"They don't make skis for two people." "Right... they used to not make skis for anybody, Chris. And somebody started making skis!" I need this kind of determination in my life.
Banff all the way! We host the festival each year for our CVN ski team fundraiser in Eau Claire, to see skiing featured or work with them on including a submission would be special!!!
Great video production. This was (I believe*) the fourth time the Birke was skied on tandem skis. Gordy Backmann and I were the 3rd* about 20 years ago. The first* was a brother sister duo from the Hayward area and then Bjorn Arves?? . We used a pair of stiff 215cm Karhu (Red) race skis. We had old crappy Profil boots and had matching blue and yellow one-piece suits. Due to it being a low snow year our "training" consisted of poling 15 minutes on a lake. We were clueless. We used klister which was appropriate.... right up until it started snowing at the start. We did not stride, we trudged. Transitions were the hardest as often we would fall, one facing forward and one back. After a bit our skis were so iced up we had 2” of snow caked on the base. We saw a spectator with a big hunting knife and borrowing it, scraped off most of the klister.( he was a good sport) Downhills, what with no or poor tracks were just a point and pray exercise. They were surprisingly fast as we passed a lot of people going down, not so many going up. We ended up finishing in about 4:40 (?) with me beating Gordy by .01 second :) We had our photo taken a lot and people at the feed zones would ask us to stop for photos and a laugh. Would I do it again? No, but after the pain wore off we did do a few bike races on a tandem. If you ever try it be sure you are really good friends with your partner and keep on trudging.
Was that the year Tim Caldwell won? I can see your name on the time sheet, but no Gordy. Would you come out of retirement for a tandem v tandem with these two?
A claim that this was done before doesn't diminish this at all. There was probably sometwo before that in some other race around the world. Their story, the documentation of the journey, and the likely critical change that occurs is what is makes them the fathers of a new sport. Epic.
This is pure gold. I think what is needed though is a Tandem outfit. A flexible membrane between two ski suits and maybe even some aerodynamic foam attached to the back of the rear skier.
My comment is not intended to diminish anything you two did. I think your creative effort needs to be applauded, especially as you made a significant investment in equipment, training, dedication, and the purchase of two bibs. Congratulations!!!! Who knows, next year there may be more in attempt to beat your time.
We appreciate that but if it wasn't for our strict diet of White Castle fish sandwiches, Beyond Sliders, and onion chips none of this would have been possible.
Visionaries ... the plural kind. Nice work you two! We are very much looking forward to seeing how the race goes for you two ... champions, dare I say?
It's never been done before, so we gotta go for it. Well, thanks for keeping that American pioneer spirit alive guys! Way to represent what this country has always been all about. And congrats on your Birkie. Aka badass.
I used to work at a Nordic Ctr., and we had a pair of tandem skis just for fun. I used them several times with my friend…I am 6’5”….she is 5’2”…the differences in our stride length were pretty comical!
This was both hilarious and inspiring! I've only seen tandem skiing once before and I thought maybe it could be used to teach someone skiing, or maybe help someone with a disability to ski. But it doesn't look easy, you really gotta work together. 😅 You guys became so in-sync.
I almost walked out on this film at the Banff Film festival. Feeling sick and tired and I was thinking this is the dumbest thing I will ever see, like what are they going to do? Pole for 50 kms? I stayed 2 mins too long, and have not laughed so hard in way too long. I am sharing this with all of my skiing buddies, THANK YOU!
Attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival last two nights here in Duluth. You guys killed it! This was definitely a crowd favorite this year. Very fun.
You guys are incredible !!!! Skating was found by an american Bill Koch and you are the héritage! I like soo much your passion and pushing the boundaries !!! You are brilliant ! Greatings from 🇫🇷❤
The algorithm is strong with this one! First video in 7 years from this channel and already has more than ten-fold the views of the next most viewed video. I'm not saying it doesn't deserve it, it does. This was a great watch!
This is awesome. Now I know there is a Birkebeinerrenn over seas too, what a pleasant surprise. I should probably known this but, hey every day you learn something new. This reminds me of my youth growing up in Norway.
Yes in fact the Birkie actually started when a group of snowmobilers in Cable Wisconsin had to escort a toddler aged Packers fan by the name of Hank Hankonsson to a bar 55 kilometers away in the city of Hayward Wisconsin so he could escape the reckless heckling of all the Vikings fans who migrate to the city of Cable around this time of year. I think there was a race in Norway that copied it or something.
this is so fucking sick. got into xc end of last winter and snuck as much in as i could. awesome to see a different/hilarious take on the xc ski vid! this shit is gold.
Congratulations, but Bjorn Arvness did this in the early 80’s. They skied the skis as one person, striding up the hills, and managed the down hills effortlessly, as Bjon was a former Olympian.
I was wondering what kind og "Birken" this was when I saw ppl skating, then I saw the bib reading American Birkebeiner I immediately understood more. I dont understand why some do waddle around on skis trying ty skate when theyre obviously not even close. Classic is so much more energy consuming, if you dont know skating. Edit; Creds for doing this so "effortlessly". It was fun to watch.
