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McMillan Memorial Library welcomes Jerome Poling to its Authors @ McMillan series, discussing his new book American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon
Each February, cross-country skiers from across the nation and around the world descend upon the sleepy northern Wisconsin town of Hayward to compete in the American Birkebeiner—the largest cross-country ski race in North America. In American Birkebeiner, author and skier Jerome P. Poling traces the remarkable history of the famed “Birkie,” from its modest origins in the early 1970s to its modern incarnation as an international Nordic-themed festival and multi-day event drawing more than thirty thousand skiers and spectators.
American Birkebeiner offers an up-close, behind-the-scenes tour of all things Birkie—from race preparations and skier profiles to race-day highlights and history-making finishes. It also tells the story of visionary race founder Tony Wise and his efforts to popularize the sport of cross-country skiing in the Upper Midwest. The book delves into the origin and evolution of the world-class Birkebeiner Trail and the communities that support it, as well as the ways the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is adapting to climate change to help ensure the event thrives for years to come. An exquisitely crafted ode to an extraordinary race, American Birkebeiner will inspire winter sports fans and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Journalist and author Jerome “Jerry” P. Poling has skied more than twenty-five American Birkebeiners and has reported on the race for nearly forty years. He has published four other books, including two on the Green Bay Packers, one on Henry Aaron, and one on the history of the University of Wisconsin at Stout. He lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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