June 12, 2013 (Hayward, WI) – On June 13-16, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation will host delegates from all 16 nations of the Worldloppet Ski Federation at the Worldloppet Annual General Meeting in Hayward/Cable, Wisconsin. The American Birkebeiner will host both meetings and times to socialize at various venues in Hayward and Cable, Wisconsin, including Lakewoods Resort and the Lumberjack Village.

The Worldloppet Annual General Meeting is a time for ski marathon organizations to sit down together and work on ways to continually improve and promote the sport of cross country skiing worldwide. This will be the first time in approximately 15 years that the American Birkebeiner has hosted this annual Worldloppet meeting.

“The American Birkebeiner is extremely honored and excited to be hosting the organizers of the other great ski marathon races from around the world. To also have the opportunity to show off the iconic Birkie Trail as well as our local communities is fantastic,” says Ben Popp, new Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation.

MORE ABOUT THE WORLDLOPPET …
Below is more about the Worldloppet Ski Federation, from the organization’s website at www.Worldloppet.com.

Worldloppet Ski Federation:
Worldloppet is an international sports federation of cross-country skiing marathons. The federation was founded in 1978 in Uppsala, Sweden. The aim of Worldloppet is to promote the sport of cross-country skiing through the various ski races around the world.

Worldloppet Members:
Only one and the best race from a country can be a member of Worldloppet. The youngest member is a polish race, Bieg Piastow, that was admitted by Worldloppet Annual General Meeting in Mora, SWE, 2008. Worldloppet currently unites 16 races from Europe, America, Asia and Australia:

• Europe: Jizerská padesátka (CZE), Dolomitenlauf (AUT), Marcialonga (ITA), König Ludwig Lauf (GER), Tartu Maraton (EST), La Transjurassienne (FRA), Finlandia-hiihto (FIN), Vasaloppet (SWE), Engadin Skimarathon (SUI), Birkebeinerrennet (NOR), Bieg Piastow (POL)
• North America: American Birkebeiner (USA), Gatineau Loppet (CAN)
• Asia: Sapporo International Ski Marathon (JPN) Demino Ski Marathon (RUS)
• Australia: Kangaroo Hoppet

Worldloppet Strategy:

• High quality ski races around the World. Only one and the best race from a country can be a member of Worldloppet.
• Regularity and continuity. Each race, having its own history, traditions and program, is held usually at the same time every year. After completing 10 different Worldloppet races, at least one of them overseas, a skier can apply for the Worldloppet Master title.
• Races for everybody. Races different by length, technique, landscape and target group attract 80 000 participants every year.
• Participation of elite skiers. FIS Marathon Cup, consisting of 10 Worldloppet races, is a Worldloppet series for top skiers.

March 20, 2013 (Coon Valley, WI) – As the sublimation market booms, Mt. Borah has been discovering new ways to advance their custom team apparel offering. Neon, a color known for its pizazz in style and value in visibility, is a growing request for every sport sector Mt. Borah serves. There are now a variety of full-neon colors available in addition to the thousands of standard colors Mt. Borah’s digital dye sublimation printing is able to generate.

“Things just got a whole lot brighter around here,” said Ben Wizner, Mt. Borah’s Marketing Director. “Neon brings a new dimension to what’s possible with a custom team design. From enhanced visibility, to complete individuality, this is the new fun-factor for any team, club or company,” added Wizner. Neon colors will run an additional $10 – $15 per piece, but for many, the extra investment is worth it.

Get a quote today for a neon infused design by contacting the Mt. Borah Customer Service Team at info@mtborah.com, calling 1-800-354-2825, or visiting the website at www.mtborah.com.

March 15, 2013 (Toronto, ON) – We are pleased to announce the standings for the second annual SkiTrax FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup 2012/13 Contest after the American Birkebeiner 50km free technique race held in Hayward, Wisconsin on Feb. 23. Team dom has jumped into the lead with 473 points, knocking Team Redl into second with 456 points. Team asterion is now ranked third with 447 points.

Read our coverage of the 2013 American Birkebeiner and how husband and wife duo Brian and Caitlin Gregg won the men’s and women’s races, respectively here.

For the contest standings after the American Birkebeiner, please click HERE.

These are the only FIS Fantasy Nordic contests of their kind worldwide so don’t miss your chance to enjoy fabulous top level xc ski racing and win fabulous prizes –  good luck to all contestants.

FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup Prizes

* 1st Prize – Nipika Lodge – 4-nights for 2 people in luxurious cabin, including Trail Fees (value up to $1,160)
* 2nd Prize –  Marwe 610c Roller Skis (value $349)
* 3rd Prize – Yoko 9100 Poles (value $299)
* 4th Prize – Halti XC Race Suit Hemmo Set (value $269)
* 5th Prize – Skiwax.ca Racer Kickwax kit (value $235)
* 6th Prize –  2XU Long Sleeve Thermal Compression Top and Elite Socks (value $195)
* 7th Prize – One Way Snowbird Glasses (value $120)
* 8th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $100)
* 9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65)
* 10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $23)

Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Nipika, Marwe, Yoko, Halti, Skiwax.ca, 2XU, One Way, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Auclair, and Buff.

SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).

January 18, 2013 (Cable, WI) – Canada’s Mark Arendz followed up three of the best cross-country ski races of his career with his third silver medal of the week – this time in a individual biathlon race at the IPC World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin.

The 22-year-old Arendz, who finished second overall in the IPC biathlon World Cup biathlon standings the last two years, grabbed the 18th medal of his career after clocking a time of 40:02.6 in the individual event. Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I., was on pace to his first gold medal of the season, but missed one shot in four rounds of shooting in the tight race to the finish.

“That was close, and I mean close by 3.8 seconds,” said Arendz. “It was a bummer to not shoot clean and win, but that close out in second is a good result. I skied pretty well, and we have a plan in place for tomorrow.”

Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset won the men’s individual start with a time of 39:58.8 (0+0+1+1). Russia’s Oleg Balukhto shot clean to grab the bronze medal with a time of 40:58.7.

