Norway's Vegard Ulvang (r) holds up the arm of Joe Dubay, who was originally proclaimed the winner of the 2012 American Birkebeiner men's classic race before being disqualified for not registering and racing in his college teammate's bib. Dave Chamberlain (l) moved from second to first, and Ulvang ultimately placed second.
Note: This story has been updated to include thoughts from David Chamberlain, who was later proclaimed the 2012 American Birkebeiner classic champion.
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Before and during the American Birkebeiner 54 k classic race on Saturday, the thought of being disqualified never crossed Joe Dubay’s mind.
The 21-year-old said he didn’t think twice when his College of Saint Scholastica teammate Chris Parr gave him his bib, or when he started with Wave 1 and the elites in Cable, Wis., or as he contended for the win with seasoned veterans Vegard Ulvang of Norway and David Chamberlain of Boulder Nordic Sport.
The look on Parr’s face at the finish told him something was wrong, Dubay said in a phone interview on Monday.
As the college freshman sprinted to the line and narrowly beat Chamberlain followed by Ulvang for the victory in his first Birkie, Dubay realized there might be a very big problem. Living only a couple of hours away in Minneapolis, he had been announced as the winner as he came through, but that was only because someone recognized him.
According to the entry list, he was Chris Parr.
Dubay said he contacted some race officials immediately after the race.
“I told them, ‘I’m not Chris Parr. My name’s Joe Dubay. What do you want me to do about this?’ ” he said. “I was pretty sure I would get immediately disqualified.”
Instead, Dubay said the officials told him to sit tight while they sorted things out. The said he should go to the podium ceremony and press conference in the meantime, he said.
“I felt like was in a difficult spot because I made a mistake,” Dubay said. “It should have been somebody else up there not me.”
About an hour after the press conference, the results reflected Dubay’s disqualification. He didn’t hear back from race officials, but discovered the DQ upon checking the results later in the day. While there was no money at stake in the 54 k classic race, the mixup caused a podium shift with Chamberlain moving to first and Ulvang placing second. Murray Carter of Manitoba was third.
According to American Birkebeiner Executive Director Ned Zuelsdorff, Dubay was disqualified for not registering for the 2012 classic race and skiing in another racer’s bib. That violated rules set by the International Federation of Skiing and the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, he explained in an email.
Zuelsdorff quoted a statement from the Birkie website:
“Do not allow another skier to use your bib. If this does occur, the skier and finish time will be disqualified from the race, and both you and the person using your bib will each be required to pay a $150 penalty before being allowed to enter a future event. You and the skier may also prohibited from entering a future event for a period of time.”
The statement explained that skiing in someone else’s bib can cause issues with age class and overall standings. For safety purposes, it was important for a racer to be identified in case of a problem out on the course.
Zuelsdorff wrote the problem wasn’t new — they had a similar situation with a Kortelopet 23 k “winner” and age-class discrepancies in the past — but this was the first with a Birkie winner.
Dubay said he was working with his college coach, Chad Salmela, to right his wrong.
“Basically, I’d just like to express to them that I definitely regret that and apologize for causing a bit of a mess for them for the other athletes that had to deal with the confusion,” Dubay said. “Racing under Chris’s bib was not the right thing to do in the first place.”
Nearly a month ago, Parr offered Dubay his bib upon qualifying for Junior Nationals. Parr decided to skip the Birkie in preparation for the races March 3-10, but came to cheer on Dubay.
He picked up his bib — registered for Wave 1 of the classic race — and gave it to Dubay. In the classic race, the elites and Wave 1 start together, so Dubay jumped in and contended with six-time Olympic medalist Ulvang and Chamberlain, the race service director at BNS.
Dubay, who won a 30 k Finnish Junior Championship in 2009, said he felt good throughout Saturday’s race, but regretted how things turned out.
“I didn’t really understand how big the race was, which also probably led to me not putting two and two together there,” he said. “I went to the start and did my thing. I was in shock the whole time; I was like, ‘Holy smokes, I really didn’t know this was going to be this big.’ ”
The American Birkebeiner and its associated races reached an all-time high with more than 9,000 participants and an estimated 20,000 spectators this year.
The man who was retroactively dubbed the classic champion, Chamberlain didn’t have any hard feelings.
“I have to hand it to Joe Dubay, he skied a great race, smart tactics and a good sprint at the end,” Chamberlain wrote in an email. “When it came down to the finish straight none of us could follow him. Nobody can take away his effort on Saturday, and the number he had on his back certainly didn’t affect his performance.”
On his end, Chamberlain was pleased with how the pack racing played out. He felt good and his skis were fast, making the 54 k more enjoyable. However, nothing topped skiing alongside one of Norway’s greatest racers of all time.
