Canadian Birkebeiner

Last updated
Canadian Birkebeiner
Statusactive
Genresporting event
Date(s)Second Saturday in February
Frequencyannual
Location(s) Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village - Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, Alberta
CountryCanada
Inaugurated1985 (1985)
Activity Cross-country skiing
People Volunteering,Nonprofit organization
Member Nordiq Canada

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 organized 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 Biosphere. [1]

Contents

Origin

The Canadian Birkebeiner is named after the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet, which commemorates an important historical event. [2] In 1206 a group of Birkebeiner loyalists, who fought for Sverre Sigurdsson and his descendants in the Norwegian civil war, smuggled Haakon IV, the widely regarded illegitimate son of Norway's King Håkon Sverresson, from Lillehammer to safety in Trondheim. As in the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet, the skiers in the Canadian Birkebeiner carry a pack symbolizing the weight of an 18-month-old child. [3]

History

On February 9, 1985, the first Birkebeiner race was organized by the Canadian Birkebeiner Society. [4] In total 127 skiers participated in the cross-country marathon starting in Devon and finishing at Fort Edmonton Park. The Canadian Birkebeiner continued to be held in this area until 1990, [5] when, because of recurring issues with the level of snow on the Devon–Fort Edmonton Park trail, the event moved permanently to Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area.

In 1996 a study of heart rates of cross-country skiers was conducted during the race, and the results reported in the Journal of Human Movement Studies. [6]

In 1999 about 2500 people took part in the race; [4] in 2018 the event attracted about 1000 skiers. [7]

While the race is organized every year, it has occasionally been cancelled because of inappropriate conditions; in 2016 there was not enough snow, and in 2019 the temperature was below −25 °C. [8]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 the Canadian Birkebeiner Society organized their first Virtual Canadian Birkie, which attracted over 1100 participants [9] The traditional Canadian Birkie was cancelled due to the COVID-19 restrictions in 2021. [10]

Haakon Haakonson Award

Since 1990 skiers that have completed all three international Birkebeiner long distance cross-country ski races – Birkebeinerrennet in Norway, the American Birkebeiner and the Canadian Birkebeiner – receive the Haakon Haakonson Award. [11] The award is an initiative of the Canadian Birkebeiner Society to recognise the skier's dedication to the Birkebeiner races. In 2019 a total of 175 skiers received the award.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross-country skiing</span> Form of snow skiing

Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a means of travel. Variants of cross-country skiing are adapted to a range of terrain which spans unimproved, sometimes mountainous terrain to groomed courses that are specifically designed for the sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherwood Park</span> Urban service area in Alberta, Canada

Sherwood Park is a large hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Strathcona County that is recognized as an urban service area. It is located on traditional Treaty 6 territory, and adjacent to the City of Edmonton's eastern boundary. While long confined to generally south of Highway 16, west of Highway 21 and north of Highway 630, portions of Sherwood Park have expanded beyond Yellowhead Trail and Wye Road since the start of the 21st century. Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216) separates Refinery Row, in a portion of the Sherwood Park Urban Service Area to the west, from the residential and commercial hamlet to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Birkebeiner</span> North American cross-country skiing race

The American Birkebeiner, or Birkie, 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 Birkie's two premier events are the 50 km (31 mi) skate and the 55 km (34 mi) classic races between the towns of Cable and Hayward in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Each year more than 10,000 skiers participate in the Birkie, including the full-distances races, a 29 km (18 mi) Kortelopet race, and a 15 km (9.3 mi) Prince Haakon race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birkebeiner</span> Norwegian political faction during the Civil War era, active from 1174 to the 1210s

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bjørn Dæhlie</span> Norwegian cross-country skier

Bjørn Erlend Dæhlie is a Norwegian businessman and retired cross-country skier. From 1992 to 1999, Dæhlie won the Nordic World Cup six times, finishing second in 1994 and 1998. Dæhlie won a total of 29 medals in the Olympics and World Championships between 1991 and 1999, making him the most successful male cross-country skier in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangaroo Hoppet</span>

The Kangaroo Hoppet is a long distance cross-country skiing race in Australia. It is held in Falls Creek, Victoria. It debuted in 1979, and is part of Worldloppet since 1991. It is held annually on the fourth Saturday of August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miquelon Lake Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Alberta, Canada

Miquelon Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, about 65 kilometres southeast of the city of Edmonton. The park features several lakes, the largest of them being Miquelon Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierre Harvey</span> Canadian sports athlete

Pierre Harvey, is a Canadian sports athlete. He was the first Canadian male athlete to compete in both the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1984 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birkebeinerrennet</span> Norwegian cross-country ski marathon

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tour de Ski</span> Annual skiing event in Europe

The Tour de Ski (TdS) is a cross-country skiing event held annually since the 2006–07 season in Central Europe, modeled on the Tour de France of cycling. The Tour de Ski is a Stage World Cup event in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup. Each Tour de Ski has consisted of six to nine stages, held during late December and early January in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. As of 2023, the prize money for the event amount to 770,000 Swiss francs (779,000 euros), shared out on both men and women. Men's and women's events are held together on the same days, with the only difference being the distance skied.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Alberta, Canada

Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, located immediately west of Canmore, 105 km (65 mi) west of Calgary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIS Cross-Country World Cup</span> International cross-country skiing competition

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation (FIS) since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31st FIS Congress, 29–30 April 1977 in Bariloche, Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaver Hills (Alberta)</span> Upland region in Central Alberta, Canada

The Beaver Hills, also known as the Beaver Hills Moraine and the Cooking Lake Moraine, are a rolling upland region in Central Alberta, just to the east of Edmonton, the provincial capital. It consists of 1,572 square kilometres (607 sq mi) of "knob and kettle" terrain, containing many glacial moraines and depressions filled with small lakes. The landform lies partly within five different counties, Strathcona, Leduc, Beaver, Lamont and Camrose. The area is relatively undeveloped compared to the surrounding region, and is protected in part by Elk Island National Park, the Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, the Ministik Lake Game Bird Sanctuary, Miquelon Lake Provincial Park and a number of smaller provincial natural areas. Since 2016 Beaver Hills has been a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve.

Stanislav Řezáč is a Czech long-distance cross-country skier competing in the Worldloppet Ski Federation series of races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inga of Varteig</span>

Inga Olafsdatter of Varteig was the mistress of King Haakon III of Norway and the mother of King Haakon IV of Norway.

Ski Classics is a series of long-distance cross-country ski races in classic style that has been held since 2011. In season XII, 2021–2022, the circuit included 15 events, in a professional tour for the 35 Pro Teams involved. From 2015 to 2022, the official name of the circuit was Visma Ski Classics, thanks to their main sponsor. The special thing about the Ski Classics concept is that anyone can start the races: professional or amateur, male or female, 25 or 75 years old. Everyone stands together on the same starting line to face the same weather conditions and the same course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie Diggins</span> American cross-country skier

Jessica Diggins is an American cross-country skier. She is the most accomplished cross-country skier from the United States in the sport's history having won two World Cup overall titles, three Olympic medals, six World Championship medals, and numerous other event championships. Diggins has used her status as a famous athlete to advance advocacy related to climate change and eating disorders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross-country skiing (sport)</span> Competitive winter sport

Competitive cross-country skiing encompasses a variety of race formats and course lengths. Rules of cross-country skiing are sanctioned by the International Ski Federation and by various national organizations. International competitions include the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the FIS Cross-Country World Cup, and at the Winter Olympic Games. Such races occur over homologated, groomed courses designed to support classic (in-track) and freestyle events, where the skiers may employ skate skiing. It also encompasses cross-country ski marathon events, sanctioned by the Worldloppet Ski Federation, and cross-country ski orienteering events, sanctioned by the International Orienteering Federation. Related forms of competition are biathlon, where competitors race on cross-country skis and stop to shoot at targets with rifles, and paralympic cross-country skiing that allows athletes with disabilities to compete at cross-country skiing with adaptive equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Schumacher (skier)</span> American cross-country skier

August "Gus" Schumacher is an American cross-country skier. In 2020, Schumacher became the first American to win a gold medal in an individual race at the Junior World Ski Championships. He competed in the 30 kilometre skiathlon at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Schumacher won the Men's 10 km freestyle race at the 2024 Stifel Loppet Cup in Minneapolis on February 18, 2024. His win marked the first time an American male skier had won an individual distance event since Bill Koch in 1983.

Janet Schuster is a Canadian Paralympic cross-country skier and physiotherapist who has an visual impairment. She began skiing in 1975 and competitively from 1977. Schuster won the bronze medal in the women's 4 x 5-kilometre relay 5A-5B along with three other skiers at the 1980 Summer Paralympics in Geilo, Norway.

References

  1. ↑ Do you know?, The Beaver Hills Biosphere, February 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ Olympic Review . International Olympic Committee,.; 1988. p. 163.
  3. ↑ Nature First: Outdoor Life the Friluftsliv Way . Dundurn; 31 July 2007. ISBN   978-1-4597-1839-5. p. 190.
  4. 1 2 Parkinson Disease: A Health Policy Perspective . John Wiley & Sons; 16 February 2010. ISBN   978-3-527-62949-7. p. 121.
  5. ↑ John Peaker. The Complete Guide to Cross Country Skiing in Canada . Doubleday Canada, Limited; 1 January 1987. ISBN   978-0-385-25101-3. p. 94.
  6. ↑ Journal of Human Movement Studies . Vol. 31. Teviot Scientific.; 1996. p. 161–163.
  7. ↑ "Favourable conditions draw around 1,000 to annual Birkebeiner". Edmonton Journal, Hina Alam, February 11, 2018
  8. ↑ Birkebeiner Ski Festival forced to cancel 2019 event due to extreme cold. By Karen Bartko and Emily Mertz, Global News, February 5, 2019
  9. ↑ "Virtual Birkie managed to attract more than 1,100 skiers". Sherwood Park News, Shane Jones, April 9, 2021
  10. ↑ "2021 Canadian Birkie Ski Festival cancelled due to COVID-19". Global News, Caley Gibson, January 27, 2021
  11. ↑ "Edmonton senior to ski Canadian Birkebeiner in preparation for 66-km skimarathon in Estonia". Nick Lees, Edmonton Journal, January 22, 2017
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.