"One of the goals of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) is to increase awareness and participation in cross country skiing as part of a healthy lifestyle," said Cherie Morgan, ABSF executive director. "These events offer a range of distances for youth skiers, and it allows them to see similarly-aged athletes on cross country skis. Participation is a great way to encourage youth skiers to adopt the sport."

The Barnebirkie, a free, non-competitive race for children ages three to 13, was added to Birkie festivities in 1985. The event has turned into the largest cross country children's race in North America and attracts skiers from all over the country, many of whom are in Hayward because their parents will be skiing the 51K Birkebeiner or 23K Kortelopet on Saturday, February 24.

This year's Sons of Norway/Swiss Miss Barnebirkie will be held Thursday, February 22 at 1:30 p.m. in Hayward. Registration is at the National Guard Armory from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Kids have three options when entering the race: ski a course length of 1, 2.5 or 5K. At the finish line on Main Street, each child is awarded a victory medal and treated to Swiss Miss hot chocolate and dozens of homemade cookies contributed by the Sons of Norway.

The Junior Birkie, a 2.5K sprint race for 10- to 15-year-olds, was added to Birkie festivities last year. Organizers anticipate 200 participants when the race is held at Fish Hatchery Park in Hayward on Friday, February 23 at 11 a.m. The Herbert H. Kohl Charities Inc. awarded a grant to the 2001 competitive race.

The course will be held on moderate terrain and groomed for classical and freestyle skiing. Racers will start in intervals of one per 30 seconds, and each skier is anticipated to finish in less than 15 minutes.

Organizers Kevin Brochman and Scott Wilson, United States Ski Association (USSA) coaches, say the 2.5K race is a good, fun addition to Birkie festivities.

"The Junior Birkie fills the gap between the Barnebirkie and the Kortelopet. It won't be too long for 10-year-olds, and it won't be too exhausting for skiers who want to enter the Kortelopet the next day," said Brochman, a member of the US Olympic ski team in the '84 and '88 Olympics and US Ski Team coach in '98.

There is a $5 entry fee for the Junior Birkie. Registration will take place at Fish Hatchery Park from 10-11 a.m. on race day. Race start time is 11 a.m. with an awards ceremony following the event. Awards will be given to the top three male and female participants in the 10- to 12-year-old age class and the 13- to 15-year-old age class.

A youth class of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce Citizen Sprints will be held Friday, February 23 at 1 p.m. with age classes for 10- to 13-, 14- to 16- and 17- to 19-year-olds.

Two more events are slated for youth skiers during Birkie 2001 festivities: the Chequamegon Telephone 10K Family Fun Race on Friday, February 23 at 2 p.m. at Telemark Resort in Cable and the 23K Kortelopet on Saturday, February 24 from Cable Union Airport to Telemark Resort in Cable.

Sarah Hoepner, a 14-year-old from Hayward, Wisconsin, said she's excited she's been able to participate in the Barnebirkie and is now advancing to her first Kortelopet.

"My dad started me skiing when I was three years old. When I was old enough to find out about the Barnebirkie, I looked forward to that because I always wanted to be out there with all the other people," she said. "This year I am really excited about the Kortelopet. When I was little I used to look up to everyone else who did the race for their courage and strength because they were able to go out and ski through all the different kinds of weather. Now I will actually be out there with them, and that is a really good feeling."

The 2001 Johnson Bank American Birkebeiner, which is part of a Worldloppet series of 14 international ski marathons, part of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Marathon Cup series and part of the American Ski Marathon series, and the 2001 Kortelopet, the half-marathon ski race which will be skied on a new course this year, are the grand finale to three days of shorter races, sprints, family events and equipment demonstrations.

For more information or to register for the 51K Johnson Bank American Birkebeiner, 23K Kortelopet, Hayward Chamber of Commerce Citizen Sprints, Junior Birkie, Chequamegon Telephone 10K, or the Sons of Norway/Swiss Miss Barnebirkie, call 715-634-5025, e-mail [email protected], or log on to www.birkie.com.

Birkie 2001 is sponsored by Johnson Bank, Subaru, Murphy McGinnis Media and other businesses throughout the region and country.