The American-Birkebeiner is one of the longest cross-country ski races in North America, spanning 50 kilometers for the Skate race and 54 kilometers for the Classic. Originating in 1973 by Tony Wise, the race starts at Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wisconsin, and finishes in Hayward, Wisconsin, alongside its partner race, the Kortelopet, a 23-kilometer race. This event is inspired by the Norwegian-Birkebeiner, which commemorates the dramatic Viking rescue of Prince Haakon Haakonasson during the Norwegian Civil War in 1206. The race honors this heroic history, with participants channeling the spirit of Viking "birch-leggers," who wore birch bark leggings while skiing. Every February, skiers from around the world gather to participate, carrying forward the legacy of these legendary events.