The IPC Biathlon World Cup continues on Friday in Cable, Wisconsin.

Full results HERE.

January 14, 2013 (Cable, WI) – Canada’s Para-Nordic squad teamed up to win five medals – one gold, three silver and one bronze – in middle distance cross-country ski races at the IPC World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin on Sunday.

Mark Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I., skied to his second-ever cross-country ski medal, winning the silver in the 10-kilometre skate-ski race in the men’s standing division. The 22-year-old Arendz, who has finished second overall in biathlon on the IPC World Cup standings the last two years clocked a time of 25:08.9.

“I’m very happy with the race. A lot of things were right where I want them, with my speed and fitness,” said Arendz, who now has 17 IPC World Cup medals in his career. “I was having a great race and knew I was on the podium, but it never sunk in until after the race that I was on track for a best-ever cross-country race. It shows that I’m in solid shape for the biathlon races later in the week.

Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset won the division with a time of 24:07.9.

Brian McKeever and guide Erik Carleton, both of Canmore, Alta., teamed up to win the lone gold medal of the day. A winner of 10 Paralympic medals, the 33-year-old McKeever set the time to beat at 24:03.0 in the men’s 10-kilometre skate-ski visually impaired race.

The path to the podium continued to roll in the women’s races as Canada’s legendary Colette Bourgonje powered her way to the silver medal in the women’s five-kilometre sit-ski division. The six-time Paralympian from Saskatoon, who has skied on the national team for the last 20 years, clocked a time of 14:29.0.

Germany’s Anja Wicker won the women’s sit-ski race with a time of 14:17.0.

Canada also grabbed the silver and bronze medal positions on the women’s visually impaired podium. Robbi Weldon, of Thunder Bay, Ont. clocked a second-place time of 15:38.0 in the five-kilometre skate-ski race. Ontario’s Margarita Gorbounova and her guide, Andrea Bundon, celebrated the bronze with a time of 16:17.0.

The Canadian Para-Nordic Ski Team is using the Wisconsin event to start qualifying athletes, in particular development athletes, for the 2014 Paralympics. Five of the eight development-level athletes to hit the start line on Sunday met the IPC Paralympic qualifying standard.

The IPC World Cup continues on Monday in Cable, Wisconsin.

Results HERE.

March 29, 2012 (Cable, WI) – In an effort to partner with The American Birkebeiner, Telemark resort has laid out the following win-win proposal to keep the start and many of the Birkie functions solidly located at its original home at Telemark Resort.

Some of the challenges the Birkie is facing is the uncertainty of access across several parcels of private land including the Cable/Union airport as well as several parcels of private land north of McNaught road. The financial security of Telemark Resort has also been a concern given past closures and ownership changes.

Telemark believes that the two can help offset each other to provide a secure future. Telemark has the trails, meeting/expo space, parking and infrastructure, while the Birkie has the event with its 9,600 participants and the millions of dollars they bring to the area.

A successful partnership between Telemark Resort and the Birkie also translates to the success of other events in the area that use Telemark Lodge (Fat Tire for example) currently and potential events that can come to the area (IPC World Cup for example). A successful Telemark Resort also translates to more jobs, increased tourism in the area and more traffic for local businesses. It’s not just a win-win partnership between Telemark Resort and the Birkie, but a big win for area, businesses and the residents.

Telemark is amenable to any or all of the following solutions:
– Allowing guaranteed easements to all existing trails on Telemark property for the weeks of Birkie, Birkie Tour, Birkie Trail Run and future events as necessary.
– Providing Birkie Trail access to the public 365 days of the year with no fees.
– Offering similar easements on other Telemark lands for construction of an alternate start area closer to Telemark resort, and new trail to connect to the existing Birkie and/or Classic trails.
– Offering permission and support to continue improvement and redesign of trails across Telemark property.
– Telemark to construct a heated expo center, (possibly old Coliseum pad or Hytte location) which could greatly increase Telemark’s ability to handle Birkie Expo, Registration, bib pickup and more in addition to the 25,000 sq. ft of meeting space currently available at Telemark.
– Offering Birkie land options to construct maintenance/storage building(s) in close proximity of Telemark Resort and/or Birkie trails.
– Providing office, secretariat and headquarter space during events or year round at no charge.
– Provide a permanent space for a Birkie museum at no charge to preserve history and legacy of the events.
– Providing additional parking space for participants which will help for the growth of the event and actively work with The Birkie in finding solutions to traffic congestion, bussing routes and reducing skiers walk distances.

Telemark is proposing the Birkie to agree to the following:
– Staging of the Birkie, Korte, Haakon start, the Birkie Expo, registration, Bib pick-up to be returned to Telemark Resort.
– Finish for the Korteloppet, Haakon, Birkie Trail Run and Birkie Tour to remain at Telemark.
– Lease the new expo center for the week of the Birkie and/or other Birkie events for a 10 year renewable term.
– Provide Telemark Resort reasonable marketing access to Birkie participant database for promotions and non-competing events.
– Annual event usage fee for Telemark Resort to remain the same.

In summary, Telemark feels it is important to create a solution that is good for the community as a whole. With the right approach along the lines of what is detailed above, the ski community and the Bayfield County businesses and residents will benefit and the legacy of the Birkie being located at Telemark will be preserved.

March 27, 2012 – I’ve again assembled the data from the Big Race out in Wisconsin in to a bunch of nerdy-but-interesting data on BirkieGuide.com. Feel free to share it around. After a couple too many nights not getting to bed on time, I’ve finally gotten the ducks in order (I hope) and launched everything on to the statistics site. So if you are bemoaning the early spring and want to launch yourself deep in to mostly meaningless statistical “analyses” from the race, by all means, go ahead and do so.

Let us know if there’s anything else you’d like to see. I can make no guarantees — it’s time to spend my evenings doing something more productive, like training and core — but if you have an interesting idea, have at it.

