Overview

An exhilarating behind-the-scenes journey into the history of America's largest cross-country ski race 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: The Nation's Greatest Ski Marathon, 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 racing event drawing more than 30,000 skiers and spectators. American Birkebeiner offers an up-close, behind-the-scenes tour of all things Birkie--from pre-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. American Birkebeiner sparks with lively, narrative-driven prose and is based on extensive archival research, reporting, and personal interviews. The lavishly illustrated book also features 150 photographs, including intimate portraits of athletes pushed to the limits of their endurance, sweeping aerial shots of skiers and cheering crowds, and awe-inspiring winter vistas. An exquisitely crafted ode to an extraordinary race, American Birkebeiner will inspire winter sports fans and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Full Product Details

9781976600531

Table of Contents

Reviews

""In Poling's expert hands the narrative glides forward as smoothly as a skier on a perfectly groomed trail.""-- ""Tom Giffey for Volume One"" If you want to know why people ski the Birkie forty times, this comprehensive and insightful book will clue you in. There really is no race like it in the country, as tens of thousands of people arrive in the remote countryside each year to celebrate the toughest sport on earth.-- ""Bill McKibben, environmentalist, author, and avid skier"" For the tens of thousands who have skied the American Birkebeiner and wondered how this iconic race and trail came into being, Jerry Poling's American Birkebeiner: The Nation's Greatest Ski Marathon answers all these questions and more. From the marketing genius behind the race, to the race's ups and downs over the past half-century, to many of the competitors and how they caught ""Birkie Fever,"" this book is a must-have for any cross-country skier. The historic pictures alone are worth it.-- ""Peggy Shinn, author of World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team"" This fascinating, well-researched, and important history of the American Birkebeiner chronicles not just a half-century of ski races but the genius of founder Tony Wise, Telemark Lodge, the trail, and the people who have helped make this world-famous event a reality.-- ""Ernie St. Germaine, the only skier to complete the first 50 Birkebeiner races"" What a great story Jerome Poling recounts in his impressive book, American Birkebeiner. Actually, he tells four terrific, interwoven stories: first, a fascinating and poignant account of the larger-than-life visionary, Tony Wise; second, the birth, growth, and maturity of the remarkable race (and associated events); third, the development and constant improvement of the Birkie trail; and finally, several heart-warming snapshots of volunteers and participants through the past half-century. Nowhere else in our country do so many Nordic skiing enthusiasts gather to test themselves and to celebrate the joys of the sport, and Poling does a masterful job of capturing that energy.-- ""John Morton, U.S. Olympic biathlete, founder of Morton Trails, and author of Don't Look Back"" Jerome Poling's American Birkebeiner is a delight for Birkie enthusiasts past and present!-- ""Bill Koch, 1976 Olympic silver medalist and 1982 World Cup Champion""

If you want to know why people ski the Birkie forty times, this comprehensive and insightful book will clue you in. There really is no race like it in the country, as tens of thousands of people arrive in the remote countryside each year to celebrate the toughest sport on earth.-- ""Bill McKibben, environmentalist, author, and avid skier"" For the tens of thousands who have skied the American Birkebeiner and wondered how this iconic race and trail came into being, Jerry Poling's American Birkebeiner: The Nation's Greatest Ski Marathon answers all these questions and more. From the marketing genius behind the race, to the race's ups and downs over the past half-century, to many of the competitors and how they caught ""Birkie Fever,"" this book is a must-have for any cross-country skier. The historic pictures alone are worth it.-- ""Peggy Shinn, author of World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team"" This fascinating, well-researched, and important history of the American Birkebeiner chronicles not just a half-century of ski races but the genius of founder Tony Wise, Telemark Lodge, the trail, and the people who have helped make this world-famous event a reality.-- ""Ernie St. Germaine, the only skier to complete the first 50 Birkebeiner races"" What a great story Jerome Poling recounts in his impressive book, American Birkebeiner. Actually, he tells four terrific, interwoven stories: first, a fascinating and poignant account of the larger-than-life visionary, Tony Wise; second, the birth, growth, and maturity of the remarkable race (and associated events); third, the development and constant improvement of the Birkie trail; and finally, several heart-warming snapshots of volunteers and participants through the past half-century. Nowhere else in our country do so many Nordic skiing enthusiasts gather to test themselves and to celebrate the joys of the sport, and Poling does a masterful job of capturing that energy.-- ""John Morton, U.S. Olympic biathlete, founder of Morton Trails, and author of Don't Look Back"" Jerome Poling's American Birkebeiner is a delight for Birkie enthusiasts past and present!-- ""Bill Koch, 1976 Olympic silver medalist and 1982 World Cup Champion""

Jerome Poling's American Birkebeiner is a delight for Birkie enthusiasts past and present!-- ""Bill Koch, 1976 Olympic silver medalist and 1982 World Cup Champion""

Author Information

Journalist and author Jerome ""Jerry"" P. Poling has skied more than twenty American Birkebeiners and has reported on the race for more than thirty 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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