Birkie Main St Finish - How Important?

From the latest Birkie participant survey, it seems that they are considering eliminating the Lake Hayward crossing and Main St finish in favor of a permanent Duffy's Field finish line. Several benefits are offered including $35,000 annual savings for hauling snow and grooming those final Ks.

After 18 Birkies, I've become very fond of the Main St finish. I've even come to love the Lake crossing. I would say those two features are among my top five reasons to come back year after year.

I'm curious what other Birkie skiers have to say.

If you feel strongly and haven't completed the survey, maybe you should.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject :

The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.

Very Happy

$35k ? That's hard to believe. Whatever.

I think if they stop at Duffy's field, skier numbers will drop.
Ski all that way to just cross under a finish banner? Wheeee! Confused

Tony Wise would be rolling over in his grave.

What about downtown store owners?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:53 pm Post subject :

It would be a poor way to save money.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:16 pm Post subject :

That headwind plus the fact that it's at the end makes it the longest 4k you'll ever experience.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:24 pm Post subject :

Which is better: drag racing across the lake for places, or up B**** Hill ?

Very Happy

xcskiforum 40K Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 302

I guess I'm alone in thinking this is a great idea, but there are a few hurdles:

1. They have to lengthen in the course to make up for the short distance. A 38 km Birkie is not a Birkie. They chould get by with 46 or 48 km.

2. They have to build a great stadium and not just throw up some bleachers. Think in terms of finish stadium in Europe complete with bar, food, inside changing areas, etc.

3. They have to figure out how to get crowds to the finish. (See beer and food above.)

Why do I think this is good?

1. The lake is boring and influences the race tactics quite a bit. You have to be in a group going across the lake or you'll most often get caught. I hate the lake, particularly into the wind.

2. We've had quite a few years where a lake crossing is iffy due to warm temps or the lake of snow.

3. Parking in Hayward is a problem for spectators, and routing traffic around the town is a problem.

4. It's better to invest in a stadium rather than pay for moving snow and paying officers to direct traffic year after year.

Jay

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:07 pm Post subject :

Well, there goes your 35G's you just saved. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:35 pm Post subject :

I think they should start the Birkie at 00, ski down to Telemark on the classic trail, ski back up to 00 and then finish in Hayward.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:56 am Post subject :

Jay, Duffy Field is not at 38 K (Mosquito Brook Road is at the 38 K mark, Rosie's Field is at about 43 K). Duffy Field is immediately before Lake Hayward (the race finished there in 2002). The Birkie office said the exact distance of the 2002 race was 46.7 km. However, I believe the worldloppet requires the long races to be scheduled to be 50 km or greater unless they are at higher altitude (in which case they can be 42 km). I'm assuming if they went with this option, that they would find a way to add a few K's to the race.

But putting that aside, I think this is a terrible idea and I was shocked to see them considering it. I halfway think that they are not really considering it, but trying to play mind games with the city of Hayward to retaliate. This year the city decided to not pay for putting snow on Main Street, but I believe Sawyer County later stepped in and picked up much of the tab.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 1:04 am Post subject :

(continued) So count me strongly opposed to the proposal. I see their point - the ABSF owns the land at the proposed site and it could be guaranteed to be permanent. I know that it is difficult to get to Main Street. But this is a terrible way to save money. This is a slap in the face to local businesses. It will never have the same excitement for spectators - or skiers. While they seem to improve the race every year, this would be a HUGE step backwards.

I highly doubt they will do it, I know they are getting lots of negative feedback on the idea. Usually they seem to end up being right even when met with skepticism - people were generally opposed to the Kortelopet ending at Telemark, and to the new classic trail, but now both of those get very positive reviews. But in this case I just can't believe they would eliminate one of the defining characteristics of the race. It has either started or finished using Main Street since the early 80s. I think the businesses are more receptive to it than ever.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:33 am Post subject :

I like the main street finish, but I guess it's not that big a deal. It would have no effect on whether I did the race or not, but it would still be a shame.

If they did finish at Duffy Field I think they would need to lengthen the course. Anything under 50km loses some luster in my opinion.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 am Post subject :

Raise the entry fee by $5.00 x 7,000 = $35k

Toss two more Gu packets and a Birkie sticker in the skier handout.

You're welcome, my consult fee is in the mail.

Very Happy

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:58 am Post subject :

I understand that it's probably expensive to go to Main Street, although the $35,000 figure is probably including funds paid for by the city of Hayward and/or Sawyer County.

The thing is, I don't care how much it costs to get to Main Street. I understand that it is very expensive to put on this race and to maintain the trail throughout the year, as well as maintain an office that remains open year-round. This is why I never complain about the race registration fees. Some people have commented that the fees are high and you don't get a shirt or anything like that, but I completely understand why the fees are what they are.

They claim that maintenance of the trail alone is $110,000 per year. The ABSF now maintains 85 km of trail with addition of some of the Kortelopet trail and the classic trail.

They have raised the fees in recent years, and yet the popularity has increased. I'm willing to pay for a Main Street finish.

xcskiforum 40K Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 302

I guess my point is that a finish can be better than Main St. I poked around looking for a photo of Birkeibeiner Sadium (the only one I've heard of), and found this:

http://www.nif.idrett.no/files/%7B945D1512-4B96-4685-96A9-9F0144DF4F8B%7D.pdf

See pg 13.

Also, there's a webcam at

http://www.birkebeinerenstadion.info/

but I assume the camera is on (the stucture) that I'd like to look at.

Jay

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:12 pm Post subject :

Now, really, are you going to fill a 20,000 spectator stadium full of people in February to watch Matt Liebsch sprint against Brian Gregg? Okay, even throw Garrott Kuzzy in the mix. Even if you did get all four Italians to show up every year, would you really fill that stadium? Would that many show up to watch the lumber jack show in July? I betcha that 75% of the spectators on Main street are the family of some skier, not just your average spectator there for the 'sport'. Confused