Skip to content

Twenty six names added to Senator's Cup

At the rate it's going, it won't be long before the Senator's Cup needs another tier added to the trophy to fit all the names being engraved on it.
senatorcup

At the rate it’s going, it won’t be long before the Senator’s Cup needs another tier added to the trophy to fit all the names being engraved on it.

A total of 26 new honourees are about to be etched on the trophy following the 31st annual Klondike Trail of ‘98 International Road Relay over the weekend.

The Senator’s Cup, which commemorates those who have completed all 10 legs of the 176.5-kilometre race from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, is getting full.

There will be a total of 160 names on it when this year’s honourees are engraved.

“I think in the years to come you’re going to find a lot more (added to the Cup),” said Senator Dan Lang of the Yukon, who donated the Cup in 2010. “People are actually planning, so I’ll be surprised if there’s not a lot more each year. I ran across three or four - or even more - people who said, ‘I’ve only got three more to go’ or ‘two more to go.’

“It kind of gives you an indication that the sense of accomplishment is important to each one of us that go out every year. The Senator’s Cup is the final leg of a project one starts.”

Four of this year’s honourees have completed the 10-leg journey in just a decade.

Teslin’s Rob Dobson, Whitehorse’s Jeanette Gallant, Juneau’s John Kern and Palmer, Alaska’s Ron Stokes all ran in the relay for the first time in 2004.

Douglas, Alaska’s Susie Norvell and Juneau’s Guy Thibodeau have been running for the Cup the longest. They both ran their first leg back in 1987.

Senator Lang’s name is already on the Senator’s Cup. He ran his first leg in 1994 and is now six legs through completing all 10 legs a second time.

“The most important aspect to me is that it represents fitness,” said Lang. “We Canadians have to get a lot more serious about this because our health-care system can’t take the serious strains that are on it. Each and everyone of us, if we get out and take care of our fitness, we’ll feel better and it’s a lot better for you and I the taxpayer.”

Over 1,350 runners on 147 teams took part in this year’s relay. Whitehorse teams won seven divisions this year, including Scarecrow, which won its fourth consecutive open division title.

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com