New Time and Location for 2013 Birkie On-Snow Ski Demo

Birkie On-Snow Ski Demo Moves to Sunday, Feb. 24 at Birkie “OO” Trailhead

(Birkie.com press release)

The On-Snow Ski Demo at the American Birkebeiner each February is a tradition for cross-country skiers from around the country and the world. Everyone from newbie skiers to elites can try out the latest in new equipment–skis, poles, boots, bindings, and more—with many products that will be new for the following season.

Now, the venue will be bigger and better as it moves to a new time and location—Sunday at the “OO” trailhead on the Birkie Trail, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All of the major ski and ski equipment manufacturers will be there:

• Alpina
• Atomic
• Fischer
• Madshus
• One Way
• Rossignol
• Salomon
• Yoko

The new location is a great way to try out equipment on the trails you ski on and then get immediate feedback from the product designers themselves.

That’s what makes the Birkie On-Snow Ski Demo such a unique experience. This is the one event each year that brings out not just the best product sales reps from each manufacturer, but the individuals who are actually developing these skis, poles, boots, and bindings. Only at the Birkie Expo and On-Snow Ski Demo do the designers and other product development specialists converge to showcase their new equipment.

”Birkie skiers may not know this,” says Ryan Green, Nordic Division Manager, Rossignol, “but manufacturers pull out all the stops to be at the Birkie—the biggest ski festival of the year. You can get one-on-one help from the local reps, race department staff, and the people involved in product development. It’s unique to have all those resources in the same place at the same time.”

“This is a great opportunity for all skiers,” says Rick Halling, Atomic Nordic Director. “The major marathons in Europe only allow one ski company per event. The American Birkebeiner is unique in that all brands are present. You get to compare all of our skis and boots head-to-head. We want to know what you think; it’s our job to get that information back to our factories in Europe.”

The new Sunday time for the Demo means that some of the manufacture’s race staff will also be there. These are the people who work directly with super elites who will be battling for the podium on Saturday. It’s one of the only times a consumer will get to work on snow with these individuals.

You can try out equipment from each manufacturer, ask questions about fit and feel, and get immediate, personalized feedback. Whether you’re just getting started, juggling time on the snow with work and raising a family, or ready to take your ability to the next level, this once-a-year event is unmatched. As always, everyone is welcome—Birkie participants, spectators, family, and friends.

“We’re very excited about this new Birkie On-Snow Ski Demo,” says Susan Kendrick, Birkie Media/PR Director. Here are four good reasons to be there:

• All ski brands in one place, on good snow, and plenty of room and terrain to get a great feel for the equipment.

• Typically you only have sales or tech reps at demos, but at the Birkie and especially on Sunday, you have them plus race department and other key staff. It’s another level of expertise. To get any closer to the brands you’d have to go to Europe.

• Given the size of the Birkie event, the manufacturers bring everything, a wide range of flexes and profiles of skis to get a real feel for what you like.

• Boot demos are not often available to consumers in the same way that ski demos are. At the Birkie On-Snow Demo, you can test both skis and boots.

The move to Sunday and the Birkie “OO” Trailhead will be a big plus for many skiers. Sunday, after the big Birkie races on Saturday, is a much more relaxed time. You don’t have to worry about “saving your legs” and you will likely have a much clearer sense of what you want from your equipment after skiing your race on Saturday.

Look for more updates about this new Birkie On-Snow Skier Demo as we get closer to February 2013. In the meantime, sign up for your favorite Birkie events or try one for the first time. Go to www.Birkie.com, email us at birkie@birkie.com, or call 715-634-5025.

Many thanks to our Birkie sponsors, including the ski manufacturers mentioned above and the following event sponsors, for their support: Becker Law – Birkie 54K Classic, Marshfield Clinic, Hayward Center – Kortelopet 23K, State Bank of Drummond and Norvado – Prince Haakon 12K.