HAYWARD, WI (Feb. 20, 2016) - It was an All American sweep at the 43rd running of the Slumberland American Birkebeiner as David Norris (Fairbanks, AK) and Caitlin Gregg (Minneapolis) skied to close wins on a fast 52k track between Cable and Hayward. Gregg’s fourth Birkie victory put her into the record books with the most wins ever, man or woman.
Gregg won in two hours, 22 minutes, 44.5 seconds – a five second margin over France’s Aurelie Dabudyk, who retained her FIS Worldloppet Cup lead. Erika Flowers (Belgrade, MT) was third. Norris, who came into his first Birkie on the heels of two USSA SuperTour wins, won in 2:05:35.4, with French skiers Ivan Perrillat Boiteux and Benoit Chauvet just a second behind. With his second place finish, Perrilate Bouteux took over the Worldloppet Cup lead.
Worldloppet leader Aurelie Dabudyk leads out from the start with Caitlin Gregg (left) jostling for position. (USSA-Tom Kelly)
“It always feels great after you win a race like that. It’s just so much fun,” said Gregg. “This is a great experience because so many of my family and friends, and basically my story of my career and skiing, are here at this moment. So it’s like sharing it with all of them.”
Like everyone in the field, Gregg had watched the weather in the last 48 hours with trepidation. But she also new that her own knowledge of the trail and local weather would give her an edge over a very strong international field. Temperatures were above freezing with rain on Friday glazing the track.
“I was really impressed with the course,” she said. “I had a little bit of a rough time falling asleep last night thinking about, ‘gosh, is this going to be bullet-proof ice is this going to be knee-deep slush,’ and I was so impressed with the grooming. They did an amazing job. It was the perfect mix of hard-packed with just a little bit of just soft snow on top, so that gave you a little purchase where you needed it and then it would maybe change a little bit and become firmer in some areas or a little softer in others, but considering what they were delivered it was phenomenal.”
Gregg battled the entire race with Worldloppet Cup leader Dabudyk. The two came over the International Bridge in a dead heat with 400 meters to go. But Gregg had the sprint left in her to take the win.
Gregg gave kudos to on the prep of her Madshus skis to Zach Caldwell and Caldwell sport. “I had full confidence in my skis,” she said. “The Madshus skis that I picked were the same pair that I used last year at spring nationals where I had a fantastic 30k national championship win.
David Norris recorded a stunning victory over a strong international field. (USSA-Tom Kelly)
The men held a strong pack most of the race until Benoit made a break with eight kilometers to go. Norris answered the challenge, but was only joined by around five others. For the next five kilometers, the pace slowed. As they headed out onto the flats of Lake Hayward in the final kilometers, it became a cat and mouse game with the small pack.
“I just hung in the pack early and was trying to ski towards the front. Around 10k people were getting antsy,” said Norris. “I’m not generally confident in my sprint so I wanted to come off the lake in the lead. I was blown away no one was coming up on my side.”
Norris, who started the season slow but then picked up a pair of USSA SuperTour wins in Lake Placid last month, came into his first Birkie brimming with confidence. “Yes, I thought I could go for the win,” he said. “My plan was to just stay with the leaders to the finish and give it everything I could on Main Street.”
Over 10,000 took part in the races at the 43rd running of the American Birkebeiner.
RESULTSOfficial Results USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw was among the finishers, completing the 52k Birkie in 4:49. (USSA-Tom Kelly)
