By Taylor MacPherson

Peck hours ahead of competition in Canadian Challenge

Feb 22, 2017 | 4:00 PM

The Canadian Challenge sled dog race is well underway in northern Saskatchewan, and the mushers have made good progress since starting in Elk Ridge Tuesday evening.

“They’re moving along quite well,” Race President Gill Gracie said. “Some are resting at some of the checkpoints, but no problems yet.”

Gracie said a few mushers have been forced to scratch dogs from the competition due to the icy conditions, which are hard on the canines’ joints, but said that was expected due to the meagre snowfall along many areas of the course.

Currently, Grande Prairie musher Aaron Peck is leading the charge in the gruelling 12-dog category. Peck passed the La Ronge checkpoint early this morning, four hours ahead of the nearest competitors, and will head north to Grandmother’s Bay and Stanley Mission before turning south again to the finish line back in La Ronge. Jennifer Campeau and Jason Campeau are in second and third place, respectively, with just a few minutes between them.

Yellowknife musher Marcel Martin has a comfortable lead in the shorter 8-dog event. Martin hit the checkpoint at Harold’s Cabin more than two hours before the next mushers arrived. Anna Bolvin and Jillian Lawton are running second and third.

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The mushers are competing for thousands of dollars in prize money, and the chance to qualify for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest, the two most famous events in the sport.

This year the race distance was shortened slightly due to a lack of snow on the southern portion of the course. After moving the start from Prince Albert to Elk Ridge, the distance was shortened to 270 miles. Gracie said organizers will add a short additional leg following the finish, to ensure those hoping to qualify complete the required 300 miles.

You can follow each competitor’s progress live on the race’s official website.

Winter Festival sledding events cancelled

While the Canadian Challenge is proceeding well, the dog sledding events planned for the Prince Albert Winter Festival were cancelled due to lack of snow.

Festival President Barry Mihilewicz said organizers hoped for a last-minute snowfall, but in the end the races had to be called off.

“If we could run them on the street, with wheels, we’d probably be fine,” Mihilewicz joked.

A light dusting of snow Sunday night was enough to salvage family sledding day, Mihilewicz said, but with gravel and bare grass showing in places said there was “no way” the events could go ahead.

“It’s not safe for the dogs or the competitors,” Mihilewicz said, but noted the other outdoor events will still proceed as planned.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews