January 24, 2006 – Nine former Subaru American Birkebeiner standouts, including one former champion, are slated to race in the upcoming 2006 Winter Games. The cross-country competitions will take place in the mountain-town of Pragelato, Italy.

ìThis information is proof positive that the Subaru American Birkebeiner is not only the largest ski marathon in North America, but also one of the most competitive,î said Andrew Gerlach, director of the Subaru Factory Team. ìThe Birkie has been an invaluable training ground for these athletes and a stepping stone to the Winter Games.î

The 2006 U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team includes:

Men:
– Chris Cook, 25, Rhinelander, Wis. (10th in Birkie 2004); Atomic Team
– Justin Freeman, 29, Andover, N.H. (20th in Birkie 1999)
– Kris Freeman, 25, Andover, N.H. (Birkie 2002)
– Lars Flora, 28, Anchorage, Alaska (8th in Birkie 2004); Subaru Factory Team
– Andrew Johnson, 28, Greensboro, Vt.
– Torin Koos, 25, Leavenworth, Wash.
– Andy Newell, 22, Shaftsbury, Vt.
– James Southam, 27, Anchorage, Alaska
– Carl Swenson, 35, Park City, Utah (1998 Birkie
champion, 2nd in 1999, 3rd in 2001)
– Leif Zimmermann, 22, Bozeman, Mont. (4th in Birkie 2005)

Women:
– Rebecca Dussault, 25, Gunnison, Colo. (7th in
Birkie 2004); Subaru Factory Team
– Sarah Konrad, 38, Laramie, Wyo. (4th in Birkie 2002, 14th in 1999)
– Abigail Larson, 26, Bozeman, Mont. (7th in
Birkie 2005, 8th in 2004); Subaru Factory Team
– Kikkan Randall, 23, Anchorage, Alaska
– Wendy Wagner, 32, Park City, Utah
– Lindsey Weier, 21, Mahtomedi, Minn.
– Lindsay Williams, 21, Hastings, Minn.

“This is a strong team, even stronger than we had
four years ago,” said Luke Bodensteiner, Nordic
Program Director. “Those who were rookies in Salt
Lake have developed into real performers now, and
our first-timers in 2006 are poised for some very
noteworthy results themselves, which we can
continue to build from.

“We had a great group of Americans who did not
make the team, but who poured their guts out in
their effort to earn a spot. They really pushed
each other over the last 12 months and by doing
so, raised the level of all our skiers.”

Ivan Babikov (6th in Birkie 2005 & 2004), another
Birkie standout from the Subaru Factory Team, is
currently racing in Russia with hopes of
qualifying for their Olympic Team.

The U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team will arrive
in Torino to begin training Feb. 6. The final
cross country ski race, the men’s 50km Olympic
competition, will be held closing weekend of the
Olympic Games and fittingly enough the same day
as the American Birkebeiner.

As the Olympic team races in Italy, 9,000 skiers
from around the world will be going for their own
gold during Birkie 2006 races and events in Cable
and Hayward, Wisconsin, from Feb. 23 through Feb.
25.

Ski events kick off with the Sons of Norway/Swiss
Miss Barnebirkie, the largest children’s
cross-country skiing event in the nation,
followed by the Salomon Elite Sprints, Century
Tel Junior Birkie, Hayward Chamber of Commerce
Citizen Sprints, and Cheqtel 5K and 10K.

Birkie 2006 culminates on Saturday, Feb. 25 with
the 51 kilometer Subaru American Birkebeiner, 23
kilometer Kortelopet sponsored by the State Bank
of Drummond and Cable Chamber of Commerce, the
Johnson Bank Prince Haakon 12K, and the new Ski
For The Cure! program.

The registration deadline for the 33rd annual
Subaru American Birkebeiner is 8pm Friday,
February 24th. To register, log on to
http://www.birkie.com/registration/online, call
715.634.5025 or e-mail birkie@birkie.com.

Birkie 2006 is sponsored by Subaru, State Bank of
Drummond, Cable Chamber of Commerce, Johnson
Bank, Murphy McGinnis Media and other businesses
throughout the region and country.