A couple of highlights:
– Most of the data is back from last year, and most of it in an easier-to-navigate fashion
– We did some comparisons with last year

New data include:
– split time correlations
– a really interesting page showing that top skiers ski at a much steadier relative pace than everyone else (my favorite new data)
– information correlating weather conditions and Birkie sign-ups (it also has MSP snowfall data back to 1900)
– And a whole lot more…

You can find all of it at HERE and of course find the homepage at www.birkieguide.com.

February 29, 2012 – SkiTrax caught up with the top men’s and women’s finishers after the biggest XC ski marathon in the U.S. – the American Birkebeiner in Cable, WI. Read race recaps from 50k FR winners Tad Elliott and Holly Brooks, as well as comments from runners-up Matt Liebsch and Caitlin Gregg.

Full results HERE.

Tad Elliott – 50km FR Men’s Winner
I was looking for a marathon to participate in on the weekend when the World Cup took a break and noticed that the American Birkie was the same weekend. It has been a dream of mine to win the Birkie but I was a little nervous about the travel back and forth from Europe. I asked my Dad what he thought and he was nervous about the travel as well saying it might be best to stay in Europe.

I asked my Mom what she thought about the travel and the Birkie. She got really excited and said that I should do it and make it happen. She raced the Kortelopet a few years ago and loved the atmosphere and racing in Wisconsin. Right then I knew I would be making the travel to WI.

I emailed Salomon asking if they could help me out getting to the Birkie and taking care of me while I was there. They booked my ticket, hotel room, entrance, and made sure I had transportation. The Salomon staff are my friends and also my support staff. Without the help of Bill Sterling, Josh Korn, Andy Gerlach, and Pete Zeller, I would not have been able to do as well as I did.

Zach Caldwell even came out to wax my skis for the race. He chooses all of my skis with Salomon and puts race grinds on them. The amount of testing and work he put into my skis for the Birkie was amazing. Without Zach, my results would not have been what they were. The overall support was absolutely incredible. I felt like it was a team effort for me to win, a lot of people worked very hard so I could have this opportunity. My dream came true.

The race itself was awesome. Huge thanks to the groomers who made the course a blast to ski on after all of the new snow. At the start, my track came together with another track and Morten Petterson and I were going to get pretty well acquainted – he slowed and let me in – classy guy. We laughed and the race was on.

My skis felt a little slow at first in the new cold snow. Once I hit “OO” [about the 1/2 way point] where Zach had tested my skis at 5 a.m. they sped up significantly. I could tell that had the best skis in the field – right when I needed them. A French skier and Nish [Graham Nishikawa] were off the front with a 1:07 lead at one point. I was stressed that we would not be able to bring it back. Matt Liebsch kept me in line and said that together we could bring it back, but not before 33km. True to his word, at 33km Matt and I worked together to bring them back.

After that, the paced slowed a little and I attacked with 11km to go and was able to get a gap alone. From then on I was committed to the finish. Across the lake, I kept looking back thinking that I would be caught with only 500 meters left in the race. Once I hit the wiskers in the finishing lanes and looked back, I knew I had won.

I celebrated pretty hard and was extremely happy. It was the perfect day for me. I was so pumped and I’m still stoked. At the finish I borrowed a stranger’s phone to call my parents. I don’t think I’ve heard my mom that excited in a while. She was really pleased.

The best moment of the day for me though was sharing the podium with two other Americans who are also my friends. I have stayed at both of their houses in the last month while training and racing. Just a rad experience all around.

——

Holly Brooks – 50km FR Women’s Winner
Today was awesome – I really couldn’t have wished for a better day. Just last week I remember hearing the race was “on the rocks” and amazingly, the conditions today were PERFECT. The temperature, the snow, the grooming. Heck, the sunshine even came out for the race finish – and of course the great spectators!

As for the race itself, there was a large group of women that skied together until “OO” – myself, Caitlin [Gregg], Nicole Deyong, Rebecca Dussault, and a Russian skier were taking turns at the front. Shortly thereafter I was taking a feed and Caitlin made a decisive move, weaving through skiers from the men’s elite wave.

I wanted to finish my GU so she lost me for a bit and I had to work to reel her back in. In the process, we gapped the rest of the girls. When I realized that we had a lead on the others, I told her and said that we should work together to make sure they didn’t catch us.  So we traded leads, pulling each other towards Hayward. It was a blast skiing the race with Caitlin – she’s a good friend and a great skater. Now we’ve each won the Birkie once!

I was leading off the lake and made the 90 degree corner onto Main Street… I had been in this situation before in 2009, only to be caught by Rebecca D at the line (2nd by an inch!). This year, I definitely had a flashback to the race three years ago, and I was determined to NOT lose the sprint!

I took the sprint by a hair but made sure to not “pull a Morilov” and celebrate before fully crossing the finish line!  Funny thing was that both my husband Rob, and Caitlin’s husband Brian, were waiting at the finish line to see who’s wife would win! Brian had a great race as well, landing third on the podium – a good day for the Gregg family!

All in all, I’m really glad that I made the trip out here to race the Birkie and I’m ecstatic that I can “check this off the list” after three years of jokes about my boot being too small or the fact that I shouldn’t have clipped my toenails that day!

Check out the Anchorage Daily News for a great story on the race.

——

Matt Liebsch – 50km FR Second
This was an amazing Birkie and I was so happy that I got to be on the podium with two of my best training partners and friends. There was great depth and it was a very competitive field this year at the Birkie.

I broke a pole this time at a very in-opportune time in the race. I knew we were getting to the point where moves were going to be made. Tad [Elliott] went off the front followed by Brian Gregg. I tried to get into the 3rd spot and put my pole between Lars [Flora] and myself and we both fell. Santiago Ocariz saw what happened and took his pole off and gave it to me. With that I was able to get back into the race.

The Birkie course was wonderful and it’s always a race where I strive to have one of my best results in. I want to thank all the volunteers, board members and people who work so hard to make this an amazing event. This year’s Birkie will be one of my most memorable!

