Birkebeinerrennet is not the longest race in the Pro Tour but has one of the most demanding courses. The 54-kilometer stage starts with a long uphill section with only one relatively short downhill segment. Then, the Pro Team athletes get to appreciate the beautiful mountain scenery before reaching the second climb. 

On the last part of the course, the skiers can finally enjoy the wonder of speed as they start their descent to the finish line at the Olympic stadium, located a few kilometers from Lillehammer city center. 

Like Vasaloppet, Birkebeinerrennet is among the world’s most legendary long-distance skiing races. With a long history, its legacy is based on a heroic tale of courage and adventure.

The saga dates to the harsh times of the 13th century when two fearless soldiers, birkebeiners, rescued a young prince and skied over the mountains fighting against the wild nature around them. 

This young prince, Haakon, later became the King. To honor him and his rescuers, all participants at Birkebeinerrennet must carry a 3.5kg backpack symbolizing the prince’s weight. 

Birkebeinerrennet Start List Women

Birkebeinerrennet Start List Men

Norwegian Atmosphere and History

The starting point of “Birken” is a small town called Rena. It has a friendly and cozy atmosphere, while Lillehammer is more city-like, with almost 28.000 inhabitants. Both places can easily be accessed by train from Oslo airport. The Rena Military Camp, Norway’s largest military camp, is northeast of Rena. 

Lillehammer’s center is a late nineteenth-century concentration of wooden houses, which enjoys a picturesque location overlooking the northern part of lake Mjøsa and the river Lågen, surrounded by mountains. Lillehammer is also an Olympic town, as it hosted the 1994 Winter Olympic Games and 2016 Youth Winter Olympics. 

In addition to Birkebeinerrennet and other sports activities, Lillehammer and its surrounding areas have several other tourist attractions such as the Garmo Stave Church, built around 1150, the PS Skibladner, the world’s oldest paddle steamer in scheduled service, rock carvings at Drotten, Fåberg, and the sculpture Mothership with Standing Matter designed by Antony Gormley. 

There are also many museums to visit, like the Norwegian Olympic Museum, Lillehammer Art Museum, and Maihaugen, the largest open-air museum in Norway. 

Ski Classics Iconic Climbs

The new addition to Season XIV is the Ski Classics Iconic Climbs, a new category in the Ski Classics points table used for the most iconic climbs of Ski Classics. 

For Season XIV, there will be four Iconic Climbs. Third is Raudfjellet, the first climb of Birkebeinerrennet. 

Raudfjellet Iconic Climb

• Event: Birkebeinerrennet – Ski Classics Event 12
• Date: March 18, 2023 
• Climb: Raudfjellet, from 300 to 880m above sea level; the climb is 19 kilometers long from the start in Rena. It is not the steepest climb, but it is often very high-paced already from the beginning, and hence the climb is located on top of a mountain also gives another dimension, the wind, and of course, when passing the climb line, the splendid view of Norway!  

Read More About the Iconic Climbs: Ski Classics Launch Iconic Climbs!

Birkebeinerrennet – The Fourth and Final Grand Classics Season XIV 

Birkebeinerrennet is the fourth and final Grand Classics this season. The Grand Classics are the four largest and most prestigious events in Ski Classics: Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet. The skier that wins all four events in the same season completes a Grand Slam. 

During Season XI, the Grand Classics events and the Grand Slam were introduced in Ski Classics. The concept was an immediate success and a great motivation among the best Pro Team athletes of Ski Classics. Until Season XIV, nobody has completed a Grand Slam in the history of long-distance skiing.

If you win all four Grand Classics, Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet, in the same season, you complete a Grand Slam.

Also Read: The Grand Classics Season XIV

Expect many battles in Norway as the Pro Tour skiers fight for glory at Birkebeinerrennet, the twelfth Ski Classics stage, and the fourth and final Grand Classics event in Season XIV.

Birkebeinerrennet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 12

• Date: March 18, 2023
• Distance: 54km Classic Technique
• Location: Rena-Lillehammer, Norway
• Start Time: Men 7:45 CET / Women 8:00 CET
• Number of SC Sprints: 0
• Number of SC Climbs: 2
• Climb1: 20km Raudfjellet (Iconic Climb)
• Climb2: 34km Midtfjellet 
• Total Ascent: 1041m 

Birkebeinerrennet – Course Map and Profile

You can find the Birkebeinerrennet program, start lists, and live streaming on SC Play HERE when available.

Record Number of Female Athletes

With Birkebeinerrennet, Ski Classics approaches its final part with the last three Pro Tour events Season XIV: Birkebeinerrennet, Reistadløpet, and Summit 2 Senja. Now, a new high record of female Pro Team athletes was set.

In total, there are 316 Pro Tour skiers registered in Pro Teams, 122 women and 194 men. In other words, 38,6% of all Pro Tour athletes are women.

Ski Classics Fantasy

The free-of-charge Fantasy League for Season XIV is in progress. Create or access your account now and start to set up your Fantasy Pro Team ahead of Birkebeinerrennet and score the most points during the Ski Classics Season XIV. 

How to Play

1. Go to SC Fantasy via https://fantasy.skiclassics.com/
2. Login with your existing Fantasy account or create a new one.
3. Read through “HOW TO PLAY” to ensure you understand all the rules and new features.
4. Go to “Team Selection” and choose/buy up to 10 athletes using your starting balance of 40.000 Fantasy dollars. Check out the start lists before each event to ensure that your athletes are on the start line. 
5. Remember to mark one of your athletes as a Team Captain!
6. Go to “Leagues” and join an existing league or create your own to compete with your friends.
7. Invite your friends and family to join you for free in an exciting battle for the win!
8. Have fun, and may the best ski coach win!!

All TV Channels Season XIV

Birkebeinerrennet is taking place this weekend, Saturday, March 18. Here is an overview of where you can watch Ski Classics this season:

• SVT – Sweden 
• NRK – Norway 
• Czech TV – Czech Republic 
• TVP – Poland
• WB Discovery – Finland 
• Nent Group – Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, UK 
• beIN Sports – Canada, Turkey, and USA 
• Eurovision (EBU) – News rights
• SC PLAY – all countries (English commentary)

The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)

• Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
• Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
• Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km 
• Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
• Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
• Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site and live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentaries on SC PLAY.

When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round. 

Register HERE as a Member.