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Individual Race and Team Sprint Relay for Youth ages 6 years to High School
The Junior Birkie, presented by Gear West and Rossignol, is for Junior skiers that are ready to race! The event starts behind the Hayward Intermediate and Primary Schools and finishes at the American Birkebeiner Finish Line on Main Street in Hayward. There are two race distances for the different Junior Birkie age groups. All registered skiers will get a Junior Birkie hat.
The Junior Birkie Team Sprint Relays will start and finish in downtown Hayward on the American Birkebeiner Finish Line. Teams are composed of 2 or 3 members (depending on age group) of the same gender and age group. Teams may represent a club or school team, but no affiliation with each other is necessary. If you would like to participate in the team relay but are without a team, indicate that in your registration and we will do our best to match you up with another racer needing a teammate. Unofficial teams of mixed gender and/or ages will be allowed to race, but will not be eligible for awards. New in 2020 – a Team Costume Contest!
| Year of Birth | Category | Individual Mass Start Distances | Team Sprint Relay Distances |
2012-2013
| U8 Girls & Boys | 1.5 km | 2 x 500m
|
| 2010-2011 | U10 Girls & Boys | 1.5 km | 2 x 500m |
2008-2009
| U12 Girls & Boys | 3 km | 2 x 500m |
| 2006-2007 | U14 Girls & Boys | 3 km | 2 x 500m |
| 2004-2005 | U16 Girls & Boys | N/A | 3 x 800m |
| 2001*-2003 | Other High School Age Girls & Boys | N/A | 3 x 800m
|
*Competitors must be in high school in the 2019-20 school year.
2020 Registration is Now Open!
Registration
| | Sep 16 thru Jan 23 | Jan 24 thru Feb 18 | Feb 19 until 7PM |
| Individual Participant | $20 | $22 | $25 |
| Relay Team Participant | $10 | $10 | $10 |
| Individual & Relay COMBO | $28 | $30 | $33 |
Registration Deadlines
Individual & Team Sprint Relay registration is online only, closing at 6:59 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. No race day registration!
Each relay team member must register individually and use the same team name. Teams must be comprised of athletes in the same age group and gender to qualify for awards. Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! Sign up and we’ll match you with other skiers looking for a team.
Freestyle Individual Mass Start Races
Youth skiers are assigned an age group based on their year of birth, not by age on race day. All races are freestyle technique – competitors may use skate or classic technique, however, there will not be any classic tracks set on the courses.
Team Sprint Relay
- Official teams must be the same gender and age group. Teams may mix gender and/or age group but will not be eligible for an award.
- Each age group and gender class is limited to 15 teams.
- Teams may represent a school or club team, however this is not a requirement.
- A participant without a team may still register and can be matched with another team.
- New in 2020 – a Team Costume Contest! One team in each age group will be awarded the best costume winner- use your imagination and creativity to make the Jr. Birkie relay a crazy, fun event!
Thursday, February 20 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the registration tent in the Recovery Zone on 4th and Wisconsin Ave.
Individual Race Schedule
| Time | Event | Distance |
| 1:30 pm | U8 & U10 Boys | 1.5 km |
| 1:40 pm | U8 & U10 Girls | 1.5 km |
| 1:50 pm | U12 Boys | 3 km |
| 2:00 pm | U12 Girls | 3 km |
| 2:10 pm | U14 Boys | 3 km |
| 2:20 pm | U14 Girls | 3 km |
Team Sprint Relay Race Schedule
| Time | Race | Distance |
| 3:00 pm | U8 & U10 Boys and Girls Relay | 2 x 500m |
| 3:05 pm | U12 Girls Relay | 2 x 500m |
| 3:10 pm | U12 Boys Relay | 2 x 500m |
| 3:15 pm | U14 Girls Relay | 2 x 500m |
| 3:20 pm | U14 Boys Relay | 2 x 500m |
| 3:25 pm | U16 and High School Girls Relay | 3 x 800m |
| 3:30 pm | U16 and High School Boys Relay | 3 x 800m |
Venue and Course Map
The Junior Birkie will start behind the Hayward Primary and Intermediate Schools. The 1.5k course will travel through the adjacent golf course and head down Main Street. The 3K course will travel over the American Birkebeiner International Bridge, turn around, cross the bridge again and ski back up Main Street. The 1K course will travel through the golf course and finish on Main Street (no bridge crossing). The Junior Birkie finishes at the American Birkebeiner Finish Line on Main Street. There will be a continuous shuttle service between the Spectator Parking Lots on Hwy B, Bib pick-up near the Intermediate School and Start Area, and the Celebration Plaza near the Finish line and back to the Spectator Lot. Please help ease the traffic congestion by utilizing the designated parking lots and the shuttles.
1K Junior Birkie Course
3K Junior Birkie Course
Team Relay Sprint Races will all take place on Main Street. The start and finish will all happen at the American Birkebeiner Finish Line. The Team Sprint Race course will not utilize the American Birkebeiner International Bridge.
Post Race
Refreshments will be available in the Celebration Plaza.
Awards
Each age group race will have an award ceremony immediately following it at the Champion’s Stage in the Celebration Plaza.
The top three boys and girls for each age group will be awarded a prize.
The first place relay team in the boys and girls category for each age group will be awarded a prize. A panel of select judges will choose the best team costume in each age category.
All finishers will receive a Junior Birkie medal.
The Junior Birkie Individual Race is part of the 2019-20 CXC Youth Cup for U12 and U14 age categories. Licensed skiers are seeded and earn points in the CXC Youth Cup overall standings. For information about the CXC Youth Cup visit: http://cxcskiing.org/pages/events/cxc-youth-cup.html
Co-Presenting Sponsor
Co-Presenting Sponsor
Future Birkie Week Dates:
2021: February 25 – 27
2022: February 24 – 26
2023: February 23 – 25