——

Caitlin Gregg – 50km FR Second (defending champ)
The Birkie race was fantastic! It was a great way for me to test my fitness. The pace in the women’s race was very very slow for the first 30km. I was feeling great and only a few of the ladies were taking turns at the front so I decided to make a run for it. Holly [Brooks] was the only skier that followed and soon we were a few minutes off the front.

Holly and I worked together and maintained our gap until Main Street. The final sprint was awesome and we both skied our heart’s out. In the end Holly got me by 0.4 of a second. It was very close but also a ton of fun! Holly has been racing very well on the World Cup circuit and it was great to be able to ski with her so much during the race.

After the race I realized I had four bridesmaids in the Birkie this year and two were on the podium! The whole weekend of events was incredible and I am so happy that I get to share the Birkie experience with so many family members and close friends!

February 21, 2012 (Madison, WI) – Last weekend, CXC hosted the USSA SuperTour in Madison, WI, as part of the Madison Winter Festival. Saturday saw some of the top U.S. skiers contest a Classic Sprint competition, while Sunday was all about the USSA SuperTour Free Sprints. Natalia Naryshkina (CXC) and Jari Joutsen cleaned up in the women’s and men’s classic competition, while Sunday saw Jennie Bender (CXC) and Philip Furrer take top honours in the freestyle sprints on a 1km course under sunny skies.

Qualifications

Video streaming by Ustream

Finals

Video streaming by Ustream

Results

Saturday
Qualifier results HERE.
Women’s Classic heat results HERE.
Men’s Classic heat results HERE.

Sunday
Qualifier results HERE.
Heat results HERE.
Final results HERE.

More photos HERE.

February 21, 2012 (Cable, WI) – There has been a worldwide surge in classic racing the last two years.  Major marathons, such as the American Birkebeiner, used to focus on skating with classic receiving a secondary status.  That status is undergoing a major change at Marathons throughout the world.  Skiers are discovering the joy of classic and Marathons with both techniques are witnessing parity in numbers.  The end result of this growth is that manufacturers are putting extensive R & D into classic gear at an unprecedented level.  Arrive at the Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wisconsin this Friday, February 24, and you will have the opportunity to test some major innovations in classic gear.

The most innovative classic product you will get to test is Atomic’s new Worldcup Classic SDS. With the help of the Aukland brothers from Norway and Denise Herrmann of Germany, Atomic’s new classic ski has taken Gold, Silver and Bronze at the primary Marathons this year such as the Konig Ludwig in Germany and the Marcialonga in Italy.  The new technology has a highly elastic ABS insert in the kick zone combined with high rebound graphite laminates. The low-camber kick zone rides well above the snow during glide, but it takes only a little pressure and the kick zone easily comes down for fantastic grip.  Try it on some of Telemark’s famous World Cup trails and you will be taken aback by how fast the ski glides while still providing grip for unequaled climbing.

Atomic has also been highly innovative with its new Worldcup Classic boot.  Nordic race boots may not have the hard outer shell of an alpine boot, but they still have an actual outer shell and inner liner.  Atomic’s new WC Classic boot is unique in that the lacing connects to the outer shell for excellent closure around the foot.

Worldloppet and World Cup athletes have been extremely pleased with the new lacing system.  They have instantly switched to the new boots even when they have received them just days before a major race.  Atomic likes to point out that their boots have won more Olympic and World Championship medals for the US Ski Team than all other brands combined.

January 31, 2012 (Cable, WI) – Canada’s Chris Klebl skied to his second-straight silver medal at the IPC Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin on Monday in the Men’s 10k sit ski race.

The 40-year-old Klebl, of Canmore, Alta., powered his way around the challenging Wisconsin track – site of the famous American Birkebeiner ski race – to finish in second spot with a time of 33 minutes, 26.7 seconds on the 10-kilometre course.

“It was a good day and we had really good skis,” said Klebl, who added the conditions were windy and cold.

Klebl joined the Canadian squad after moving to Canmore, Alta., last year from the United States. Growing up in Austria, he became paralyzed from the waist down in 1995 in a snowboarding accident. The two-time Paralympian started competing in cross-country skiing in 2005, and finished fourth overall on the World Cup in 2011 with one World Cup bronze medal.

It was just the second race of the season for the 2011 World Champion since breaking his leg in November.

While his quick comeback to top form is nothing short of stellar, Klebl was no match for Russia’s Roman Petushkov who finished nearly 90 seconds ahead of the Canuck with a time of 33:26.7.

“Petushkov was in a league of his own today, but fortunately I maintained the gap and opened the lead throughout on the third place,” said Klebl, who only had one informal race against friends in Colorado this season to measure his fitness. “You just never really know where you’re at. When the injury happened I was super fit and having surgery instead of a cast was a bonus because I only lost 10 real days of training.”

Italy’s Enzo Masiello was third at 33:59.0.

Two Quebec-based Canadians were also in the men’s sit-ski race. Sebastien Fortier was 14th at 37:56.4, while Yves Bourques finished 18th (42:35.2).

The U.S. squad was led by Daniel Cnossen, who finished seventh in a time of 35:11.5. His teammates, Andrew Soule and Jeremy Wagner finished 15th and 16th, while Eric Frazier, Jose Augusto Perez, Ken Lacombe, Robert Ackerman, John Kremer, and Dan Santos finished 19th through 24th, respectively.

Women
Saskatoon’s Colette Bourgonje was the top Canadian in the women’s five-kilometre sit-ski event. The legendary Paralympian finished sixth at 22:46.5 – three minutes, 31 seconds off the golden pace set by Norway’s Mariann Marthinsen (19:19.2).

Alicia Brelsford Dana (USA) led Team USA in ninth place, with fellow Americans Christina Kouros and Micayla Briere in 11th and 14th spots.

Quebec’s Christine Gauthier was 10th at 31:11.1, while Ontario’s Christy Campbell placed 13th with a time of 35:47.2.

