Sled dog race jumps into the game

This is the 12th year Zintel has been a part of the race and explained there were no big surprises except for the snow.

“Weather is what we expected; -30 C,” Zintel said. “It was a lot of snow, a lot of hard trail work and the rest of it is just a lot of fun trying to get it all together and we did it.”

When asked who he thought would be a winner of the 12-dog sled race he just chuckled and said “all of them.”

“I can’t pick anybody in particular. I know a lot of the mushers and we’ll just leave to fight it our when they’re out there,” he continued.

One of the racers who are not new to the trail is Gerry Walker, wearing bib No. 1, from Pierceland, SK.

“I’m feeling good; confident. I got a strong dog team – I’ve run this race quite a few times. I know the trail. I know what we’re in for and I think we can handle it,” he said.

Walker has nine Canadian Challenge Sled Dog races under his belt including three wins and he’s returned come home from a 563 kilometre race in Montana.

All decked out in his winter gear and fear trim hood, he said he’ll be leading his team with his dogs Lincoln and Clyde, explaining with a coy smile that it was a tactful decision because Clyde has won the race twice in the past.

In comparison to the other Canadian Challenges, he said this race should be similar to others, even with the cold temperatures.

However, he does note snow may prove a little difficult.

“More snow I hear up North might present some problems,” he said, but added his dogs are “ready to roll.”

One of the spectators who are ready to see these dogs and their mushers “roll” is Pat Macauley who has attended the past four or five races with her granddaughter.

“It’s kind of an annual thing that we do every year. My granddaughter comes down from Creighton and she brings a friend. We used to go down to Central Avenue, which is a little warmer than it is today,” she chuckled.

Macauley is stationed in northern Saskatchewan and explained dog teams are a part of her life.

“They’re exciting and you don’t see those every day. You don’t see those all over the world. You see them in Saskatchewan, you see them in Alaska of course, but I think it’s quite a novelty. It’s wonderful; it’s great!” Macauley said, smiling as she glanced over a line of dogs waiting to show off what they do best.

The 16th annual Canadian Challenge began with a ceremonious lighting of the red lantern, which will stay lit until the last sled dog team crosses the finish line 510 km away in La Ronge.

An addition to the race, which is different from previous years, is the ability for the public to track the sled dogs teams online thanks to a special spot GPS attached to the 12-dog and eight-dog sleds.

“People … can get on the internet and they can follow it, there’s GPS trackers, they can follow the progress of all the mushers. If it’s too cold to be out here they can sit at home and follow along the computer,” Walker said.

Mushers will split a purse of more than $25,000 with $6,000 going to the 12-dog champion.

For more information, visit the Canadian Challenge website or to view a full gallery of paNOW's photos visit our gallery.

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84

by Sarah Stone

Sled dog race jumps into the game

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