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American Birkebeiner

The American Birkebeiner (or Birkie) is the largest, and one of the longest cross country ski races in North America. The 51-km race from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin is a member race of the Worldloppet Ski Federation, a federation which includes the world's most famous cross country ski marathons such as Sweden's Vasaloppet and Norway's Birkebeinerrennet. Each year approximately 9,000 skiers participate in the Birkie and related races.

www.birkie.com

Kikkan Randall

Kikkan Randall is one of the few athletes who can say she made her Olympic debut in her hometown - born in Salt Lake City and a member of the 2002 Olympic Team in Salt Lake (although, admittedly, the races were at Soldier Hollow). A promising runner growing up in Alaska, she added "serious” cross country skiing as a counter-seasonal training vehicle...and then became a champion skier, too. She's got the best ever U.S. women's results in World Cup and Olympic racing. UPDATE Randall made (more) U.S. cross country history Dec. 16, 2007 when she became the first American woman to win a World Cup, capturing a freestyle sprint in Rybinsk, Russia, coincidentally the same venue where she became the first U.S. woman to reach a World Cup podium Jan. 21, 2007 when she was third in another FR sprint. Randall trimmed her travel last season (to New Zealand, to the opening Cup races) and it paid off handsomely with that podium. She also began stretching her racing, moving beyond only sprinting. "It's all about patience," she said, noting she knew it would take years to become a contender at distance, too. She has a new training mate in the APU Nordic program, too, when sprinter Laura Valaas moved to Alaska to join Randall and Taz Mannix. FIRST TRACKS Her family lived in Salt Lake while her mother attended law school at the University of Utah, but returned to Alaska after Randall's birth. The niece of two Olympians (Uncle Chris Haines, Mom's brother, was a '76 cross country skier and Aunt Betsy Haines was the first racer on-course in the 1980 5K), she was a first-rate high school runner and turned to skiing as a way to continue training in winter. She became one of the top U.S. junior racers; "It's in my blood,” she said with her trademark high-voltage smile. She blends classes at Alaska Pacific University (aiming for business degree) with her cross country training and serves as a key liaison between the U.S. Ski Team and one of the nation's premier club programs, the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center. OLYMPICS/WORLDS 2007 Worlds - 11th in team sprint (with Laura Valaas), 22nd in sprint, 41st in pursuit. 2006 Olympics - 9th in sprint, 10th (with Wendy Wagner) in team sprint. 2005 Worlds - 14th (with Sarah Konrad) in FR team sprint, 29th in CL sprint, 65th in 10K FR. 2003 Worlds - 39th in FR sprint, 50th in 10K CL, 54th in 10K (5+5) pursuit. 2002 Olympics - 44th in FR sprint, 63rd in pursuit. 2001 Worlds - 34th in FR sprint. FIRST WORLD CUP Jan. 14, 2001 at Soldier Hollow, UT (24th in FR sprint, pre-Olympic test race)

www.kikkan.com

Yellowstone Ski Festival

For over 29 years, cross country skiers from across North America and around the world have traveled to West Yellowstone, Montana’s Yellowstone Ski Festival to begin their Nordic ski season on the Rendezvous Ski Trails. Traditionally, the Yellowstone Ski Festival takes place during Thanksgiving week and this year will be no different. The dates for this year’s Yellowstone Ski Festival are November 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2008. The event's highlights include a series of Nordic skiing clinics, the SuperTour races, the Try It and Buy It Gear Demo (the largest public gear demo of its type) and an Indoor Ski Show. Whether you are a beginning skier or an experienced racer, West Yellowstone is THE place to start your ski season. Last year, over 2300 skiers from around the United States and Canada were in West Yellowstone for the Yellowstone Ski Festival. Where else can you participate in ski clinics coached by former Olympic athletes and lifelong Nordic skiers, try out and purchase the latest ski gear and accessories, and share the Rendezvous Trails with so many great skiers? The Yellowstone Ski Festival offers all of that and more!

http://www.yellowstoneskifestival.com/

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