Men’s 10k sit ski results HERE.
Women’s 5k sit ski results HERE.

Other Canadian results on Monday included: Ontario’s Caroline Bisson was fifth (21:08.5) and Erica Noonan sixth (21:47.2) in the women’s five-kilometre standing category; Mark Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I., was 13th (31:37.2), and Louis Fortin, of New Brunswick, 21st (39:53.3) in the men’s 10-kilometre standing division; while Ontario’s Margarita Gorbounova and guide Brian Berry placed sixth at 19:22.4 in the women’s visually impaired division.

All results HERE.

January 30, 2012 (Cable, WI) – Canada’s Mark Arendz came up just shy in his bid to win his fifth IPC Biathlon World Cup medal of the season after finishing fourth in the men’s 12.5-kilometre race on Sunday in Cable, Wisconsin, while Sean Halsted landed the top U.S. result with an eighth-place finish.

The 21-year-old Arendz, who snagged the bronze medal in Saturday’s 20-kilometre race, skied a consistent 12.5 kilometres and shot clean in each of his four stops on the range to finish one spot off the podium with a time of 38:55.0.

“It turned out to be a ‘What can you do’ kind of day,” said Arendz. Yesterday there were an number of mistakes that kept adding up but today everything was bang on. I was back in the proper mindset and had all cylinders burning and was ready to go. I was very happy with the skiing effort.”

Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I. had one of his best days ever on the range with shots hitting the target dead centre.

“The shooting felt as natural as a ski stride, it flowed harmoniously with the skiing,” said Arendz. “Nothing went wrong today, it just wasn’t my day. I was happier with my race today, finishing fourth, than I was of my race yesterday.”

Russian athletes grabbed the top-two spots on the podium. Kirill Mikhaylov finished on top with a time of 37:24.0, while Vladislav Lekomtev was second at 38:08.3. Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset rounded out the podium in third at 38:40.7.

Ottawa’s Margarita Gorbounova and her guide of Brian Berry, of Thunder Bay, Ont., were the only other Canadians to suit up on Sunday, finishing seventh in the women’s 10-kilometre visually impaired category with a time of 55:37.4.

U.S. Athletes Crack Top 10 in Long-course
A sub-par performance Saturday during the biathlon short-course was all the motivation sit-skier and Air Force veteran Sean Halsted (Spokane, Wash.) needed to break into the top 10 finishers in the long-course biathlon today during the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Cup at the Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wis.

“My performance yesterday wasn’t up to what I had hoped,” said Halsted, who had placed 13th with only 50 percent accuracy on the shooting range. Today he hit 17 of his 20 shots and covered the 12.5-kilometer course in 49 minutes, 47 seconds to finish eighth.

Navy SEAL Lt. Dan Cnossen (Topeka, Kan.) rallied from misses during his first two rounds of shooting to shoot flawlessly the rest of the race and finish 10th in 50:15 in the sit-ski division. He connected on 18 of his 20 shots.

“I knew if I didn’t bring it together, the race was going to go downhill fast,” he said.

Roman Petushkov of Russia, who won Saturday’s shot-course biathlon, repeated as sit-ski champion in 44:51, despite missing four shots on the day. For each missed target, athletes had to ski a 150-meter penalty loop, which added to their times.

Kelly Underkofler (St. Paul, Minn.) continued her strong showing in the shooting range, connecting on 19 of her 20 shots, just missing the podium with her fourth-place finish in the women’s standing division in 50:32. Finland’s Maija Jarvela claimed her second biathlon gold of the competition, finishing in 40:54 over the 10 km. women’s course.

“I felt good and shot well, so I’m happy with how I did today,” Underkofler said.

Sarah Edwards (Winter Park, Colo.) placed fifth in the women’s sit-ski division in 1:29:31. German Anja Wicker improved on her second-place finish from the day before to win in 50:18.

Russians continued to dominate the visually-impaired division. Lysova Mikhalina led a quartet of top Russian finishers in the women’s race, shooting flawlessly and finishing in 37:33. Russians claimed the top two spots on the men’s side, led by Nikolay Polukhin in 37:42. Visually-impaired athletes shoot with specialized guns fitted with lasers on their sites that emit audio feedback as the shooter’s aim closes in on a screen target.

Russian Kirill Mikhaylov won the men’s standing division in 37:24.

Athletes conclude the Wisconsin-portion of the competition Monday with middle distance races. Races start at 10 a.m. with sit-skiers skiing 5 km and standing and visually-impaired athletes skiing 10 km.

Competition concludes Feb. 1-2 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, where athletes will compete in a sprint and middle distance race. Races begin at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 1 and 10 a.m. Feb. 2.

It’s the first time the United States has hosted a major Paralympic Nordic ski event in seven years.

Results HERE.

December 28, 2011 (Minocqua, WI) – A couple from Minocqua, WI bought over 3,200 acres of land near their home and donated it to the Northwoods Land Trust with the goal of preserving the land for recreational use reports myFOXwausau.com. The couple has a long family history of recreating on the land from biking and hiking, to cross-country skiing – read the full article HERE.

November 14, 2011 (Cable, WI) – The United States Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, will be hosting the International Paralympic World Cup Nordic Ski series at Telemark Resort in Cable, WI. The week long event will be held from January 23-30.

This venue will host over one hundred athletes from over a dozen nations who will compete in biathlon and Nordic ski racing. We hope to have you experience the opportunity to be a volunteer for one day or one week and be a part of this historic event!

Provided are links to the event and volunteer opportunities! Please feel free to contact John Brown at john.brown@cxcskiing.org for additional information!

Preview Filled Volunteer Positions HERE.

Volunteer Opportunities Form HERE.

More about IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup HERE.

September 10, 2011 (Telemark, WI) – The Ski and Tea ladies, a year round training group based out of the Birkie Trail area and founded by Linda Cook and Juli Lynch, came to Telemark today! With a motto of “No Woman Left Behind” and focus on feeling successful and proud to be a Nordic Skier, and over 102 women on the mailing list, this training group is a force to be reckoned with!

