For Birken, the 2025 statistics are cause for celebration. Throughout the year, the Birkebeiner events gathered more than 30,000 participants — an increase of 55 percent in two years, and 6,000 more than in 2024.

“2025 was a year for the history books. After some challenging seasons, Birken is truly back where it belongs — with strong events, solid participation, and an incredible volunteer effort,” says Birken AS CEO Jostein Buraas in a press release.

Participation records and sold-out events

Several of the events broke records: SkøyteBirken (Skate Birken) had 975 participants, UltraBirken Run and Fjellmaraton were both sold out with 700 participants each, and GravelBirken, the new addition to the cycling festival, was a sold-out success with 400 participants.

The Birken Street Run in Lillehammer’s city center also became a popular celebration, attracting nearly 2,000 participants.

Younger and more curious participants

In recent years, Birken has seen dramatic changes in its participant demographics.

While the main age group for decades was 45 and older, nearly half of all participants in 2025 were under 40 — precisely 48 percent.

There was also strong engagement among children and youth, with over 4,000 young participants taking part.

Furthermore, almost 40 percent were first-timers, meaning they had never before participated in a Birkebeiner event.

Seeking experiences, not just results

The growth among younger participants and first-timers has been a clear trend in recent years, especially after the pandemic.

While Birken has long been associated with the pursuit of medals, time goals, and rankings, the organization now sees a marked shift — particularly among younger athletes.

“We’re noticing that participants, especially the younger ones, are far less motivated by results and rankings when setting Birken as a training goal. That’s a clear change from earlier years, when there was much more focus on time limits, medals, and placements,” says Hanna Helstad, Head of Communications and Marketing at Birken, to Langrenn.com.

Helstad believes new values are drawing younger generations to Birken:

“What we hear from young people is that they want something genuine and down-to-earth — like hiking in the mountains and enjoying traditional Norwegian outdoor experiences. And they want to share those experiences with others,” she says, adding:

“That trend has continued in the same direction.”

Facts: Birken 2025

• 30,000 participants – up 55% in two years
• 6,000 more than in 2024
• 39% new participants (first-timers)
• 48% of adult participants under 40
• Around 2,800 international participants from 50 countries
• 4,000 children and youth
• 3,700 volunteers, contributing 15,500 work hours
• GravelBirken and Street Run – both sold out
• Profitable results in both 2024 and 2025

(Source: Birken AS)

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