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Photos by Frank Gasparik, Delbert Kostura
Menubar c/o Milonic |
Birkebeiner Skiers win
Haakon Haakonsson Award
by Bob Coe*
Could you qualify for the prestigious Haakon Haakonsson Award this
coming Valentines Day, February 14th, 2004?
In the past
decade no more than 40 Canadian and American cross-country skiers
have won the unique award at the Canadian Birkebeiner Classic Ski
Festival east of Edmonton, Alberta.
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The award is
presented to racers who have skied Birkebeiner long events in Canada,
the United States and Norway. Eighteen of those have been from Alberta,
host province of the Canadian Birkie.
The award has
been presented to five other Canadians - three from B.C., one each from
Quebec and Nova Scotia. The remaining seventeen were presented to U.S.
residents mostly from the Midwest and Northwestern states.
As the 800th
anniversary of the 1206 Norwegian Birkebeiner ordeal nears, it is
expected that a growing number of Nordic skiers who have raced the
Norwegian and American Birkies will take part in the Canadian
classic-style cross-country ski festival adding their names to the list
of Haakon Haakonsson Award winners.
Below is a list
in chronological and alphabetical order of Haakon Haakonsson Award
winners. Four years are missing in the list – two because no qualified
winners appeared, and two because the Birkie was cancelled for lack of
snow.
HAAKON HAAKONSSON
AWARD RECIPIENTS
YEAR
|
RECIPIENT
|
RESIDENCE
|
|
1992 |
Olive PUNSVIK |
Kelowna, B.C. |
|
1992 |
John van WEES |
Calgary, Alberta |
|
1996 |
Brian ABEAR |
Revelstoke, B.C. |
|
1996 |
Jerome BIER |
Portland, Oregon |
|
1997 |
David BLAIS |
Fort Saskatchewan,
Alberta |
|
1997 |
Mike BOGAR |
Milwaukie, Oregon |
|
1997 |
William CHESTER |
Tunbridge, Vermont |
|
1997 |
Bob GROSS |
Park City, Utah |
|
1997 |
Pierre HARVEY |
St. Ferreol, Quebec |
|
1998 |
Paul BAILEY |
Grande Cache,
Alberta |
|
1998 |
Francis NOEL |
St. Albert, Alberta |
|
1998 |
John RINTOUL |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
1998 |
Cathy SCHREINER |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
1999 |
Michael ANDERSON |
Duluth, Minnesota |
|
1999 |
Michael BABBIT |
Portland, Oregon |
|
1999 |
Ellen BARTHOLOMEW |
Portland, Oregon |
|
1999 |
Frank DENNIS |
St. Paul Minnesota |
|
1999 |
Nancy FICHTER |
Park City, Utah |
|
1999 |
Gary FICHTER |
Park City, Utah |
|
1999 |
Frank HALEY |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
1999 |
Arne STEFFERUD |
Maplewood, Minnesota |
|
1999 |
Dale TUCK |
Grande Cache,
Alberta |
|
1999 |
Deanna WILKINS |
Maple Grove,
Minnesota |
|
2000 |
John DAVINA |
Kelowna, B.C. |
|
2000 |
Kirk LOBERG |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
2000 |
Cliff MORRISON |
Fort Saskatchewan,
Alberta |
|
2000 |
Irvin SERVOLD |
Devon, Alberta |
|
2000 |
John TOONEN |
Devon, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Julian COWARD |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Dave FILIPCHUK |
Calgary, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Glen HORNLAND |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Robb HORNLAND |
Edmonton, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Richard KNOWLES |
Haines, Oregon |
|
2002 |
Berit KUYKENDALL |
Boise, Idaho |
|
2002 |
Michael LARSON |
Rexburg, Idaho |
|
2002 |
Terry SLEMKO |
Onoway, Alberta |
|
2002 |
Patrice YANCEY |
Boise, Idaho |
|
2003 |
Scott CAMPBELL |
Hammonds Plains,
Nova Scotia |
|
2003 |
Joanne SCHMIDT |
Walla Walla,
Washington |
|
2003 |
Einar VIDDAL |
Edmonton, Alberta |
*Bob Coe is 2003-2004 Cdn Birkie
volunteer media coordinator and news writer.
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©
Canadian Birkebeiner
Society 2003 |