The event was coached by myself, Caitlin Gregg, Carolyn Ocariz, Sara Hewitt and Jennie Bender. We started out with some introductions and organization, led by Caitlin.

Then Sara took us through a light jog and mobility warm up that was fun yet challenging.

I worked over some technique highlights before Carolyn explained the workout: 6×4-8 min ski walking up Telemark hill.

But I’m afraid we may have underestimated some of these ladies, because I’m quite positive that many of them went back for more and by the end of the workout had done up to 8 intervals! Impressive.

Then Jennie took everyone through some stretching and yoga, before we had tea in the Telemark Lodge.

It was inspiring and motivating for me to be able to work with ladies who are committed to improving technique and training during the summer. It was fun to meet new people and get to know the Hayward/Cable area better. I’m looking forward to being involved with more Ski and Tea clinics in the future!

March 01, 2011 (Hayward, WI) – All winter long, we’ve been testing and finding HF Blue with Jetstream Blue over the top to run extremely well in cold weather, and at the 2011 Birkie, this was proven once again – We went with HF Blue covered by JetStream Blue and had fantastic skis.

Looking at forecasts a few days out, we knew that the weather was going to take a dive from Thursday night until Saturday, so we held off on testing too much until 6am on Friday morning. After some quick runs on the skis at Boedecker, I came back to Telemark Lodge, assembled CXC’s crack team of waxers, and we started running through skis. Part of the privileges of being on the CXC Master Team is getting your skis waxed for the Birkie, so we had 50+ pairs to wax for them, plus the CXC Elite Team skis. Between good organization, good tools and good workers, we were able to get the skis glide waxed before 7:30pm.

The Birkie classic has definitely grown, and we had about 20 pairs of skis to binder and wax. We used a mix of hard-wax binder and a few drops of green klister ironed in with it. Between the forecast and the length of the race, we went slightly warmer than starting conditions would call for — a few layers of blue hard wax covered with green. As it turned out, the weather didn’t warm up as much as we expected, but the kick definitely stuck around.

All in all, I was pretty pleased with the CXC Team’s results — wins in the women’s skate (Caitlin Compton) and classic (Jennie Bender), with Maria Stuber coming in 5th. On the men’s side, Karl Nygren and Eric Wolcott went 2-3 in the classic and in the skate, Bryan Cook came in 5th, with Brian Gregg 8th, Matt Liebsch 9th and Santi Ocariz 17th.

– Jason Cork, Head Coach, CXC Elite Team

Report from the Winner – American Birkebeiner
Heading into the Birkie I had a plan that I set up with my coaches over two months before. We sat down and laid out both the races and the travel that I would be doing in preparation for my peak at the American Birkibeiner.

The weeks before the Birkie were the most important. I was entered in both Super Tours and Marathon races and had a heavy training load. My plan included a two week altitude camp in Aspen, CO. I raced my Hometown City of Lakes Loppet the day before I left and ran into a lot of mishaps along the way. I felt great at the start and was ready to go. The men and women start together which leads to a very tight and busy first couple of kilometers. I was swallowed up quickly in the crowd and proceeded to try and maintain contact with the other women in the race. Unfortunately I maintained too much contact and a little tangle with another woman left me without the bottom half of my pole. I went on to race without a pole for the next couple of K, then with a long pole for another couple of K, before getting a pole that fit for the remainder of the race. I stayed relaxed and was able to hold onto the lead to the finish despite my pole mishap.

When I got off the plane in Aspen I knew I was in for a treat. The mountains were beautiful and there was plenty of snow. I was staying with a fellow racer’s parents and they were some of the best host parents I have ever had. After only a few days I knew I made the right decision to train in Aspen and race the Owl Creek Chase. The altitude was very high but the terrain and ski trails were incredible. The morning of the Owl Creek Chase came and the temperatures were soaring into the upper 40’s. I chose a pair of skis with more structure anticipating a slushy finish of the race. At the start I was on the front line ready to go. I wore my drink belt in preparation for the Birkie and took of double poling when the gun fired. I found a great spot in second place behind a fellow competitor but suddenly I was swallowed up by the girls charging behind me. I went down and found myself leaving the stadium in last place. Thankfully I had both poles intact but I had a lot of work to do to get back up with the lead pack. I made my way up through the women’s field and found myself with the lead group at the 5K mark. Suddenly the altitude caught up with me and I felt like I was carrying a load of bricks on my back. I watched as the other girls skied away from me and those who I had just passed pass me back. I stayed positive again and focused on skiing the rest of my race within my limits. During the last 5K I gave a final push and found that my body had recovered and could respond. I was able to pass seven women and finish the race strong and happy in 7th place.

The week of the Birkie quickly approached and I realized that I hadn’t skied much of the Birkie course in the last 6 years. Brian Gregg took me out daily to the key locations and as we trained we discussed strategy and tactics. As the Birkie morning approached I was feeling great and ready to go. The only question was the temperature. At a frigid -8F I arrived at the start having left one of my Toko mittens at home in Minneapolis. I did however bring my Toko Windstopper gloves and knew they would work well. But how well??? My excitement was high and I found myself jumping and jogging around a lot before the start, swinging my legs and arms often to keep the blood flowing. I have had problems with my feet hands and face in the past when the temperatures have dipped below zero and my fear lay in the fact that I had 50K to ski with temps remaining frigid the whole way. As I approached the start I strapped on my poles as the gun went off and the banner went up I found myself double poling to the best start position yet this season. I ducked into second place behind a Swiss woman and suddenly realized just how fast my skis were moving! I easily free skating behind her and standing up on the slightest of down hills to avoid colliding. Awesome!!! As we cruised through the first part of the race I was also psyched to realize that my hands and fingers were warm and cozy! I stayed at the front of the pack through the entire race avoiding collisions but never pushing too hard to bury myself. My skis continued to soar along the snow without the slightest hesitation and my hands were so comfortable even on the longest of down hills. I was able to get every feed I needed and respond to all attacks that were made.

