HAYWARD, Wis., Feb. 24, 2007 — Zack Simons, Park City, Utah, and Kate Whitcomb, Ketchum, Idaho, skied to victory at the 25-kilometer Subaru American Birkebeiner in Cable and Seeley today. Zack captured the 34th annual Birkie championship title in 1:09:05.4 and Whitcomb claimed victory with a time of 1:18:02. 211 elite men and 54 elite women vied for the podium during a shortened Birkie 2007.
Patrick Weaver, Bend, Orgeon, skied to a second-place finish in 1:09:08.2 followed by Eli Enman, Huntington, Vermont, with a third-place time of 1:09:09.9.
“The easy thing would have been to cancel,†Enman said.
Female champ Kate Whitcomb said it felt “unreal to have a win in an event like the Birkie. I naturally wanted to be in the top three. I’ll have this on my resume and in my heart the rest of my life.â€
Ned Zuelsdorff, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, welcomed skiers from 20 foreign nations, including Japan, Estonia and Russia, and 45 U.S states, including Arizona, Georgia and Alaska.
Honorary Starter Mark Ernst, 30-year Birkie skier from Green Bay, Wis., sent the elite skiers on their way for a competitive 25-kilometer race that finished at Highway OO in Seeley. Ernst was selected as honorary starter in recognition of his contributions as a competitor, supporter and ambassador for the Birkie.
Phillip Schaefer, 30-year Birkie skier, and son Michael, 10-year Birkie skier strided along the 25K race dressed as the traditional Birkebeiner soldiers who rescued Baby Prince Haakon 800 years ago. The Birkebeiner soldiers became a Norwegian symbol of courage, perseverance and character in the face of adversity, and the 800- year-old legend inspired the American Birkebeiner ski race that turned Cable and Hayward into a skiing mecca.
“I’m pleased with the outcome of today’s events,†said Zuelsdorff. “The conditions made it a difficult call, but skiers took it in stride and were pleased to be able to be on the Birkie Trail. This was the best option given the course conditions. Skiers were, for the most part, pleased with the low-key, non-competitive, ‘open-track’ event.â€
For race day results, log on to www.birkie.com.
Birkie 2007 is sponsored by Subaru, State Bank of Drummond, Cable Chamber of Commerce, Johnson Bank, Superior Publishing and other businesses throughout the region and country.
