Jesse Terry will be a back-to-back Canadian Challenge winner if he maintains the lead in this year's race. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

final stretch

Canadian Challenge mushers reach La Ronge, Terry on final push to Missinipe

Feb 22, 2023 | 5:25 PM

Jesse Terry, the 2022 Canadian Challenge winner, is currently in first place in this year’s edition of the 10-dog race.

He left the La Ronge checkpoint just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday and is now on the final stretch towards Missinipe. The 322-kilometre race began Tuesday at noon in Elk Ridge, with other checkpoints in Weyakwin and the 969 Wilderness Camp.

Terry, of Sioux Lookout, Ont., arrived in La Ronge at 7:45 a.m. where he remained throughout the day for a mandatory eight-hour stop. He said the trail coming to town was cold throughout the night as the temperature fell to -36 C, but felt more like -46 C.

“It was a beautiful sunrise this morning coming into La Ronge,” he said. “Every time I have come to La Ronge, in the last three times now, it has been by dog team and it’s a pretty special way to travel up here. It was really nice. It was a really cool run. Everyone did really well. I had all my layers on keeping me warm.”

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Following Terry in the race is Rhonda Heerschap of Nolalu, Ont., who is an hour and 15 minutes behind. In third place is Mary England of Sioux Lookout, Ont., La Ronge’s Ragnar Robinson in fourth, American Christina Gibson is in fifth and Garrick Schmidt of Kennedy, Sask. is in sixth. All those mushers have reached the La Ronge checkpoint with the final two coming in around 4 p.m.

The trail proved to be too much for Maxime Berthou-Queau of Porcupine Plain, Sask., and Leon Church of Bowsman, Man., however, as both mushers withdrew from the race between the 969 Wilderness Camp and La Ronge. Berthou-Queaun was the only musher registered for the 482-kilometre Iditarod qualifier.

“Each one has their different reasons, but you’re always going to be doing it in the best interest of the dogs,” race treasurer Tanja Tabel said.

The sounds of dogs in La Ronge’s Patterson Park can be heard from a distance. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

These dogs slept on hay during a mandatory eight-hour stop in La Ronge. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“Temperatures often play a role, the weather, that sort of thing, so sometimes the dogs are just tired out. There’s always more than one factor that plays into that kind of thing and it is never an easy decision to scratch out. You’re always going to do it for your dogs.”

If all goes as planned, Terry will arrive in Missinipe at approximately 10 p.m. The winner will receive $4,313 with the runner up getting $2,588.

All mushers are wearing trackers and their progress can be followed on the Canadian Challenge website.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno