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Shadowy warriors win Birkebeiner t-shirt contest

Posted by Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel on Sept. 2, 2011

Nordic skiing, American Birkebeiner

Charles Rietschel's depiction of Birkebeiner warriors shadowing modern skiers has been chosen as the winner in the race's 2012 T-shirt design contest.

More than 4,000 skiers voted in the contest to select the images for the race clothing.

Rietschel, from Andover, Minn., has skied the American Birkebeiner twice, classic style both times.

"I actually came up with this design for last year's T-shirt contest after I skied my first Birkie, but I missed the deadline to submit it, so I had to wait until this year," he said.

"I wanted to make sure I stuck with the theme 'Live the Birkie,' so I wanted to have the symbols of the Birkie in the design. What better way then to have the Birkie Warriors. My goal was to make the shadows represent the spirit of the Birkie warrier in all of us who ski the race, be it Classic or Freestyle.

"I learned about the T-shirt contest last year from the Birkie web site. I have done designs before, but as more of a hobby. I do coach Nordic skiing, so I have come up with designs for the team. This is the first time I have ever entered a contest."