish on the grounds of Telemark Resort. The 5K Run/Walk will start and finish at Telemark. Even if the doors of Telemark are closed at the time of the event we will have everything we need to set-up a great finish area for all event participants.

All participants will receive specially designed technical t-shirt and enjoy food, live music and fun at the finish line. The Awards Celebration will include many door prizes and recognition of overall and age class winners.

Learn more about the event or register here.

2011 Birkie Poster Available June 15th
Be one of the first to have the 2011 Birkie Poster on display in your wax room. The 38th Anniversary posters will be available June 15th. This year’s poster price of $16 includes shipping and handling and can be purchased at the Birkie Online Store here or by calling 715-634-5025 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              715-634-5025      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Advanced sales are being accepted and orders will be sent soon.

The 2011 Poster was designed by Birkie Skier, Kay Lum of Kay Lum Design and the photographs are those of photographer Mark Milford. Thanks for your great work!

Alternate Plans for Birkie Activities
On Wednesday, May 5, 2010, the doors of Telemark Lodge were closed. The Telemark Interval Owners Association (TIOA) is still working with potential buyers with the hope of selling the lodge and re-opening the doors. Although the doors are closed, the property, including the trails remain accessible.

As announced this Spring, we have developed a plan in the event that Telemark Lodge is not available for Birkie Pre-Race activities. These activities including bib pick-up, the skier expo, race information booth and Birkie clothing will be available in the large, well-lighted Hayward Middle School gymnasium starting at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February, 24th and open all day Friday, February 25th.

The On-Snow Demo, Junior Birkie and Cheqtel 5/10K Family Fun Event will still take place on the Telemark property on Friday, February 25th. The Birkie, Kortelopet, and Prince Haakon 12K races on Saturday, February 26, will again start at the normal start area. The Kortelopet and Prince Haakon events will still finish at Telemark.

The Welcoming Ceremony will take place on Hayward’s Main Street on Thursday, February 24th prior to the Barnebirkie. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Hayward Middle School on the evening of Saturday, February 26th.

“We share a long history with Telemark and we are deeply saddened by the closure of the Lodge,” said Ned Zuelsdorff, American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation Executive Director. “We are doing everything we can to reduce the impact on the race itself and will continue to work with the TIOA to use the outside property for the Birkie Trail Run & Trek events in September, the BirkieTour in January and many of the Birkie events in February. If the situation changes and the doors of Telemark re-open then we will return to Telemark if at all possible.”

Birkie, Korte and Prince Haakon Race Registration Deadline
The first price deadline for the 2011 Birkie, Kortelopet and Prince Haakon events is July 31st. Currently there are over 1400 skiers registered for the events.

The American Birkebeiner Board of Directors set a registration cap of 8,400 skiers for the 2011 Birkie and Kortelopet races and cap of 400 skiers for the Prince Haakon event. In addition, to the cap there is also an overall deadline of January 31, 2011 for the events.

The current fees are: Birkie $80, Korte $70 and Prince Haakon $40.
Register online here today or visit www.birkie.com to print a race application.

Birkie Trail News

Birkie Trail Work Day
We are scheduling a volunteer work morning on the Birkie Trail for Saturday, July 17, from 8:30 AM until noon, meeting at the OO warming building. This is your opportunity to help out and maintain the trail you love! We will be going out in groups to remove debris from the trail where tree limbing work will be done. We may also be working on other portions of the trail where we’re making repairs. All you need bring is a water bottle (and holder) and gloves. Let us know if you’re interested by calling the Birkie office or emailing ned@birkie.com.

New Equipment
We’re fortunate to be able to purchase some new trail equipment this year. We are replacing our five year old trail mower that the trail has just worn out. Think of it, 86K of Birkie, Birkie Classic and Kortelopet trail at an average of 4 passes at 5K per hour or 344K and almost 70 hours per mowing. We’ll start mowing within the next few days and again mow the trails in September before the Fat Tire Festival and our Trail Run event.

We are replacing our older Pisten Bully with a new…Continue Reading about Trail Equipment and other Trail Work.

Trail Budget
Our Trail budget for 2010-2011 is $145,000. The trail work and equipment is expensive, but needed to bring you the quality of trail you enjoy. A portion of our trail expenses are covered by the ski trail fees and donations, which we greatly appreciate. The Birkie Trail Friends program also helps us significantly. You, your family or a group of your friends can get together and sponsor a kilometer on the trail system. Birkie Trail Friends have already sponsored many Birkie and Birkie Classic Trail kilometers, but several Ks still need sponsors. More information about becoming a Birkie Trail Friend is available here. Birkie is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible, so please consider helping.

American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation Membership, Annual Meeting and Board of Director Elections
The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is a membership organization. There are membership levels for individuals, families and businesses. Learn more about becoming a member, click here.

Annual Meeting
The Foundation Annual Meeting for all members will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at the Sawmill Saloon in Seeley, Wisconsin.

Time (Subject to change)
On-site Voting*: 5:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Meal: 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. ($10 per person)
Meeting: 6:45 – 8:00 p.m.

