If you’re a dog musher, the season’s first snow is probably a welcomed sight. The snow began to gently fall in the afternoon of Sept. 26, as the Dog Powered Sports Association of Yukon (DPSAY) hosted its final dryland dog races of the season.
The race was hosted at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre and began and finished outside the Ski Chalet’s wax room.
There were two race distances that mushers could canicross or bikejor, a one and two-mile race.
The race was hosted by volunteer Nadele Flynn, who said it is an area close to town where she enjoys running with her two dogs.
More a dryland specialist, Flynn said the trails through Mount McIntyre are great for that time of dog mushing.
“I’m always trying to find trails that are safe,” said Flynn. “I mean safe in terms of, I can go at the speed that I want to go.”
In dryland racing, Flynn said because of the shorter distances it is usually faster. The trails at Mount McIntyre, Flynn said, offered different challenges for every racer.
“It’s nice and wide, it’s got hills that are challenging but doable,” said Flynn. “The distance is just perfect for the kind of dryland style that I like, which is short and fast for one and two miles.”
The race had about 15 mushers and their teams out for the race.
| Greg Newby and his dog leave the start line of the Dog Powered Sport Association of Yukon's dryland races at Mount McIntyre. (John Tonin/Yukon News) |
Results:
One mile, one dog:
Greg Newby and his pooch took the canicross division of the race in 8:26. Kathryn McDonald placed second, followed by Jess Sears.
Flynn won the bikejoring class with a speedy time of 4:25. Joel Flemming, 4:56, earned the second spot and Cynthia Corriveau came third.
Two-mile, one-two dogs:
Tammy Kingston was the canicross winner finishing in 15:16. Placing three seconds behind Kingston was Newby. Annika Wählisch placed third.
Flemming moved up in the ranking in the two-mile race, earning the first spot in 6:38. Katherine Scheck, 7:03, was second and Adam Robinson earned third.
This was DPSAY’s final dryland race of the season and mushers will now focus on the upcoming winter season.
The organization has mapped out its winter season with two races tentatively scheduled before the new year.
On Dec. 5 DPSAY will host its 5-10 mile time trial, the location is to be decided. On Dec. 18, the Poker-Run, 25-mile race near Fish Lake and the Trans Canada trail is penciled in.
Contact John Tonin at john.tonin@yukon-news.com