“The best part of my day on Saturday was the chance to compete with my childhood hero, Vegard Ulvang,” Chamberlain wrote. “I always have admired him, and getting the chance to exchange a few words with him during the race and have a talk with him at the podium ceremony afterwards was really special for me. I can say after skiing behind him during the race that he still has a lot to teach about classic technique, every kick and pole is in the right place with no wasted effort.”
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If we can get back to the real matter, Vegard’s Skis. I think what’s going on is that they appear longer because they are closer to the camera angle.. He also appears to be holding his skis out in front of him, classic fisherman’s photo trick.
Of secondary importance is bib switching. Clearly there needs to be an awareness campaign. What’s Lance up to these days?
Lots of rhetoric, my gosh!—BUT, it is the racers responsibility to know the rules and follow them—he/she break them, they are disqualified—these rules are from the FIS and the Birkie organizers—case closed.
Oh!!! what the heck—lets have all 9400 skiers take a short cut—that’s how simple it could be—right??
Well, as usual, so far, the oldest guy here provides the best stories and the most insight.
Sorta like Ron Paul …heh, heh.
As to Joe Dubay, for all of you wondering, “What was he thinking?”, try a little psychoanalysis. Assess his current environment, Scholastica(I can’t help you there). And assess his formative environment, Coon Rapids, MN. I can assure you that being rule and directionally challenged is a cultural hallmark of that place.
So there you go . Think about it.
Enough already about ripping Dubay.
The Birkie officials certainly could’ve handled the situation better as well. Instead of sending Dubay off to the podium ceremony and press conference, they should have postponed it until sorting the matter out.
And even if the kid made a mistake he deserved to be told of the DQ in person instead of learning about it hours later by looking at the results. (Same goes for the other podium members; perhaps this happened though).
jrwessling or should I say Kirk Leach… I take it you have been in Joe’s shoes. Do I smell another CSS bib switch/controversy?
I think what it comes down to is Joe’s motive. He clearly forced Chris Parr into registering for him so he could sneak under the radar and into the first wave. This plan has been in the works for months..
Really though, Joe was not trying to cheat by taking the bib. He was not trying to get by without paying the registration fee. He was like most frugal college students, sharing and trading with his college teammate. Unfortunately sharing a bib and winning is not a good idea in such a big race. He had a lapse of judgement, as do all of us. I would have probably done the same for a good friend if they paid quite a bit for a race. And if at the end I had the chance to beat 2 great skiers, I would have taken it too! He gave those 2 old guys a great race. What’s a race without great competition and surprises?
Maybe the real problem needs to be addressed. The registration needs to change. There has to be a way where you can opt out and get some money back, say Dec./Jan., and more spots can open up online for people who decide later on and then pay a higher late registration fee. Basically people are giving their bibs away for a reason, they dont want the bib to go without a skier. Let’s fix the bigger problems at hand instead of addressing the outcome of the problem. Please make it easier for people to register later on and for people to get refunded if plans have changed!
Everyone knows that the underlying issue is that Joe Dubay is in college. He obviously isn’t a motivated skier because he did not decide to opt out of higher education, a good chance at starting a fruitful profession at a young and reasonable age, and a good opportunity to continue and develop his ski career in a team atmosphere with at least some degree of funding. I mean really, if he had opted out of college, we probably wouldn’t even be discussing anything since he would be off racing world cups, as the U.S. ski team bureaucracy implies.
Also, if you want to see another good blasting, check out the comments on the article about Bodensteiner.
It would be nice to change the way registration works but that isn’t as simple as it sounds. You would not believe the amount of work that Birkie employees put into this event. Adding another last minute component would take up that much more time that the Birkie does not have. These employees are literally up all the night before the Birkie. Sometimes life just isn’t fair and we have to live with it.
As far as Joe Dubay and the other St. Scholatsica skier go, they’re young, give them a break. Making jabs at them now to make yourself feel more superior isn’t going to help anything. Don’t pretend you’ve never made a mistake. Just because their mistakes were made public doesn’t mean they’re horrible people. They were just college kids that wanted to take part in an amazing event.
Tim Kelley don’t be so jealous of their youth #prick
This article hit it’s intended nerve but now that it is about name calling not much is happening in terms of actual news. Love the long winded explanations attempting to defend an indefensible position. Actually it’s others besides Joe doing this, we know he’s a good kid who could use a break right now.
Hmm, I wonder what Carolyn Ocariz is doing right now? You know her right? The Women’s Classic Birkie Champ? Actually out doing something very noble and good. I wonder if it ever becomes news here at FS? I wish it could generate so many comments but we know it won’t cuze the trashy stuff is soo much better.
Dave don’t get holier than thou now after you were on here mucking just as much crap.
Hopefully she is getting ready for US Nats, an event that really is a big deal if you are a pro skier.
