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Cold temperatures make 9th Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race truly challenging

This winter has been unusually mild. Sled dogs that perform at their best in cool weather conditions have been struggling with temperatures just below freezing. When the thermometer started to drop last Wednesday, the competitors in Canada?s longest sled dog race - the Canadian Challenge- welcomed the cooler temperatures at first.

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17 teams from Canada, the United States and Belgium competed in the 12-dog event, that started on Central Avenue on the 15 th at noon. By the time they reached the first check point at Anglin Lake a cold wind had picked up. During the night on their way to Elk Ridge the weather conditions became severe. Temperatures down to minus 58 degree Celsius including the wind chill factor have been recorded. Despite the first signs of frostbite on many of the musher?s faces all 17 racers continued determined on their way north. Even though the thermometer showed a temperature rise in the following night, mushers and dogs still had to fight their way against a bitter cold of minus 47 degree Celsius. By the time teams reached Weyakwin checkpoint the usual question of an arriving racer ?how far behind the first team? was replaced by ?what is the weather forecast?.

Mild cases of frostbite started to show on mushers and dogs, even though both were dressed as warm as possible. Mushers became quite creative in protecting their dogs from the elements. Since many racers didn?t expect the sudden cold spell, they didn?t bring dog coats. Those coats are specially designed to keep the modern racing dogs, which are often crossbred with shorthaired hounds or pointers, warm and comfortable. Spectators who have seen the teams heading to La Ronge might have noticed a wide variety of dog coat supplements. Dogs were dressed in neckwarmers, towels and... underwear.

The news page of the Canadian Challenge reported on Friday night: ?If you are in the Weyakwin area and need some new underwear, don?t bother stopping there to buy any. They are sold out. It seems that some of the dogs were getting frostbitten in certain areas and the musher decided to buy his dogs a little protection.?The head Race Vet, Rekha Trembath, commented that she was very impressed that the teams were able to deal with these conditions with only some minor cases of frostbite. The first time in the history of the Canadian Challenge all teams that left Prince Albert finished the first leg of the race and were able to attend the restart on Saturday after a mandatory lay-over in La Ronge. The 12-dog teams left at 11 am in a mass start on the ice by Patterson Park. Joined by the nine 6-dog teams that had left an hour earlier racers were heading back to Prince Albert, now with a much more comfortable temperature of minus 18.

The first team to arrive at the finish line was Bart De Marie from Belgium. After 25 hours and 16 minutes on the trail he won the six dog event with dogs from Tomkins Sled Dogs Kennel. Bart de Marie came to Canada in 2005 to watch his brother Stefaan race in the Canadian Challenge, who also raced this years Challenge with Tomkins? Dogs. In September 2005 he came back to run it himself, coached by Stewart Elliot and Jim Tomkins. The first twelve dog team to arrive was Jessi Royer from Fairbanks, Alaska. Although the 12-dog event left in Prince Albert, it was only timed on the way back. Jessi Royer, who won the first Canadian Challenge in 1998 arrived after 24 hrs and 23 minutes. Jessi Royer is on her way to the Iditatrod, the world?s longest sled dog race, where she will compete for the 5th time. See race results for more information.

-Miriam Koerner, for The Northerner