November 05, 2010 – Popular Norwegian loppet, Birkebeinerrennet, was sold out in only 18 minutes after the online registration started. Organizers reserved a total of 16,000 start bibs and all of them were gone in 18 minutes. The Birkebeinerrennet takes place on March 19,  2011. This sets a new record as never before has the race been sold out so fast. The sharp increase in interest is even more dramatic when we look at last year’s event – it took a “long” three weeks to sell all of the start bibs.

Birkebeiner History
The race starts in Rena and ends in Lillehammer and covers a distance of 54km. The number of participants is limited to 16,000 and is usually fully subscribed. The race has been held since 1932 and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the heir to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then one-year old heir.