Ben Popp, executive director of the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race, is the featured speaker for the Thursdays at the U series Oct. 9 at the University of Wisconsin – Barron County.
Ben Popp
He will present “The American Birkebeiner, 1973 to Today” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Blue Hills Lecture Hall in Ritzinger Hall.
Created by visionary Tony Wise in 1973, the American Birkebeiner in Hayward is the third-largest cross-country ski race in the world, generating more than $20 million for the local community. Popp will discuss how it all began, how it evolved and the role it plays in shaping people’s lives and the community.
Popp was born and raised in Phillips. Upon graduation from St. Olaf College, he began coaching collegiately and working in the silent-sport industry, first as head coach of the Carleton College ski team and now continuing for more than 29 years.
In addition to his role as executive director of the American Birkebeiner, Popp also is president of the Worldloppet and chairs the Wisconsin Governor’s Council on Tourism, the Advisory Committee for the Office of Outdoor Recreation and the State Trails Committee.
Popp and his family live in Springbrook, where he enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking and cycling. In 2009, he completed what has been called the world’s toughest race, the 3,000-mile Race Across America solo bicycle race.
The Thursdays at the U weekly series is free and open to the public thanks to support from the UW-Eau Claire – Barron County Foundation. Neither seating reservations nor parking permits are needed for in-person attendees.
Although in-person attendance is encouraged, most talks in the series are livestreamed. They also are archived and can be watched later on the Thursdays at the U webpage. Please note: The Oct. 9 talk will not be livestreamed.
The next lecture in the series will be Oct. 16, with Mark Dobberfuhl and John Mitchell presenting “Bringing History to Life.”
For more information, contact Laura Holden at 715-788-6207 or holdenlk@uwec.edu.
