Birkie Waves

Anyone hear anything related to Birkie Waves for 06? I seem to recall they
are planning a bit of an overhaul of the waves and seeding for next year.
In looking through the graphs that were posted on skinnyski several weeks
ago regarding waves sizes and other things, it looks to me like they should
be shrinking the number of skiers in waves 1-4 and growing the later waves.
I can imagine that if they do this there will be some negative feedback from
people that are bumped back a wave. If they do move people back, I think in
the end it would make for a better race for all, there would be less pile
ups on hills and the starts for waves 1-4 would be much smoother I think.

Does anyone know if the skinnyski graphs take Korte skiers into account or
are the numbers just for Birkie skiers? If they don't I'm sure that adds
quite a few more skiers to the early waves.

Dave

I thought the general idea was announced somewhere this year, perhaps in
the Birch Scroll. It goes back to an analysis of wave placement Rick
Budde did a couple of years ago that appeared on skinnyski and was
submitted to the Birkie leadership. My reading of those graphs this
year is that they are Birkie only.

Gene

Dave Mayo-Kiely wrote:

Anyone hear anything related to Birkie Waves for 06? I seem to recall they
are planning a bit of an overhaul of the waves and seeding for next year.
In looking through the graphs that were posted on skinnyski several weeks
ago regarding waves sizes and other things, it looks to me like they should
be shrinking the number of skiers in waves 1-4 and growing the later waves.
I can imagine that if they do this there will be some negative feedback from
people that are bumped back a wave. If they do move people back, I think in
the end it would make for a better race for all, there would be less pile
ups on hills and the starts for waves 1-4 would be much smoother I think.

Does anyone know if the skinnyski graphs take Korte skiers into account or
are the numbers just for Birkie skiers? If they don't I'm sure that adds
quite a few more skiers to the early waves.

Dave

does anyone when does the registration for the next year open? I may
want to submit mine early to get a good wave start.

For the 2006 race, we will accept qualifying Birkie and Korte times
from 2003, 2004 and 2005. Generally, the first few waves fill before
race week. Please be sure to keep this in mind when registering for the
2006 event. We will keep the waves at a reasonable size, so will close
them when they reach maximum size.

Below are the wave qualifying times from the 2005 race for 2006. The
only changes to percentage numbers are in wave one and two of the
Kortelopet. Other races (see Qualifying Races) can qualify a skier up
to wave 3. Please be sure to include qualifying times from other
accepted races when you register. Complete information will be
available in all issues of the Birch Scroll. The changes for years 2003
and 2004 will be available in the Results Issue of the Birch Scroll.

Birkebeiner 2005 basis 2:04:14


Wave one up to 40% up to 2:55:09
Wave two 41% to 57% 2:55:10 - 3:16:17
Wave three 58% to 72% 3:16:18 - 3:34:55
Wave four 73% to 88% 3:34:56 - 3:54:47
Wave five 89% - 106% 3:54:48 - 4:17:09
Wave six 107% - 127% 4:17:10 - 4:43:14
Wave seven 128% - 154% 4:43:15 - 5:16:47
Wave eight 155% - 186% 5:16:48 - 5:56:32
Wave nine 187% and up 5:56:33 and up
Wave ten New Birkie Skiers

Thanks for letting us know. The Korte waves were just taken off the
Birkie website. I assume it is the latest one. Are there any separate
changes with classical racers?


Kortelopet (Revised based on new criteria): basis 1:04:32

Wave one up to 34% up to 1:27:07
Wave two 37%-52% 1:27:08-1:38:44
Wave three 53%-68% 1:38:45-1:49:03
Wave four 69%-83% 1:49:04-1:58:44
Wave five 84%-99% 1:58:45-2:09:04
Wave six 100%-120% 2:09:05-2:22:37
Wave seven 121%-145% 2:22:38-2:38:45
Wave eight 146%-179% 2:38:46-3:00:41
Wave nine 180% and up 3:00:42 and up
Wave ten New Korte skiers


wrote:

For the 2006 race, we will accept qualifying Birkie and Korte times
from 2003, 2004 and 2005. Generally, the first few waves fill before
race week. Please be sure to keep this in mind when registering for the
2006 event. We will keep the waves at a reasonable size, so will close
them when they reach maximum size.

Below are the wave qualifying times from the 2005 race for 2006. The
only changes to percentage numbers are in wave one and two of the
Kortelopet. Other races (see Qualifying Races) can qualify a skier up
to wave 3. Please be sure to include qualifying times from other
accepted races when you register. Complete information will be
available in all issues of the Birch Scroll. The changes for years 2003
and 2004 will be available in the Results Issue of the Birch Scroll.

