Many local racers part of record Birkebeiner field

Editor’s Note: Michael McFadzen of Greenbush competed in the 23-kilometer Kortelopet Classic at Saturday’s 37th American Birkebeiner cross country ski race.

CABLE – These were near perfect conditions for Saturday’s 37th American Birkebeiner with skiers competing from 19 foreign nations, including Andora, Italy, Estonia, Russia, and 47 U.S. states.

A record 8,055 skiers took part in the 50-kilometer Birkebeiner and its sister race the 23-K Kortelopet, according to Birkebeiner spokeswoman Cherie Morgan.

Italian skier Fabio Santus broke the 50-K Birkie Skate course record with a time of 1 hour, 56 minutes, 58.6 seconds. Rebecca Dussault, the returning champion, defended her title by winning the women’s skate division with a time of 2:18:18.1.

Santus of Milano, Italy, skied his first Birkie saying, “I am very, very happy. It was a great track with very good people.”

Tad Elliot, Durango, Colo., skied to a second place, followed by Christopher Cook, Rhinelander. who took third place. First- time Birkie skiers Tazlina Mannix and Brooke Gosling battled for their positions with Mannix of Anchorage, Alaska, capturing the second place and Gosling of Canmore, Alberta, Canada, taking third.

The top local Birkie Skate racer was Brian Henriksen of Plymouth who finished in 2:19:17.5, good for 145th place overall and 14th in his age group. The Henriksen family was well represented with Brian’s wife, Tina, placing 22nd in her age group with a time of 2:58:12.0, and daughter, Holly, placing fifth in the Kortelopet skiing classic style.

Dr. Mark Sharon of Plymouth had an age group finish of 19th with a time of 2:40:29.1 in the Birkie Skate division. Tom Lawn of Plymouth (president of the Northern Kettle Moraine Nordic Ski Club) was the top local Birkie Classic skier – finishing 31st in his age group in 3:36:24.1 despite an upper respiratory illness.

“I left it all out there, including some of my lungs,” Lawn quipped following the race.

The top city of Sheboygan finisher was Brett Palm racing to 68th overall with a time of 2:11:24.6, while Sheboygan’s David Nagode finished 91st at 2:15:18.6 in the Birkie Skate division.

The American Birkebeiner is the largest and most prestigious cross country ski marathon in North America. Spanning more than 50 kilometers from Cable to Hayward, the Birkie is part of the Worldloppet series of 15 international races, and part of the lives of citizen skiers from around the world.

Scott Johanik of Washburn and Dana Roach, Minocqua skied to victory during the 23-K Kortelopet skate race. In the 23-K Kortelopet classic division, Jake Brown, St. Paul, Minn., took top honors in the men’s classic division in 1 hour, 5 minutes. In the women’s classic Kortelopet division, Kelly Skillicorn, Winona, Minn., took top honors in 1 hour, 11 minutes.

The top local Kortelopet skiers included Dick Roeber of Sheboygan Falls who finished third in his age group with a time of 1:44:18.1 skiing classic style. Joe Van Derven of Plymouth placed fifth in his age group in the Skate division with a time of 1:24:03.6.

Michael McFadzen of Greenbush finished sixth in his age group skiing classic style with a time of 1:38:45.0.

When the starting gun goes off, it doesn’t take long to warm up due to a mixture of adrenaline and maximum physical exertion, as you and the hundreds around you launch into a high-speed double pole, then into your technique of choice, either classic or skate skiing.

Being careful is the key here, as collisions do occur and broken ski poles are the victims with this giant surge of energy across the start area.

Separate race starts for the Classic Race (traditional cross country skiing in which the skis are parallel to each other) and Skate Race (similar ski position as ice skating) made for a less congested start then in past races. But there were still numerous broken poles and skier collisions as racers jockeyed for position.

LOCAL RACERS

Birkebeiner Skate Plymouth – Brian Henriksen, Tina Henriksen, Timothy M. Hughes, Mark Sharon, Kathleen Tournour.

Sheboygan Falls – Linda Adams, Jason Bemis, Lavern Nall, James O’Connell, Charles Schleevogt, Gregg Voigt.

Sheboygan – Steven Bannow, Tom Brown, Michael Janikowski, Kevin Knier, David Nagode, Robert Helminiak, James Hertel, John Howell, Brett Palm, Derek Palm, Justin Palm, Tom Ries, Stephen Scharrer.

Waldo – Aaron Sconzert.

Birkebeiner Classic Plymouth – James J. Hughes, Tom Lawn, Tod Messner, Clark Reinke.
Sheboygan Falls – Michael Vowinkel.
Kortelopet Skate
Plymouth – Nicole Rhyan Clare Sedlacek, Joe Van Derven.
Sheboygan Falls – Karl Schleevogt, Michelle Schleevogt.
Sheboygan – Dennis Ketterman, Terry Knier, Ronald Schulze, Peter Matthias.
Waldo – James Hagley.
Kortelopet Classic
Plymouth – Sandy Burkart, Holly Henriksen.
Greenbush – Michael McFadzen.
Sheboygan Falls –Dick Roeber,
Sheboygan – Thomas Henning.