With 10 kilometers to go I decided to make my move. I knew my skis were awesome and my body was ready so I took off at the front of the group. The other women responded and stayed close behind but I could sense that I was gliding a little further on every downhill and could rest a little longer. As we approached the final 2 kilometers three other women were still with me and the snow began to fall as we were crossing Lake Hayward. Amazingly I felt my skis speed up even more! Wow I thought my skis are still rockets after almost 50K of skiing. I pushed hard and felt the gap between myself and the other women starting to widen. I upped the tempo and power and found myself in the lead as we headed up Main Street. As I approached the finish I saw Brian waiting on the other side. Nothing could have made me happier and ski faster then seeing his smiling face. I charged to the line and realized I had just won as I gave Brian a huge hug.

The weather was still frigid but I couldn’t even tell through all of my excitement and happiness. A little frostbite on my nose was the only effect the cold could have on me that day. My fingers were warm and my spirits were high.

The plan worked and despite setbacks along the way everything went seamless on Birkie morning.

– Caitlin Compton, Women’s Race Winner

Razzle your Drink Belt Contest
Decorate your Toko drink belt and post the image on the Toko US Facebook Page. On 15 March, we will select our favorite. The winner will receive $500 worth of Toko product in the fall when we have everything in stock. Here’s the link to the Toko US Facebok page.

Race Wax Recommendations for the Masters Cross Country Ski World Cup 2011 will be posted on www.TokoUS.com. Direct link to the page HERE. They will also be tweeted (TokoUS) and posted to the Toko US Facebook page HERE.

For Toko Wax Tips for Canadian Cross Country Ski Races, go to the Toko Canada Facebook Site HERE.

February 23, 2011 – The wax techs at Swix US have compiled a preliminary wax recommendation report in anticipation of this weekend’s American Birkebeiner, taking into account current weather forecasts and course conditions. Stay tuned with more updates at Birkie Expo, SwixRacing.us, and Facebook/SwixNordic.

FORECAST
– Thursday Feb. 24th- Mostly Sunny throughout the day with a forecasted high of 28ºF.
– Thursday Night- Mostly Cloudy with a low of 8ºF. North wind between 5-10 mph.
– Friday Feb. 25th- Cloudy with a 20% chance of snow showers. Forecasted high of 19ºF.
– Friday Night- Mostly Cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers. Forecasted low of -4ºF.
– Saturday Feb. 26th- Mostly Cloudy with slight chance of snow showers. Forecasted high of 17ºF.

COURSE CONDITIONS
The track should be hard and compact. Snow crystals will be a mix of some new and fresh snow crystals (types 1 and 2 in the Swix Classification System), along with mostly old, transformed snow crystals (type 3) making up the majority of the snow crystals in the track . Tilling should mix these snow crystals together. The snow will be abrasive with some dirt present in the snow pack, due to the freeze/thaw cycle of last week.

WAXING CONSIDERATIONS
1. Base Preparation
Clean glide zones with Swix Base Prep 99- BP99 using the “hot scrape” method. Scrape the BP-99 while still molten with a sharp, clean plastic wax scraper- T0824D. Let the skis cool, then brush out the skis with Swix Fine Steel Brush- T192. This will open the base pores of the ski.

If you will be using or use Swix Cera F and or Swix HF waxes, we recommend using Swix Cleaner for Flour Glide Wax and Conditioner- I0084. Wipe the base with I84 using a piece of Fiberlene. While the base is still wet, brush and scrub from tip to tail with a Swix Nylon White Brush- T0161. Using a new, clean piece of Fiberlene, wipe the ski base clean and let dry for 5-7 minutes, then brush with the Swix Ultra Fine Steel Brush- T191. The very fine steel bristles of this brush throughly clean the base structure of the ski base.

2. Durability
Given the length of the race and the aggressive nature of the snow crystals on the race track, it will be important to build strong and solid base layers into the ski base, prior to the HF and Cera F wax layers. The first step is to use Swix Moly Flouro Wax- MB77. Apply one layer of MB77, let cool then scrape and brush. Brush with the Fine Steel Brush, then polish with the Swix Blue Nylon Brush- T0160

Next, apply one layer of Swix LF4, scrape and brush, using the same method as the MB-77. NOTE- because LF4 is a hard glide wax, it is possible and recommended to scrape this wax while it is still warm to the touch.

3. Ski Selection and Structure
Expect the race track and snow to be firm. Use a medium to stiff flex ski that will be stable in hard pack snow conditions. Fine to medium fine base structures will work well. If you need to add structure, use the Swix T0403 Economy Structure tool with the 0.3mm Broken-V structure roller. Apply the 0.3mm Broken-V structure roller after final waxing and brush with Swix Blue Nylon Brush- T0160

FAST LANE TO HAYWARD Waves Elite & 1-5
Base HF wax layers:
Apply one layer of NEW Swix Marathon Wax- DHF104BW. The Marathon Wax is a highly durable wax for aggressive snow crystals and has a High Flouro content and BW additive to resist dirt. Iron at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush using first the Swix Fine Steel Brush- T0192 then the Swix Ultra Fine Steel Brush- T0191. Using both brushes properly removes all excess wax and reveals ski base structure. Polish with Swix Blue Nylon Brush- T0160.
Apply one layer of Swix HF4BW. Iron at 150ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush using above method.

Race Cera F layer:
Apply Swix FC7 Cera F Powder. Iron in with one pass (5-7 seconds) with iron temperature at 160ºC. Let cool 3-5 minutes, then brush up the ironed in powder using Swix Black Nylon Brush- T0194. Iron a second time using the same process. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Swix Wild Boar Brush- T0164 and polish with Swix Blue Nylon Brush.

