The American Ski Race, known as the Birkie, is ’s largest cross-country ski race. Held in Northwest , the race is 51 kilometers (33 miles) long and starts in Cable, Wisconsin and ends on Main Street in downtown Hayward, Wisconsin. This was the 43rd year for the Birkie and we had a total of 10,500 skiers that came not only from all around the and , but also from Finland, , , , , Japan and many other countries.

Eighteen years ago the Birkie Foundation asked if Amateur Radio would be able to help with communications along the race course, and amateur radio operators from a 5-county area around Hayward in Sawyer County have been doing it ever since. There are nine medical and nine food stations along the race course that provide medical help to those who need it, and the food stations provide power drinks and refreshments to the skiers. Amateur radio operators are at these stations to relay information regarding medical (dropouts, injuries, etc.) and the food stations (low on supplies for skiers, etc.) back to a net control station which gives the information to the Birkie office during the event.

This year the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation donated $2,500 to the Sawyer County Ares/Races group to purchase and maintain two new Amateur VHF repeaters in Sawyer County. With this donation Sawyer County Ares/Races is able to replace two old repeaters and the accessories for them.

The photo shows Wally Kruk N9VAO Sawyer County Ares/Races EC (on the left) accepting the donation from Ben Popp the Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (on the right).

More information on the Birkie and other events they host can be found at www.birkie.com.