Iola Winter Sports Club grounds to be virtual venue
By Holly Neumann
The Iola Winter Sports Club is a virtual venue partner for the 2021 American Birkebeiner.
“The Iola Winter Sports Club is very excited and honored to be able to offer a safe and fun option for Birkie skiers during such a unique and challenging year,” said IWSC board member Olivia Steinmetz, who is helping to organize the event, to be held at the club’s complex at E398 County Trunk MM, Iola.
“Birkie 2021 really will be unlike any other,” Steinmetz said. “Come celebrate the spirit of the Birkie in a different way this year, right here at (the) Iola Winter Sports Club.”
Visit www.memberplanet.com/events/iwsc/birkievirtualvenue to register.
Skiers can complete their virtual event any day from Feb. 20-28.
The Birkie course will consist of four loops on the black trail; the Kortelopet course will be one blue and two black loops; and the Prince Haakon course will be a black loop followed by a combination of the green and purple loops.
IWSC trail maps are available on the club’s website, www.iolawintersportsclub.org.
Participants will need to track their distance and time by using the Birkie App – www.birkie.com/app/ – or any other GPS tracking option.
Directions on how to submit virtual race results are available on the Birkie Virtual Events webpage: www.birkie.com/ski/events/virtual-events.
Participants will need to purchase a single-day trail pass or become a member of the IWSC.
“The entire trail system will remain open during that timeframe,” Steinmetz said. “We are not closing down or limiting activity and welcome all to our trails.”
Contact Steinmetz at [email protected] for more information.