FAST LANE TO HAYWARD Waves 6-10
Base HF wax layers:
Apply one layer of NEW Swix Marathon Wax- DHF104BW. The Marathon Wax is a highly durable wax for aggressive snow crystals and has a high Flour content and BW additive to resist dirt. Iron at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush using first the Fine Steel Brush- T0192 then the Ultra Fine Steel Brush- T0191. Using both brushes properly removes all excess wax and reveals ski base structure. Polish with Swix Blue Nylon Brush- T0160.
Apply one layer of Swix HF6BW. Iron at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush using above method.

Race Cera F layer:
Apply Swix FC78 Super Cera F Powder. Iron in with one pass (5-7 seconds) with iron temperature at 165ºC. Let cool 3-5 minutes, then brush up ironed in powder using Black Nylon Brush- T0194. Iron a second time using the same process. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Wild Boar Brush- T0164 and polish with Blue Nylon Brush.

PERFORMANCE PRO Waves 1-5
Base HF wax layers:
Apply two layers of Swix HF4BW. Iron each layer at 150ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using the Fine Steel Brush- T0192 first, then the Ultra Fine Steel Brush- T0191 second. Polish with the Blue Nylon- T0160.

Race Cera F layer:
Apply Swix FC7WS Turbo Solid Block. Rub on one thick layer and iron in at a temperature of 160ºC with one quick pass tip to tail. Let cool 5 minutes and brush out with Wild Boar Brush- T0164, then polish with Blue Nylon. Run on a second layer and hand cork in with Swix Natural Cork- T0020 or T0021. Brush out with Wild Boar then polish with Blue Nylon.

PERFORMANCE PRO Waves 6-10
Base HF wax layers:
Apply two layers of Swix HF6BW or HF6. Iron each layer at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using the Fine Steel Brush- T0192 first, then the Ultra Fine Steel Brush- T0191 second. Polish with the Blue Nylon- 0160.

Race Cera F layer:
Apply Swix FC7WS Turbo Solid Block. Rub on one thick layer and iron in at a temperature of 160ºC with one quick pass tip to tail. Let cool 5 minutes and brush out with Wild Boar Brush- T0164, then polish with Blue Nylon. Run on a second layer and hand cork in with Swix Natural Cork- T0020 or T0021. Brush out with Wild Boar then polish with Blue Nylon.

PERFORMANCE Waves 1-5
Base LF wax layer:
Apply one layer of Swix LF4. Iron at 150ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using the Swix Fine Steel Brush- T0192. Polish with the Blue Nylon Brush- T0160.

Race HF wax layers:
Apply two layers of Swix HF4BW. Iron at 150ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using the Fine Steel Brush, then polish with the Blue Nylon. Repeat the process.

PERFORMANCE Waves 6-10
Base LF wax layer:
Apply one layer of Swix LF6. Iron at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using Swix Fine Steel Brush- T0192. Polish with the Blue Nylon Brush- T0160.

Race HF wax layers:
Apply two layers of Swix HF6BW or HF6. Iron at 140ºC, let cool 4-6 minutes, then scrape and brush throughly using Swix Fine Steel Brush- T0192. Polish with the Blue Nylon Brush- T0160. Repeat the process.

KICK WAX APPLICATION
As the race is still 4 days away, it is difficult to predict the exact kick wax for the Birkie. There are two main options that are possible based on the developing weather: hardwax binder and hardwax race kick wax or klister binder and hardwax race kick wax. See the details below for the recommended waxes on both options. Swix will be at the Expo for waxing advice, tips and clinics.

KICK ZONE PREPARATION
Remove old kick wax with a kick wax scraper and clean the kick zone with Swix Wax Remover and Swix Fiberlene. Let the base dry. Use 80 or 100 grid sandpaper and texture the kick zone by sanding the zone in a manner parallel to the groove in the ski base. The Swix T0011 Cork and Sandpaper combi tool is ideal for this process. A typical adult kick zone is 65-75cm from the back of heel forward. A typical adult klister zone is 60-65cm from the front of the heel forward.

BASE KICK WAX- Hardwax binder (if the surface is mainly fresh snow)
Apply one (1) solid and even layer of Swix VG35 Base Wax. Iron in at 110ºC. The binder should have a smooth and even consistency after ironing. Smooth out any lumps with a thumb or cork. Make sure that the binder layer in the front and the back of the kick zone makes a smooth and gradual transition with the glide zone. Let cool 5-10 minutes outdoors. Apply one (1) layer of Swix V40 Blue Extra. Cork smooth.

BASE KICK WAX- Klister binder (if no new snow is present)
Apply one (1) thin, even layer of Swix KB020 Base Klister Spray. Smooth even with a thumb or cork. Let cool 5-10 minutes outdoors. Apply one (1) thin, even layer of KR35 Violet Special Klister. Use an iron set at 110ºC to smooth even. Let cool 5-10 minutes outdoors. The klister layer should be hard and leave a finger print when touched. Apply two (2) thin layers of Swix VR30. Cork very smooth and be gentle when corking. It is best to cork the hardwax layers outdoors, to keep the wax from becoming too warm. For Waves 6-10, use VR40. These skis are ready to race on!

RACE KICK WAX- For Hardwax Binder
Waves Elite & 1-5: Apply 5-7 thin layers of Swix VR30. Cork smooth. If added kick is needed, add one layer of VR40 underneath the foot to 15cm in front of the binding. It is recommended to cork outdoors to keep the wax cold.

Waves 6-10: Apply 5-7 thin layers of Swix VR40. Cork smooth. If added grip is needed, add one layer of VR45 underneath the foot to 15cm in front of the binding. It is recommended to cork outdoors.

February 23, 2011 (Hayward, WI) – Watch the only live webcast of the 2011 American Birkebeiner on Saturday, February 26, 9:00am – 12:00pm. Livestream.com will be streaming the elite men’s and women’s finish, classic and skate waves finish, recaps of other American Birkebeiner events, and various interviews throughout the weekend. Watch the events live and catch up-to-date commentary with your host Dennis Kruse. If you can’t catch the Birkie outdoors, grab a blanket and cozy up to your computer or watch later at www.birkievideo.com.