American Birkebeiner definition of American Birkebeiner in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

American Birkebeiner

Last weekend in February

The Birkie started in 1973 as a 55-kilometer cross-country ski race from Hayward, Wis., to Telemark Resort in the neighboring town of Cable, with only 35 skiers competing. Now it is the largest and most prestigious cross-country ski race in North America, an event that attracts top cross-country skiers from all over the world. In addition to the 55-kilometer Birkie, there is also the Kortelopet or "short race" of 23 kilometers, which is open to competitors ages 13 and up. Other races held during the three-day festival include the Barnebirkie (for children) and the 10K Family Fun Ski.
The American Birkebeiner is part of the Worldloppet, an international series of 12 marathon races held in Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Austria, Finland, Italy, Canada, Australia, and the United States.
The American race was patterned after the Birkebeiner Rennet in Lillehammer, Norway. During the 13th century, a foreign invader was about to capture Norway's infant prince and heir to the throne. He was saved by two Viking warriors—called "Birkebeiners" for the birch-bark leggings they wore. These men took the child and skied 55 kilometers to safety. The baby eventually became the great Norwegian king, Haakon Haakonsson.
See also Vasaloppet

CONTACTS:
American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation
10527 Main St.
P.O. Box 911
Hayward, WI 54843
800-872-2753 or 715-634-5025; fax: 715-634-5663
www.birkie.com

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No references found			Dong won the 2008 American Birkebeiner race and finished fourth in the world's largest ski marathon, the Swiss Engadine. ROLLING & POLING by The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) He's completed the American Birkebeiner four times. Four decades of running Boston: Larry Boies, Jr., MD by Venables, Jeff / AMAA Journal With about 8,000 entrants, the American Birkebeiner had the largest field of any race in which Reznick has competed. Skiing the world by The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)			America the Beautiful America the Beautiful Fund America's Cup America's Multimedia Online America, Captain American American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters American Academy in Rome American Aggression in Vietnam American Airlines American Anti-Slavery Society American architecture American art American Association for Leisure & Recreation American Association for State & Local History American Association for the Advancement of Science American Association of Retired Persons American Association of University Professors American Automobile Association American Ballet Theatre American Bandstand American Bar Association American basement American Bell American Bird Conservancy American Birkebeiner American bond American boreal faunal region American boring system American Bracketed style American Broadcasting Company American caisson American Canoe Association American Cave Conservation Association American Civil Liberties Union American Civil War American Colonial architecture American Colonial Revival American Colonization Society American concentration camps American Conservation Association American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac American explosive American Express Co. American Farmland Trust American Federation of Labor American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees American Federation of Teachers American Film Institute			American Benefits Council American Beryllium Company American Beverage Association American Beverage Institute American Beveren Rabbit Club American Bible Society American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies American Bicycle Association American Bicycle Racing American Bighorn Sheep American Bighorn Sheep American bighorns American bighorns American Bikers Aiming Towards Education American Bikers for Awareness, Training and Education American Bio-Medical Service Corp American Bio-Recovery Association American Bioenergy Association American Biographical Institute American Biological Safety Association American Biology Teacher American Biomedical Group Inc. American Bird Conservancy American Bird Conservancy American Bird Conservation Association American Bird Hunters Association, Inc. American Birding Association American Birkebeiner American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation American Birth Control League American bison American bison American Bison Association American bittern American bitterns American bitterns American bittersweet American Black Achievement Awards American Black Agriculturists Association American black bear American black bears American black bears American Black Belt Academy American Black Book Writers Association American Black Chamber American Black Chiropractic Association American Black Duck American Black Duck American Black Film Festival American Black Hereford Association American Black Oystercatcher American Black Vulture American Black Vulture American Blackbelly American blackbird American blackbird American blackbird American blackbirds