By Lisa Schick

Downtown going to the dogs

Jan 25, 2011 | 4:03 PM

Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race is all about dogs, snow and lots of distance.

Competitors in the 12-dog team race will start in downtown Prince Albert on Feb. 22 and end in Patterson Park, La Ronge by 6 a.m. Feb. 26.

Gill Gracie, President of the Gateway North Sled Dog Race Association, is happy about how preparations are coming for the event.

“We’re pretty excited about it, we think it’s going to be a pretty good race this year,” she said.

They have been vigilant in grooming the trails and are confident that it will go smoothly.

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There are 15 teams entered in the race already — 11 teams in the 12-dog race, three teams in the eight-dog race and one junior competitor.

Several of the teams are from Alberta and Manitoba.
“It’s a well-known signature event now … provincially and nationally,” said Gracie, about the race.

Four of the teams in the longer race are competing to qualify for larger races such as either the Iditarod or Yukon Quest.

These teams aren’t allowed any assistance along the trail until they cross the finish line on the Feb. 26.

While the race is important for fans of the sport Gracie said that the event has had a bit of trouble finding sponsorship this year.

“It’s kind of a vicious circle, the sponsors don’t like to come in unless there’s a good number of mushers for the race and the mushers don’t like to come, unless there’s a fairly decent purse and we can’t get the purse without the sponsors,” she said.

Despite this minor set-back the organizers are confident about the how the event will go, Gracie said.

“We always get a huge crowd downtown for the start of the race,” she said.

The teams will make their way up to Weyakwin then on to La Ronge where, the eight-dog team race end. Then the 12-dog teams will continue east through to Stanley Mission and back around to end in Patterson Park in La Ronge.

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