Latest news with #AmericanBirkebeiner
CBS News
6 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Cyclists converge in Wisconsin for Epic Bike Fest
With only days until he races on his home course in Wisconsin, pro cyclist Daxton Mock is training in the rain. "You gotta push through it," said Mock. The 24-year-old won both races in last year's Epic Bike Fest across Wisconsin's Northwoods. "In the National Forest, ripping corners, up, down. It keeps it interesting," he said. "The trails are so good here." The three-day festival features single track races from Hayward to Cable through the Sawyer and Bayfield county forests on Saturday. "You don't see long stretches of single track like this in any other place around the Midwest," said Kristy Maki, event director for the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. "So to be able to do a 37-mile race on single track, point to point, is pretty unusual and pretty unique for anywhere in the country." Sunday, riders and racers tackle a 50-mile gravel road race, which Mock describes as "just unreal." "You also have a big mental component on watching out for sand and rocks and different features on a gravel race, too," said Maki. There's also a half-distance option for both races, adding to the appeal for riders of different interests and fitness levels. "We are now over 1,000 riders and racers for the weekend," said Maki. That growth has allowed Epic Bike Fest to raise over $200,000 for trail development at Mt. Telemark Village and the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association. "It's really important for me because I train on them all the time," said Mock. "I think having a spot and place up north in northern Wisconsin, where there's maybe not so much other things to do, it's really great." It's a chance for Mock to show off his skills, and show off what makes this area so special. "The community is amazing here and it seems to grow every year," he said. On-and-off showers are expected to continue this week in Wisconsin's Northwoods, but festival organizers say that shouldn't impact this weekend's races. Saturday should be dry for the single track and Sunday could see rain — but on the gravel, it won't be a problem. Registration is still open for all of the races. And you don't have to be a biker to enjoy the festivities at Epic Bike Fest. You can go to watch the races or volunteer. Find the full schedule of events on Epic Bike Fest's website.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
American Birkebeiner: Great snow conditions await after last year's ski race cancellation
One year after warm weather and unwelcome rain forced a rare cancellation, great conditions and perhaps some glitter await participants in the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski races in northwestern Wisconsin this week. There has been plenty of snow and more coming. Temperatures should be just about perfect — high 20s or low 30s — when the first part of competition gets underway on Friday, said Birkie executive director Ben Popp. The Birkie, billed as North America's largest cross-country ski marathon, runs between Cable and Hayward. The race is expected to attract 13,500 skiers, 2,500 volunteers and up to 30,000 spectators. Sports Destination Management magazine estimated in 2016 that Birkie visitors book 4,100 room nights and bring $20 million to the local economy. It's a far cry from last year, which Popp and the hotel and restaurant operators in northwestern Wisconsin would prefer to forget. Warm weather forced organizers to cancel the race for only the second time in its 44-year history. "It was so disheartening," Popp said. "We had six days with temperatures above 50 degrees." RELATED: American Birkebeiner, world's largest cross-country ski race, canceled following days of warm weather, rain This year there are 4 to 8 inches of hard packed snow on the course and the forecast calls for 3 to 4 more inches to fall before the Birkie events get underway. "The course is in really good shape," Popp said. "I think we should have some exceptionally good conditions." For the main race on Saturday, skate-style skiers will travel 50 kilometers (about 31 miles), while the classic racers go 55 kilometers. The race starts in Cable and ends on Main St. in downtown Hayward. Organizers moved the 29-kilometer Kortelopet race to Friday so participants and their families could enjoy a big finish line celebration for that shorter race. In past years, the Korte ran on the same day as the main race. "We wanted to give those folks the same kind of Birkie experience" as racers in the main event on Saturday, Popp said. The return to a "normal Birkie" is welcome news for the local hospitality industry. "It's looking wonderful," said Cindy Ferraro, owner of the Sawmill Saloon in Seeley, between Hayward and Cable. She also rents lodge rooms and apartments in the area. "Some people have been up here since last week," she said. "Were completely booked." Although the skiing was washed out last year, some folks trekked to the area anyway to gather with their friends for Birkie weekend. "They partied for two days before (race day) and the day after instead of just one day," she said. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: Get the latest Journal Sentinel news in your feed Birkie fans can expect to see some glitter adorning skiers in honor of the U.S. cross-country ski women team's performance Saturday in the Winter Olympics. The team finished 5th in the relay, its best performance ever. Members of the U.S. women's team paint their faces with glitter and are high-profile ambassadors for the sport. "Those gals have done so much for the sport in the past five years," Popp said. "It's just awesome." Although no members of this year's Olympic teams will be at the Birkie, there are plenty of elite athletes expected, including Caitlin Gregg, a member of the 2010 Olympic team. The Olympics along with a growing number of youth programs have boosted interest in competitive cross-country skiing, Popp said. RELATED: Wisconsin DNR launches cross-country ski trail conditions page RELATED: 6 lighted cross-country ski trails in Wisconsin Some schools have programs to introduce kids to the sport. One school, Popp said, strives to get every second-grader on skis. "I think we're seeing cause and effect," he said. As more young people are introduced to skiing, their families seek out clubs and professional coaching. "It's the same kind of model that we've seen as with swimming and soccer," Popp said. "I think the sport is going in the right direction." We followed four Wisconsin dairy farms for a year as they struggled with an industry-wide crisis, one didn't make it Wisconsin lawmaker proposes resolution honoring white people, among others, during Black History Month Wisconsin once had a 'model' voting rights program for people with disabilities. Officials have let it decline. FOLLOW THE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Birkebeiner ski race draws thousands to northwestern Wisconsin
CBS News
12-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Snow falls just in the nick of time for 2025 American Birkebeiner
CABLE & HAYWARD, Wis. — In the tiny town of Cable, Wisconsin, there are signs of American Birkebeiner pride everywhere. "More than just the prestige of having the event and having that recognition, there's a lot of dollars that come in with that," said P.C. Rasmussen, owner of the Lakewoods Resort in Cable. The Birkie, a cross-country ski marathon since 1973, is inspired by Norwegian lore. "It's really important for these businesses that have been on a second bad year of outdoor recreation and tourism here in northern Wisconsin," said Ben Popp, executive director of the Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. Last year's smaller, modified event was tough on businesses along both ends of the course. "Everyone took a big hit by stocking up, replenishing, gearing up for the 50th only to have a no snow year and warm," said Cindy Smith-Kaner, owner of Riverbrook Bike & Ski in Hayward. There was no traditional finish on the streets of downtown Hayward. Events took place on a 10-kilometer loop around the Cable trailhead using stockpiled and manufactured snow — something that wasn't possible when the Birkebeiner was last canceled in 2017. "It was that year that actually prompted us into investing in machine made snow. We've now spent almost $2.5 million investing in that equipment because we know how important it is to have the event here," said Popp. "They pulled off a miracle last year and everyone was grateful," said Smith-Kaner. As the largest race of its type, the Birkie brings 12,000 ski competitors and 25,000 spectators from all 50 states and two dozen countries. "It gets them here longer. They stay here. They eat more. They drink more. They hang out more," said Popp. On Monday, Hayward business owners got the news they'd been hoping for: the Birkie will finish along the downtown streets. "Up here in Birkie Land we still can pull it off, we can still have good snow. It's magic out there right now," said Smith-Kaner. Birkie participants should be prepared to see areas of low snow along with some grass and leaves in spots. That's especially true in the last 10 kilometers of the race heading into Hayward. Birkie week begins Wednesday, Feb. 19 with an open track day. The full Birkebeiner race is Saturday, Feb. 22.
