 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2009) |
Birkebeinerrittet (lit. The Birkebeiner cycling race) is a long-distance mountain bike cycling race held annually in Norway. It is the world's largest mountain bike race in number of contestants. [1] In 2009, 17,164 riders signed up, and 15,140 cyclists completed the race. In 2023 the 30th edition will be held [2] .
The race starts in Rena and ends at Håkons Hall in Lillehammer. Birkebeinerrittet is 84km [3] long along fire roads, with some paved and some single/dual-track segments.
The race has been held since 1993 and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the heir to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then one-year-old heir.
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ole Hem |  Norway | 2:37:08 |
| 2021 | Eskil Evensen-Lie | Norway | 2:37:51 |
| 2019 | Eskil Evensen-Lie | Norway | 2:34:20 |
| 2018 | Erik Resell | Norway | 2:32:54 |
| 2017 | Erik Resell | Norway | 2:28:21 |
| 2016 | Åsmund Løvik | Norway | |
| 2015 | Carl Fredrik Hagen | Norway | |
| 2014 | Fredrik Wilmann | Norway | 02.33.18 |
| 2013 | Fredrik Ericsson |  Sweden | 02.41.17 |
| 2012 | Lars Ragnar Manengen | Norway | 02.43.24 |
| 2011 | Stian Remme | Norway | 02.54.45 |
| 2010 | Hannes Genze |  Germany | 02.57.04 |
| 2009 | Andreas Kugler |  Switzerland | 03.02.05 |
| 2008 | Anders Hovdenes | Norway | 02.40.50 |
| 2007 | Massimo De Bertolis |  Italy | 02.52.29 |
| 2006 | Lars Petter Nordhaug | Norway | 02.43.08 |
| 2005 | Thomas Frischknecht | Switzerland | 03.52.01 |
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Borghild Løvset | Norway | 03.05.04 |
| 2013 | Borghild Løvset | Norway | 03.12.38 |
| 2012 | Pia Sundstedt |  Finland | 03.06.42 |
| 2011 | Pia Sundstedt | Finland | 03.08.26 |
| 2010 | Pia Sundstedt | Finland | 03.19.45 |
| 2009 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå | Norway | 03.27.02 |
| 2008 | Pia Sundstedt | Finland | 03.09.06 |
| 2007 | Pia Sundstedt | Finland | 03.24.43 |
| 2006 | Pia Sundstedt | Finland | 03.08.32 |
| 2005 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå | Norway | 04.05.18 |
A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included. The word is of Greek origin, from τρεῖς or treis (three) and ἆθλος or athlos (competition).
The American Birkebeiner is the largest cross-country skiing race in North America. It debuted in 1973 and is a founding member of the Worldloppet federation of cross-country ski marathons. The two premier events are the 50 km (31 mi) skate and the 55 km (34 mi) classic races from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin. Each year more than 10,000 skiers participate in the Birkie, 29 km Kortelopet, and 15 km Prince Haakon events.
Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format similar to triathlons. The International Triathlon Union governs the sport internationally.
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla. The name has its origins in propaganda from the established party that the rebels were so poor that they made their shoes of birch bark. Although originally a pejorative, the opposition adopted the Birkebeiner name for themselves, and continued using it after they came to power in 1184.
Sverre Sigurdsson was the king of Norway from 1184 to 1202.
Haakon Sverresson was King of Norway from 1202 to 1204.
Downhill mountain biking (DH) is a style of mountain biking practiced on steep, rough terrain that often features jumps, drops, rock gardens and other obstacles. Jumps can be up to and including 12 meters, and drops can be greater than 3 meters.
A cyclosportive, or often simply sportive, is a short to long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling event, typically held annually. The Italian term Gran Fondo is commonly used for these events in the United States, Australia and some other English-speaking countries.
Håkons Hall, sometimes anglicized as Håkon Hall and Haakons Hall, is an arena located at Stampesletta in Lillehammer, Norway. With a spectator capacity of 11,500 people, it is the largest handball and ice hockey venue in the country. Håkons Hall is regularly used for handball and ice hockey tournaments, concerts, exhibitions, conferences and banquets. The venue is owned by Lillehammer Municipality via the subsidiary Lillehammer Olympiapark, which owns all the Olympic venues in Lillehammer. The Norwegian Olympic Museum is located in the arena, which is located next to the smaller Eidsiva Arena.
Mountain bike racing is the competitive cycle sport discipline of mountain biking held on off-road terrain. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recognised the discipline relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Durango, Colorado. The first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series took place in 1988. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North America—and was sponsored by Grundig. Cross-country racing was the only World Cup sport at this time. In 1993, a six-event downhill World Cup was introduced. In 1996, cross-country mountain biking events were added to the Olympic Games. In 2006, cross-country mountain biking events became part of the World Deaf Cycling Championships for the first time in San Francisco, USA.
Birkebeinerrennet is a long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It debuted in 1932 and has been a part of Worldloppet since Worldloppet's inception in 1979.
Marathon mountain bike races, often referred to as cross-country marathon (XCM), are a very demanding form of mountain bike racing covering at least 40 kilometres usually in mountainous terrain. Events held in Europe are typically just a little longer than the average cross country mountain bike race. Marathon events in the USA and Canada are typically longer than 100 kilometres and are very different from cross country races.
The civil war era in Norway began in 1130 and ended in 1240. During this time in Norwegian history, some two dozen rival kings and pretenders waged wars to claim the throne.
Peter Graves is an American television sportscaster and public address announcer specializing in Olympic, lifestyle, and action sports. He is also a former cross-country skiing coach for Harvard University.
Stampesletta is a multi-use stadium complex in Lillehammer, Norway. Owned and operated by Lillehammer Municipality, it consists of a track and field venue, an artificial turf football field, three natural grass football fields, a gravel field and natural grass training pitches. In addition, it features a club house, locker facilities and a grandstand between the athletics and artificial turf fields. The venue is located about 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) from the town center, and serves as the home ground for the Second Division side Lillehammer FK, Lillehammer KFK, Roterud IL in football, and Lillehammer IF in athletics.
Lars Petter Nordhaug is a Norwegian former road bicycle racer, who competed professionally between 2005 and 2017 for the Joker–Bianchi, Belkin Pro Cycling, Team Sky and Aqua Blue Sport teams.
Enduro in its most basic definition is a type of mountain bike racing where the downhills are timed, and the uphills are mandatory but not timed. Riders are timed in stages that are primarily downhill, with neutral "transfer" stages in between. The transfer stages usually must be completed within a time-limit, but are not part of the accumulated time.
Håkon and Kristin were the official mascots of the 1994 Winter Olympics and Sondre was the official mascot of the 1994 Winter Paralympics, both held in Lillehammer, Norway.
The Canadian Birkebeiner is the largest classic style cross-country ski event in Western Canada. Founded in 1985, it is one of three Birkebeiner Loppets held worldwide, the others being the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet and the American Birkebeiner. The event is organised annually on the second Saturday of February by approximately 500 volunteers of the Canadian Birkebeiner Society. About 1000 skiers take part in the one-day event, which includes races from 2 km to 55 km. The three main races are the 55 km with 5.5 kg backpack, the 55 km light and the 31 km from Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, via Elk Island National Park and finishing at Washkahegan Staging Area in Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, Alberta. The Canadian Birkebeiner is organized in the UNESCO designated Beaver Hills (Alberta) Biosphere.
Gravel cycling, gravel biking or gravel grinding is a sport, or a leisure activity, in which participants ride bicycles mostly on gravel roads. Sometimes, specially designed gravel bikes are used; in other cases, any bicycle capable of covering the terrain can be used.