Local cross country skier gets gold in Birkebeiner

Cross country skiing has kept a local man healthy, fit, and bathed in gold.

Jasperite Fred Wall brought home the gold medal from the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival in Edmonton on Feb. 14.

The Birkebeiner (or Birkie for short) is a cross country ski race that originated in Norway, and is modeled after two brave warriors who carried the country’s infant prince on skis to safety during the civil war in 1206. Now, incarnations of the race take place each year in Norway, Canada and the United States.

Wall, at a young-looking 75, beat out the competition in the 70 years and up category. He tackled the full race, which is a 55 km track with a 5.5 kg pack strapped to his back, in five hours and 48 minutes.

This is the fourth race of its kind Wall has done – three in Canada and one in Norway – and the first time he’s secured first place. In Canada, he came in second place each time.

Once racers complete all three, they’re specially recognized, so Wall’s looking to head to Wisconsin next year to compete south of the border. 

“That one’s a little short, it’s 50 km, so that should help,” he joked.

Wall said skiing a lot in advance is imperative. “At my age if you don’t train, you can’t do it,” he said, adding he thinks there’s nothing better than cross country skiing as a workout. “It’s just great, easy on your bones and body, and you can play yourself right out with no impact.”

His daughter Shannon said her dad’s fitness level is pretty impressive. “He does 40 laps around Whistler’s Campground, that’s his idea of a quick ski,” she said.

In Norway, where the event reportedly attracts some 18,000 participants, a huge part of the competition is how well athletes wax their skis, something that can be re-done several times during the race. 

When racing in Norway, Wall recalls a man in the 80 years-and-up category with whom he was going head-to-head on the track. “They’re good at the waxing, so he’d leave me at every downhill part,” he said.

Wall himself hopes to still be racing when he reaches that age group. “I’m going to try for it, I know that,” he said. This natural athlete can’t understand why others his age would retreat into a sedentary lifestyle.

“Why would anyone quit? Go ski, it’s the best,” he said.