Birkie bulks up to 9,500, works on deal with Telemark Resort

A month after celebrating the largest American Bikebeiner in history, race organizers increased the skier limit to 9,500 for the 2013 edition, the Birkie's 40^th anniversary.

That limit will cover the full Birkebeiner and 23-kilometer Kortelopet. Another 500 registrations will be open for the 12-kilometer Prince Haakon race.

For the 2012 race, the Birkebeiner and Kortelopet were capped at 9,000 skiers and the races filled in November.

"It's a slight increase but an increase we should be able to handle," said Ned Zuelsdorff, executive director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. "We're going to see every year how it goes before we make a decision whether additional growth is needed."

In post-race surveys, skiers commented about congestion on the ski trail, the changing tents and the start and finish areas.

Let's make a deal:

Negotiations to keep the start of the Birkie races at the Telemark Resort in Cable represent more significant spring news from Birkie-land.

The owners of the resort have prepared an extensive proposal to give the Birkebeiner easements for access to portions of the trail that cross resort land, and to build a heated expo center to hold the registration, bib pickup and other Birkie activities.

Those services were moved to schools in Hayward in 2011, when Telemark was in foreclosure, for the third time.

Under the new resort owner's proposal, the Birkebeiner would lease the expo center, and pay an annual usage fee for access to the resort and its land for the Birkie, the Birkie Trail Run in September and the Birkie Tour in January.

Telemark also would work to provide additional parking and ease the traffic congestion that has limited the capacity of the race.

The proposal was distributed to the press on Wednesday, but provides no dollar figures.

Zuelsdorff said a $1 price for the easements had been offered previously, and he is anxious to meet with the resort owners to hash out further details of a deal.

"Our priority is to hold the race as we've been holding it," Zuelsdorff said.

"Our feeling is that if we remain there, make that commitment, we escalate the value of their property and they're going to have the benefit of having 25,000 people at their doorstep every year. The participants and spectators."

Skiers move off the start line in the 2008 American Birkebeiner.

Late last year, the Birkebeiner Foundation pursued approvals to buy 80 acres of land south of Cable to create an alternate start area. That would eliminate the need to receive and pay for access to the Telemark property, and the government approvals to use the airport as a start area.

"That new trailhead is still an option at this point in time, and we are pursuing other options if we need them as well," Zuelsdorff said.

Telemark made its pitch in the release: "A successful Telemark Resort also translates to more jobs, increased tourism in the area and more traffic for local businesses. It's not just a win-win partnership between Telemark Resort and the Birkie, but a big win for area businesses and the residents."

For a few more imaginative solutions to the Birkie issues, check out the bridge builder blog from Ari Ofsevit.