I know we’re pretty sick of snow by now, and the mere mention of the word is becoming forbidden, but bear with me for a moment, because this is pretty exciting. The United States Snowshoe Association has chosen Eau Claire to host the 15th Annual U.S. National Snowshoe Championships in 2015! It will take place Feb. 27–March 1 at Lowes Creek County Park. The championship rotates annually between four regions, and next year it’s the North Central Region’s turn to host. (This year’s championship took place in Woodford, Vt., while last year it was in Bend, Ore.) The event will include Junior National 5K championships, Senior Men’s and Women’s 10K championships, and a 4x2.5K Snowshoe Team Relay event. Why choose Eau Claire to host? Well, it helps having an estimated 7.4 million winter sports enthusiasts living within a 200-mile radius of our fair city. Being the scene of big snowshoe events like the Powder Keg and Rumble in the Jungle sure helps, too. So while we may be sick and tired of snow now (I sure am), mark your calendars for next winter and prepare to be amazed by the nation’s best snow-top speedsters.