*Foundation members will receive ballots approximately 30 days before the annual meeting and may vote by mail or drop their ballots off at the Birkie office in Hayward. These ballots must be received at the Birkie office by Friday, August 13, 2010.

Membership Status
The by-laws have been amended removing the membership renewal and registration deadline. A ballot will be given to all paid members at the Annual Meeting including those who become or renew their membership that evening.

Board of Director Elections
Several Board Member terms are expiring this year. Candidates interested in running for the Board of Directors must submit a completed Candidate Profile. It is very helpful if you submit the profile in electronic format. It can be addressed to ned@birkie.com. In addition, all non-incumbent candidates must submit a Nomination Endorsement form that contains a minimum of ten signatures from current ABSF members. All application materials are due in the ABSF office no later than Friday, July 9, 2009 and are available here.

Interested in running for the Board of Directors, click here for more information or contact ned@birkie.com

2011 Birkie Skiers for Cures Supports the National MS Society
The 2011 Birkie Skiers for Cures fundraising campaign will once again support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. To date Birkie Skiers for Cures have raised over $160,000 for MS and it will be used for research to bring us closer to a cure for this chronic, often debilitating disease that attacks the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. You can get started now in raising funds and find more information here.

Dear Birkie Skiers –

Year after year that I ski the Birkie I am consistently overwhelmed at how wonderful it is to be surrounded by thousands of Nordic skiers and their supporters, all willing (and excited!) to spend a weekend in Cable-Hayward, Wisconsin, skiing the hardest ski race of the season. This year, I was also struck by the generosity of all the skiers who lined up to the start, skied past me during the race, offered water at rest stations, all wearing Birkie Skiers for Cures pins. Although I wish I could have said thank you to everyone that I skied with during the race with a pin on their bib, I was too out of breath. So now, finally back at a resting heart rate – THANK YOU. It was absolutely wonderful to see so many people showing their support for Birkie Skiers for Cures and the National MS Society. It gave me an overwhelming feeling of hope, and reminded me that if this many people are willing to support the fight to find a cure for MS, then someday we will surely reach that ultimate goal.

From a skier with MS who is determined to ski a lifetime of Birkie’s, thank you so much for your support of Birkie Skiers for Cures.

Birkie birkie!
Katie

2011 BirkieTour Registration Now Open
The 2011 BirkieTour will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2011. Last year over 500 skiers participated in this fun, non-competitive event.

Skier registration and more information for the 2011 BirkieTour is available here.

Birkie® Fever

Thanks for the Memories

By Gina Interrante

My husband (then boyfriend) indirectly inspired me to compete in the American Birkebeiner by suggesting that since I was new to skate skiing that I should start by competing in the shorter race, the Kortelopet. When I asked him if he started out by skiing the Korte, he said no. It was then I knew I was determined to skate ski the full Birkie.

Now keep in mind, I had just moved from Chicago to Southern Wisconsin and had no previous experience skate skiing and very limited experience cross country skiing at all but I kept saying to myself, “I think I can.”

Well, I had my work cut out for me and we skied….Continue Reading here.

Share Your Birkie Fever Story
We know you have a story to tell. Whether you are a skier, spectator or volunteer we want to hear from you. Birkie Fever is a phenomonen that touches many people in many different ways. Share your Birkie Fever with others. Send 300 word essays or short quotes and photos to media@birkie.com. Afraid you can’t write? Don’t let that stop you. We can take your words and weave them into a great Birkie Fever story.

Training Tips

What About Walking

By Jay L. Tapper

The majority of readers who visit the Birkie website are skiers looking for articles to improve their skiing and fitness. Most utilize endurance activities, (paddling, cycling, roller skiing, running, hiking, etc) strength, and flexibility exercises as a means of accomplishing these goals.

What about walking? To suggest walking to a skier is like asking them to take an extra rest day! Where’s the burn? Where’s the sweat? Where are the endorphins?

But walking (when done with purpose) should be an integral part of a conditioning program. Walking improves hip flexibility, movement symmetry, and aids in post exercise recovery. All are important components for improving fitness and preventing injuries.

So what are the secrets of (purposeful) walking to improve fitness and skiing? Continue Reading…Click Here.

Jay Tapper is owner of ActivEdge LLC. ActivEdge specializes in safety, fitness, and ergonomic programs for business and industry. ActivEdge also provides personal training services. Jay is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. For further information contact Jay at 218-393-8767 or www.Activedgewi.com.

The Birkie®
SKI . RUN . LIVE
The Birkie is a year-round lifestyle choice for thousands of outdoor fitness enthusiasts of all levels. From its signature ski race–the legendary American Birkebeiner–The Birkie has grown into an exciting array of fitness and recreational opportunities. The 88-kilometer Birkie Trail system attracts skiers, runners, bikers, trekkers, and hikers, from casual day-trippers to elite superstars. Located near Hayward and Cable, Wisconsin, the Birkie is now an outdoor sports mecca, a series of great races, a fitness destination, and a lifestyle. Ski.Run.Live