News flash, being the Birkie Classic champ isn’t exactly the pinnacle of achievement in this sport. It’s been won by plenty of master skiers who are past their prime. Point being let’s get past this concept that the Birkie is the end all be all of skiing.
@mmmasterblaster, you say “Finally, the Elite Wave is something everyone should have to earn their way into. Master Blaster and College student alike.” How do you propose that someone “earn” their way into the Elite wave? Following the current system based on the previous year’s results? I think access to the race for elite (or pretty damn fast) skiers is part of the issue here.
Oh sorry, like Davord just trying to move on to something more positive. Carolyn is skipping Distance Nationals if that’s what you meant and roller skiing across America for the Food for the Poor. Last I checked Senior Nationals was in Jan. and Junior Natls, next week, whoo hoo !
The Birkie is almost a religion in Wisconsin, when there I usually try to blend into the Northern Wisconsin carnival atmosphere. So do a ton of other people.
Since you don’t know what I do for international cross country ski racing, I’ll just smile. My apologies to Joe if I had too much fun at his expense as I have allowed I also did stupid things in college, as noted with fond memory.
My photo of Joe as he crossed the finish line.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69805768@N00/6783982342/in/photostream
Yaaaay Birkie!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14fzb6qPwM&feature=share
No Dave , I know what you do for the sport and I think it’s great. The sport in the US would be in deep financial trouble if it was for you and the foundation. Yes, you and NNF are important and I am happy to donate. I would like to think that all of us who donate are helping international skiing.
Last I checked Distance Nationals was in the spring. As in 30/50km Championship race, http://www.nensa.net/calendar/index.html?id=1203
I probably went overboard on my previous comment just bugged me that suddenly you were above the other commentators when you had been doing the same thing. I apologize.
nordicguy, thanks for donating!
Most people writing have never been in the position to win at the Birkie so trying to put yourself in the postition as Joe is not as easy as you think. Perhaps people could put themselves in the “have I ever done something stupid on a race day?’ I am pretty sure most successful athletes and coaches can think of something. While I supposed he should be subjected to some penalty, like a finnish sauna with some of the biggest loser contestants. We will just have to settle for a mistake made on race day. While some countries must celebrate their nordic heros no matter if they doped or are incredibly arrogant, we must settle for a skier who did not register under the correct bib. I am sure Vegard would give up a medal or two to move up on the Birkie podium a little higher. Tisk tisk!
@kjnordic @mmmasterblaster If only the Birkie would stick to their guns and make everyone earn their start rights by doing their first Birke from the back, we wouldn’t have to worry about Olympic medalists like Vegard Ulvang and Bjorn Daehlie showing up and stealing the glory.
Fascinating noggin leakage here.. I do sense a touch of animosity towards the Birkie; patently unfair, uncalled for, and totally bush league. The Birkie, nor its organizers, board, or executive management have done anything wrong here – this was laid at their feet by JD (and his buddy) doing what they did. And what they did was wrong, but the problem was not when JD crossed the finish line.
He is a ski racer, and clearly loves his sport and competition – I say bravo! Good for him! ! JD did what came naturally once he was engaged in the event. For that, I simply cannot blame him. I have won races (not skiing), finished second and top 5’s, and when you’re in it that deeply in the heat of battle it is totally understandable that confusion would not surface about his seemingly inconsequential bib until after he crossed the line… Anyone with any sense of racing, who has ever run, biked, or skied at the sharp end know this clearly. We all reveled in his ability to beat Ulvang and Chamberlain. Heck, i’m buyin next time I see him in the Sawmill for cryin out loud!
No, where the mistake was made was before the race when the discussion took place regarding using a bib not registered to him. He and his friend knew this was bush-league, it is beyond credible to believe otherwise – it was purposeful. That’s where this is an issue for some (and to a sizable degree, myself). It is one of fundamental respect for the event; the hundreds of volunteers, man-hours, fund raising, management, the tens of thousands of hours and years of commitment to this sport of xc skiing, and its rules of fair play, that this race tries very hard to represent. To those of us who revel in the history and absolute place of honor that the Birkie has clearly earned in this great sport, we have to take a pause when we see something like this happen. And we do because we respect it, and honor its rules and history. Call that old fashioned if you like, but this needs its attention too in this matter.
Consider Dave Landgraf – a guy I competed against in not just skiing (where he always kicked my butt), but in triathlons and running events over the years. Dave was a man of integrity and honor when it came to competition; we saw many hats proclaiming “ski like Dave” this year at the Birkie. From my direct experience with him he would have never done anything like this. The reason? He revered, honored, and respected this event. He took it very seriously, and understood implicitly what it means to the sport and to those who have been involved in it for almost 40 years now.
