American Birkebeiner

Prior to seeing the first Birkie finishers on Main Street, spectators of the 2010 Birkie had the opportunity to watch physically challenged athletes use the latest adaptive ski equipment as they skied to the Birkie Finish Line on race day.

Later in the day several Sit-Skiers skied alongside Birkie skiers as they covered the final three kilometers of the course to their finish on Main Street. These athletes began on the far end of Lake Hayward at Noon.

For the 2011 events we are looking at a variety of opportunities for Sit Skiers. More information will be available soon.

Skiers interested in participating in the Sit-Ski events should contact our office at birkie@birkie.com or 715-634-5025.

In addition, everyone will have the opportunity to try using a Sit-Ski at the ski demo on Thursday and Friday at Telemark Lodge.

Sit-Skis are being constructed at the University of Wisconsin in Madison thanks to a generous donation from Becker Law Office, S.C., and a strong group of volunteers. This equipment is then donated to ski centers, willing to assist and foster use of this adaptive equipment by disabled athletes.

You can help this effort. We are looking for used equipment to be used to construct Sit-Skis. The following equipment is needed:

• Race cut skate or classic skis. They need to be a race cut, not a wide touring. If classic, they can not be fish scale or other waxless. Skis should be around 185 +/- .Bases should be in good shape.
• Poles need to be pairs with any type of adjustable straps and at least 120cm long. Broken poles at the basket end don't work, as the taper won't allow for baskets to be reapplied, poles broken at the top will work, but rarely do poles break at the top. Baskets need to be of the smaller modern racing variety, as opposed to the large round floppy variety.
• Bindings need to be any type of Salomon Profil; manual, automatic, classic, and skate will work. We don't need to sole plate, or the rubber flexor for that matter, just the toe piece with the 3 screw plate.

You can drop off your used equipment to be donated at the Birkie office on Main Street in Hayward from now until February 18, Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 4 PM. Or the equipment can be dropped off at the CXC booth at the Skier Expo at Telemark, Thursday or Friday of race week, February 24 and 25, 2011.

We plan to offer Sit-Ski Events at the 2011 Birkie. More details will be provided soon!