Hoofer Ski and Snowboard – UW Nordic Team Birkebeiner Recap
By Katie Kratcha, UW Nordic Team member
The fourth Saturday in February is the most anticipated day of the year for many Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Nordic Team members. It is blocked off on calendars. It is trained for year-round. And it even has its own disease: Birkie Fever.
The American Birkebeiner. The very name brings chills of anticipation to cross-country skiers across North America. With a field of 9,000 participants this year, one must wonder: What does it take to make it to the top?
This year, Nordic team members Jackson Hinde and Nathan Haggerty can tell us. They completed the 50 kilometer skate race in 2:28:49 and 2:29:11, respectively. With overall finishes of 193rd and 197th they can claim spots in the Elite wave next year with the top 200 fastest male skiers from North America and around the world. The Birkie skate winner this year, 23 year old American Tad Elliott, finished in 2:04:28.
The Nordic Team is especially proud of these two, but the rest of the team deserves congratulations as well. This year, participation was in full swing, with 33 team members completing the Birkie or the Korte. Everyone enjoyed the trails, not to mention the legendary Birkie spirit that is constantly present along the 50 kilometers of trail. The Nordic Team contributed to that Birkie Spirit by having our very own Nordic Lion Jake Thorson spice up the trails with some fantastic King of the Jungle puns. The Birkie is a cherished event, and we only have eleven more months to train for the 40th annual race next year!
