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Jerome Poling discusses American Birkebeiner: The Nation's Greatest Ski Marathon

Name: Jerome Poling discusses American Birkebeiner: The Nation's Greatest Ski Marathon
Start: 2026-03-12
End: 2026-03-12
Location: The Local Store

Mar 12

7:00 PM

Eau Claire

Join author Jerome Poling, sharing the fascinating history of the Birkie, Wisconsin's world-famous cross-country ski race

Event Details

Thursday, March 12, 2026

7:00 PM

Free and open to the public

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Location

The Local Store

205 N Dewey St.

Eau Claire, WI 54703

Map

driving directions

About the Event

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The Local Store welcomes Jerome Poling, 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. 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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