2001 Kortelopet to run on new trail

Kortelopet Friends Jack Moin and John Adams check the work on the new trail for 2001.

May 25th., 2000

Working with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, Bayfield County Forest, Telemark Resort and Telemark Golf Course, a group of Cable cross country skiing supporters have created a new route for the 2001 Kortelopet.

Steadily diminishing interest in the half-distance race run in conjunction with the Johnson Bank American Birkebeiner caused the Foundation Board to consider different Kortelopet course possibilities. In the end they settled on the proposal by the Cable area Friends of the Kortelopet. The course will be in place for the February, 24 2001 event. Both Birkebeiner and Kortelopet skiers will be surveyed after their races to gauge the enthusiasm for the changed format.

In recent years, Kortelopet skiers have started with Birkebeiner skiers at the Cable-Union, Parod Field Airport. This popular mass wave start will not change. Both races will run together until just after the second food stop at 9 kilometers (previously racers have been together on the Birkebeiner Trail until the Kortelopet finish at County OO). At 9 K, Kortelopet skiers will turn off onto an entirely new trail which will take them into the Telemark Resort trail system to a finish near the lodge (see Kortelopet 2001 map).

A $5,000 grant was received from Bayfield County to create the new trail to Birkebeiner standards. Telemark Resort has committed to making necessary improvements on its trails to handle the volume of Kortelopet skiers. Telemark Golf Course is cooperating with plans for trail changes in the woods on its property. Machinery and labor for new trail construction were donated by the Towns of Cable, Drummond and Namekagon.

Benefits to skiers in both races include improved safety and less crowding. Birkebeiner skiers will have over 41 kilometers of exclusive skiing and those in the Kortelopet will have 14 K of trail all to themselves. The new route will have 500 feet less climbing than the previous course (see Kortelopet 2001 Course Profile). A finish at Telemark will provide the Kortelopet with pageantry that was never possible at County OO.

Spectators will benefit from the close proximity of the start, third food station and the finish. All will be within walking distance. Friends and family will be able to watch their Kortelopet skier start, see them pass the 16.5 K food station and catch their finish. Birkebeiner spectators will have much easier access and less crowding at the County OO crossing point.

The Kortelopet 2001 course should enhance the "something for everyone" character of Birkebeiner Week. The Kortelopet is the preferred race for women skiers (45% compared to 12% in the Birkie) and young skiers ages 13 through 16 are not allowed to ski in the Birkebeiner. The Kortelopet will at last have the recognition it deserves as the second largest ski event in the country while the Birkebeiner will retain its prestige as the ultimate skiing goal with its Main Street Hayward finish.