FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Great Lake Ski Team "Double Birkie" set for Saturday, December 30
Seeley skier Gary Penman (left) and Tom Schuler
Have lunch at Telemark during the '99 Birkie Trail Ski.
|
It's always informal and there are no entry fees, but over the years the
Great Lakes Ski Team Birkie Trail Ski has become an annual training kick
off. First run in 1988, the goal is to do a "Double Birkie," to ski from
the Fish Hatchery Park near Hayward to Telemark Resort and back on the same
day.
Event organizer and former National Professional Cycling Champion Tom
Schuler came up with the idea, "Because I had too much time on my hands,"
he recalled. "Cyclists are used to training six hours in a day and skiing
two ways on the Birkie course should take about that time in fast
conditions."
The two-way trail ski helped some of Schuler's fellow cyclists into skiing
in a big way. "One year Greg Lemond begged some food off of a touring skier
just to make it back," he said. "There have been some real epic skis. Once
we had a big snowstorm and Drew Holbrook was the only skier to do the whole
thing and he finished at seven o'clock at night."
Nowadays some people jump in at the Double O rest cabin on the Birkie Trail
and ski the equivalent of one Birkie. A stop for lunch at Telemark is part
of the fun either way. Skiers geared to go the full distance should meet at
the Fish Hatchery Park off of WI 77 at 8 am on Saturday, December 30.
Skiers who want to start at Double O should be there at 9:30 am. The skiing
will be fast-paced and entirely self supported.
This year some of the skiers will be training for the 24 Hours of Telemark
which Schuler also organizes. This noon January 13th to noon the 14th race
will be America's first ever 24 hour cross country skiing competition.
"There will be about a dozen 24 hour skiers at the Birkie Trail ski this
year," Schuler said.
For information contact Tom Schuler at 262/549-6801, ext 14.
###