Birkebeiner 2005 basis 2:04:14

Wave one up to 40% up to 2:55:09
Wave two 41% to 57% 2:55:10 - 3:16:17
Wave three 58% to 72% 3:16:18 - 3:34:55
Wave four 73% to 88% 3:34:56 - 3:54:47
Wave five 89% - 106% 3:54:48 - 4:17:09
Wave six 107% - 127% 4:17:10 - 4:43:14
Wave seven 128% - 154% 4:43:15 - 5:16:47
Wave eight 155% - 186% 5:16:48 - 5:56:32
Wave nine 187% and up 5:56:33 and up
Wave ten New Birkie Skiers

The wave basis for the Korte using a 2005 time is:

Kortelopet 2005 basis 0:59:00


Wave one up to 34% up to 1:19:39
Wave two 35% to 52% 1:19:40 - 1:30:16
Wave three 53% to 68% 1:30:17 - 1:39:42
Wave four 69% to 83% 1:39:43 - 1:48:33
Wave five 84% to 99% 1:48:34 - 1:58:00
Wave six 100% to 120% 1:58:01 - 2:10:24
Wave seven 121% - 145% 2:10:24 - 2:25:08
Wave eight 146% - 179% 2:25:09 - 2:45:12
Wave nine 180% and up 2:45:13 and up
Wave ten New Korte Skiers

J Lightcap


Gene Goldenfeld wrote:
Thanks for letting us know. The Korte waves were just taken off the
Birkie website. I assume it is the latest one. Are there any
separate
changes with classical racers?


Kortelopet (Revised based on new criteria): basis 1:04:32

Wave one up to 34% up to 1:27:07
Wave two 37%-52% 1:27:08-1:38:44
Wave three 53%-68% 1:38:45-1:49:03
Wave four 69%-83% 1:49:04-1:58:44
Wave five 84%-99% 1:58:45-2:09:04
Wave six 100%-120% 2:09:05-2:22:37
Wave seven 121%-145% 2:22:38-2:38:45
Wave eight 146%-179% 2:38:46-3:00:41
Wave nine 180% and up 3:00:42 and up
Wave ten New Korte skiers


wrote:

For the 2006 race, we will accept qualifying Birkie and Korte times
from 2003, 2004 and 2005. Generally, the first few waves fill
before
race week. Please be sure to keep this in mind when registering for
the
2006 event. We will keep the waves at a reasonable size, so will
close
them when they reach maximum size.

Below are the wave qualifying times from the 2005 race for 2006.
The
only changes to percentage numbers are in wave one and two of the
Kortelopet. Other races (see Qualifying Races) can qualify a skier
up
to wave 3. Please be sure to include qualifying times from other
accepted races when you register. Complete information will be
available in all issues of the Birch Scroll. The changes for years
2003
and 2004 will be available in the Results Issue of the Birch
Scroll.

Birkebeiner 2005 basis 2:04:14

Wave one up to 40% up to 2:55:09
Wave two 41% to 57% 2:55:10 - 3:16:17
Wave three 58% to 72% 3:16:18 - 3:34:55
Wave four 73% to 88% 3:34:56 - 3:54:47
Wave five 89% - 106% 3:54:48 - 4:17:09
Wave six 107% - 127% 4:17:10 - 4:43:14
Wave seven 128% - 154% 4:43:15 - 5:16:47
Wave eight 155% - 186% 5:16:48 - 5:56:32
Wave nine 187% and up 5:56:33 and up
Wave ten New Birkie Skiers

Ok, the list I put up was 2004, but wasn't labeled as such. My
confusion. Thanks.

Gene

wrote:

The wave basis for the Korte using a 2005 time is:

Kortelopet 2005 basis 0:59:00

Wave one up to 34% up to 1:19:39
Wave two 35% to 52% 1:19:40 - 1:30:16
Wave three 53% to 68% 1:30:17 - 1:39:42
Wave four 69% to 83% 1:39:43 - 1:48:33
Wave five 84% to 99% 1:48:34 - 1:58:00
Wave six 100% to 120% 1:58:01 - 2:10:24
Wave seven 121% - 145% 2:10:24 - 2:25:08
Wave eight 146% - 179% 2:25:09 - 2:45:12
Wave nine 180% and up 2:45:13 and up
Wave ten New Korte Skiers

J Lightcap

Has anyone done any calculations/guestimations as to the expected size
of Wave 1 based on the stricter % back qualifying time?

Jim Kelley wrote:
Has anyone done any calculations/guestimations as to the expected
size
of Wave 1 based on the stricter % back qualifying time?

When the % back figures are the exact same (as far as I see) as 2004,
why is it stricter?

Ok. I just looked a few things. 332 male freestyle skiers finished
within the 2005 % back for wave 1. 696 male freestyle skiers finished
within the 2004 % back for wave 1. So, good news for Wave 1,
essentially only 132 people qualified for Wave 1 from this year's race,
but of course many more qualify from previous years races. Maybe
someone can do the same rough calc for Wave 2, and 3....

Jay Wenner

http://www.birkie.com/registration/waves_seeding.html

Jay,

Even though the % back is the same, I guess my understanding is that
they choose a certain number of the top finishers (not just the winning
time) to come up with a baseline finish time to get the wave sizes they
want, using % back (at least that's the way the Birkie Office explained
it to me a couple of years ago). Therefore, % back brackets are not
the only tool they have to fix wave sizes. So, when I looked at the
qualifying times for Wave 1 for 2006 the cutoff time seemed to be much
faster than in past years - without thinking about it a lot it just
seemed to be "stricter" to me. Based on your calc's maybe that is what
the Birkie Office accomplished? I'm for anything that avoids the
carnage that we experience the first 1 km of the Birkie. Hopefully
2006 will be my last time in Wave 1, as long as I don't peak in January
like I did this year.