Registration for the 2014 American Birkebeiner officially closed October 8, 2013, as the Birkebeiner 50/54K and Kortelopet 23K events reached a combined total of 10,000 skiers.
This is the earliest that registration for the Birkie and Korte has closed in the 41-year history of the American Birkebeiner.
“We are excited to welcome all these participants, their families, and friends to the 2014 event. It is shaping up to be a fantastic year! Let the training begin,” says Ben Popp, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation.
Each year the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation has allowed more skiers to participate and done this at a rate that allows the ABSF to assure a great experience for all involved.
The first year registration closed earlier than January was the 2012 Birkie, when registration closed on November 21. This was the first year the ABSF set and reached a predetermined cap. Then, registration for the 2013 Birkebeiner closed on October 15. This year, even with registration opening in June rather than in April as it typically does – because of the transition to all-online registration – it still closed in just over four months.
“The ABSF welcomes all those returning skiers and many skiers that we know are new to the Birkie and to the sport of cross country skiing,” Popp says.
However, there are still options for those who did not manage to enter the races before the capacity was reached. Once registration for the American Birkebeiner and Korteloppet races closed on October 8, the Birkie “Skiers for Cures” charitable partner, JDRF, opened up sign-up for 50 “Second Chance” entries.
“You simply fundraise a minimum of $500 for JDRF and you get one of these entries that you can use for either the Birkie or the Korte,” Popp explains.
“The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation started making this fundraising-for-entries opportunity available when we supported Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as our charitable partner, and now as we work with JDRF, which researches treatments and a cure for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, ” Popp says.
To Sign up for one of these 50 spots, go directly to www.jdrf.org/birkie.