After 2 days of hem'n and haw'n from the race organizers, a press release came out this morning for tomorrow's xc ski race:
Birkie 2007: The Race Is ON. 23K Competitive Race for Elites & Non-Competitive for Other Skiers.
Birkie 2007 will be a 23-kilometer [it's supposed to be 50K] competitive race for the top 200 elite men and 50 elite women and an untimed, non-competitive, 'open-track' event for the rest of field.The timed race for elite Birkie skiers will launch at 10:20 a.m. at the Cable Union Airport Start Line and finish at Highway OO in Seeley with prize money awarded to the top 6 men and women. The untimed, non-competitive,[this is where I fall in now] 'open-track' event for remaining Birkie, Kortelopet and Prince Haakon skiers will start at Cable Union Airport between 10:45 - 11:45 a.m.An 'open-track' event is new to the American Birkebeiner but is common in European cross country ski races. In the Birkie 'open track' event, skiers can leave the start line at any time within a half-hour window for specified waves as follows:Waves 1-3 [me again] - 10:45 a.m.Waves 4-6 - 11:15 a.m.Waves 7-10 and Prince Haakon skiers- 11:45 a.m."Skiers can show up with their friends in this window and leave together," said Ned Zuelsdorff, Executive Director for the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. "This is the best option given the course conditions. We think the course will hold up to a small number of competitive racers and it is adequate for thousands of skiers participating in a low-key, non-competitive, 'open-track' event. We will be advising caution on some downhills with the use of Ski Patrol members."In the 'open-track', non-competitive event, skiers will wear a transponder timing chip to confirm completion of their race, but no awards will be given. Credit will be given for completing the Birkie, Kortelopet and Prince Haakon. The non-competitive event will not affect wave placement, and future seeding will be based on Birkebeiner and Kortelopet times from 2004-2006.Transponder timing chips will be handed out at Telemark Lodge on Saturday beginning at 6 a.m.
So I called my teammate, THICK, and told him the news. THICK paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and replied in a thick booming voice "let's do it!, we'll have a good training ski and then go drink some beers at the Sawmill!" Now that's the kinda teammate anyone would want on their squad. Nothing stops this guy. THICK was an all conference football player in his past life and now has a family and a real life. I told THICK I'm using my old skis cuz the trail is in rough shape (see photo) and advised THICK to do the same. THICK said he'd pick me up at 5:30 AM and we'd get breakfast on the way. Race review and comments later...skater.
Birkie 2007: The Race Is ON. 23K Competitive Race for Elites & Non-Competitive for Other Skiers.
Birkie 2007 will be a 23-kilometer [it's supposed to be 50K] competitive race for the top 200 elite men and 50 elite women and an untimed, non-competitive, 'open-track' event for the rest of field.The timed race for elite Birkie skiers will launch at 10:20 a.m. at the Cable Union Airport Start Line and finish at Highway OO in Seeley with prize money awarded to the top 6 men and women. The untimed, non-competitive,[this is where I fall in now] 'open-track' event for remaining Birkie, Kortelopet and Prince Haakon skiers will start at Cable Union Airport between 10:45 - 11:45 a.m.An 'open-track' event is new to the American Birkebeiner but is common in European cross country ski races. In the Birkie 'open track' event, skiers can leave the start line at any time within a half-hour window for specified waves as follows:Waves 1-3 [me again] - 10:45 a.m.Waves 4-6 - 11:15 a.m.Waves 7-10 and Prince Haakon skiers- 11:45 a.m."Skiers can show up with their friends in this window and leave together," said Ned Zuelsdorff, Executive Director for the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. "This is the best option given the course conditions. We think the course will hold up to a small number of competitive racers and it is adequate for thousands of skiers participating in a low-key, non-competitive, 'open-track' event. We will be advising caution on some downhills with the use of Ski Patrol members."In the 'open-track', non-competitive event, skiers will wear a transponder timing chip to confirm completion of their race, but no awards will be given. Credit will be given for completing the Birkie, Kortelopet and Prince Haakon. The non-competitive event will not affect wave placement, and future seeding will be based on Birkebeiner and Kortelopet times from 2004-2006.Transponder timing chips will be handed out at Telemark Lodge on Saturday beginning at 6 a.m.
So I called my teammate, THICK, and told him the news. THICK paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and replied in a thick booming voice "let's do it!, we'll have a good training ski and then go drink some beers at the Sawmill!" Now that's the kinda teammate anyone would want on their squad. Nothing stops this guy. THICK was an all conference football player in his past life and now has a family and a real life. I told THICK I'm using my old skis cuz the trail is in rough shape (see photo) and advised THICK to do the same. THICK said he'd pick me up at 5:30 AM and we'd get breakfast on the way. Race review and comments later...skater.
1 comment:
Hey Benson,
I'm not ignoring you. I've just been swamped and haven't had a chance to respond to your emails. I will get to it...I promise!
Thanks for checking.
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