Next weekend, thousands of nordic skiers from all corners of the globe will find their way to Northern Wisconsin for the annual American Birkebeiner ski race. While it’s famously know for it’s draw of elite skiers, most people are surprised to find out it’s grown into so much more, offering four days of races, festivals, demos and expos, family fun programs, and more! Did you know they even offer child care for participating parents where children can visit museums, partake in outdoor activities, and learn amazing things about the environment?!
Maybe you’ve always been interested in checking it out, but nervous you’re not the best skier out there or not interested in competing. Don’t let that stop you! You can participate in on-snow demos to familiarize yourself with all the new gear, swing by the expo to chat with industry professionals and racers about getting involved in the sport, and even give racing a try in a shortened 12k race geared for newbies and recreational skiers. And with hundreds of volunteers and super friendly supporters along the way, you’ll find the help and encouragement to get to that finish line!
For our more experienced skiers heading back for another year of racing, remember to stock up on the race day essentials you can find right here at Shep’s! With a full line of Swix tuning products and a certified ski technician working in our state of the art tune shop, we’re here to get your skis performing at their best. And don’t forget we’re also a multi-line nordic ski shop able to outfit skiers of all abilities. So whether it’s some temperature specific wax and a scraper or a new pair of racing skate skis, Shep’s is the place. Be sure to stop in and chat with our friendly and knowledgable staff today, and be sure to check out our race day gear list below to help you prepare for race day!
Clothing
-Base layer (top and bottoms)
-Outer layer (top and bottoms)
-Wind briefs
-Hat/Headband
-Gloves
-Socks
-Neck warmer
-Glasses
-Warm jacket and pants for pre/after race activities
Gear
-Skis
-Boots
-Poles
-Waxes and tuning supplies
-Energy food and water
-Sunscreen/Chapstick/Dermatone
Before you sign for the “race”, keep in mind that this is not like a regular Marathon.
If it is your first time, you will be assigned to the last wave on your category (classic or skate).
The day before you will receive an envelope with your bibb, number and a hat. This envelope also shows the limit times for the different check points. Meaning that as it was my case this year (2018), you could be pacing yourself to finish in 8 hrs (around 7 Km/h) and get at the 35 Km marker at 5 hrs and a couple of minutes after the specified time (3 pm), with 3 more hours to go (feasible keeping the same pace). You will get disqualified to officially continue.
I would like to see the statistics of how many from the last waves actually finished the race this year and what criteria was used to establish those time limits, in particular when as I understand the first section is hillier and harder.
Very disappointing.