No, this is fundamentally a matter of an expedient lapse in character. And yes, we can and should wipe it away as such; a rather foolish move by an immature young adult certainly deserving of another chance. I respect JD for racing his heart out and the killer instinct he displayed to win. I take issue with him on his respect for the Birkie, its rules of fair play, its history over 39 years, and the well over 100,000 racers, like Dave Landgraf, who have graced this great event…
I say let’s all learn a little here. Let’s give JD the benefit of the doubt this year (one can only imagine the dude’s taken enough already), but let’s also commit to honoring this race, its history, its commitment and contribution to the sport, and the incredible efforts put forth to put on a world class event in Northern Wisconsin for what will be 40 years next February..
70 comments whoa! Lol….
It definitely speaks to the sanctity of the Birkie, ya yoo betcha!
It was my tenth this year, raced it sick with a head cold wasn’t a great result, guess I gotta come back next year. Birkie Fever !
In the meantime I have a proposal, everyone passionate about this event, we go to the Sawmill Bar Saturday night, as usual, but we streak (run nekid) from the bar towards Double 00. Suitably stupid at the right time for the right cause.
Of course all proceeds to NNF.
@BillyD, – well said.
Although I would love to take owership of the comment by billyd I can not. I will say I agree with him in most of his discourse to the effect that we do what we do because we love the challenge and the heat of battle. I will neither confirm nor deny having “ghost” raced some events of various disciplines when proper registration evaded me. But at the end of the day if you want the result to stand and the race to be true you have do it on the books. Otherwise you need to steer clear of the folks in it to win it and duck out before the final act.
It’s sad to see the negative comments on this website, especially in regard to charities. Yeah, I’m very aware of multiple sclerosis, cancer, and starving people all around the world. Many people claim to be “aware”, but how many are actually willing to make any sacrifice or effort to try to make a difference. A cynic will say that these are all scams, with most of the money going to pay for the celebrity’s trip, with the rest of us schmucks having to work. A more optimistic view would be that if you can get people to pause for just a moment and think of something other than themselves, it could be a step in the right direction. Seemingly small, random acts of kindness can add up to make the world a better place. Personally, I applaud the efforts of those who try to use their celebrity status to do good. They don’t have to do this, they choose to do this.
The Birkie can be a paradox. On the darkside, it’s a mob of anal retentive wannabees, secretly shoving football-sized EPO suppositories up their butts because that’s what they assume all their heros are secretly doing. A mass of thrashing hacks and a pile of broken poles. The bright side of the Birkie can be seen in the smiling faces of first time or 30 time (fuddy duddies times three) Birkie finishers, the cheering fans, the awesome course, the unsung volunteers and groomers, the legendary Norwegian skiers setting an example of how it can be done while at the same time showing support to a very worthwhile cause, and the exhuberant young athletes who aspire to take it to the next level. I’m hoping that good will prevail.
I had no idea that there is so much anti-masters sentiment among some of the “younger” skiers. The core of the entries in the Birkie and other mass participation events consists of “masters” age skiers. Many are super competitive and others simply want to participate in an incredible event. The Birkie has grown to its present size and status because of the enthusiastic participation of masters aged skiers. I had an elite wave start for many years and now return to do the race as a less competitive but no less enthusiastic skier.
To believe the thoughts of some of the posters, it would seem like there is some sort of conspiracy against college age racers – ridiculous! To register – simply do that! It does seem possible to allow for a registered racer to sell their start/bib to another participant but perhaps only allow 1 transfer per original registration.
I wish this young man all the best – he has real talent and I hope this situation doesn’t hold him back. Despite the negative comments about the Birkie classic being a bit of a joke, at least its done in the traditional style as is the Canadian version of the race. Oh yea, you also can carry a back pack signifying the weight of the saved child.
I would urge the Birkie Foundation and the organization representing the upper-Midwest colleges with XC ski teams to work out a start protocol for college racers. It could be a limited number of entries guaranteeing elite starts and the roster could be posted the week before the race. Though the college racers in the Birkie are generally the ones that are not tracking for the NCAAs, the Birkie could be part of the racers’ development.
The situation regarding bib swapping appears to be an outgrowth of the early and costly entry requirements that are nearly impossible for college racers to meet without a high potential of not making the event.
The Birkie is a huge deal to organize and any changes in entry protocol require lots of planning to assure the change is fair to the other competitors and does not further complicate the registration system.
Joe highlighted a problem that has existed for the college racers in the upper-Midwest since I can remember. Adding some of these men and women to the elite waves would only improve the fields.
Solving this issue will take an enormous amount of effort by all involved to get it right. You decide if it is worth the effort…
@billydemong.. appreciate the kind comment. Btw – round-about howdy from JimmyD (Ft Collins/Steamboat).. Great guy, miss Laura too – we had to move away from the area.. Good luck this year!!!