Chippewa Valley Book Festival: History and Tales of the American Birkebeiner

The American Birkebeiner between Hayward and Cable, Wis., is North America’s largest cross-country ski marathon and one of the largest in the world, with more than 10,000 competitors annually. How did founder Tony Wise fuel its rise from humble beginnings, with just 54 skiers in 1973? What keeps skiers, from weekend warriors to Olympians, coming back each February despite the extreme, 30-plus-mile challenge through the snow and hills of northern Wisconsin?

Attendees will be inspired by the fascinating history of the Birkebeiner and its visionary founder — one man’s dream that became the pride of two communities and the talk of the Nordic ski world — as well as the spirit of the race.