The proportion of females has increased slightly over the years. Females made up 19% and 26% of the total classic racers in 1999 and 2025 respectively. For the freestyle race, women were 15% and 22% of the total in the two years. The proportion of females totaled over both races has increased from 15% in 1999 to 23% in 2025.
The proportion of classic skiers has increased dramatically over the years, from 4% (35 females and 151 males) in 1999 to 30% (411 females and 1173 males) in 2025. The classic event became more attractive after the new classic trail was established in 2008.
The increasingly popular classic race has been responsible for the much of the growth in total number of Birkie skiers. In recent years, the open event has undoubtedly reduced the number of “racers,” i.e., those concerned about finish times. The numbers in the table above only reflect the number of skiers doing the Birkie race freestyle and classic events.