Inside
u Small team, big results P. 4/5 u National bursary for local P. 2
u Big snow = Big Air P. 6 u Sr. Girls Bball P. 7
Publications Mail Contract #: 40007759
PHONE: 996-8482 www.caledoniacourier.com
WEDNESDAY, March 6, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS
Spring forward Do not forget to turn the clock forward one hour when you go to bed on March 9. On Sunday, March 10, daylight saving time will move the clock forward at 2 a.m. to become 3 a.m.. While it robs people of one precious hour of sleep, it also means brighter mornings after it comes into effect.
Webinar for FSJ business Safe Harbour: Respect for All is a webinar workshop being offered on March 7 at 10 a.m.. The free workshop is to help businesses support diversity. The webinar workshop intends to highlight the business case for diversity by exploring the benefits of equitable treatment for all and providing an immediate safe refuge for anyone in distress or who is facing discrimination. To register or for more information, contact Kathie Kealy, OARH Program Coordinator, at 250-9967078 / kealyk@cnc. bc.ca or drop into the Learning Hub (Goodwin Building - #122 250 Stuart Drive).
VOL. 36 NO. 01 $1.34 inc. GST
Classic photo finish
Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier
There was tough competition in the Caledonia Classic stage race over the weekend. It was a neck and neck race for Saturday in the stage race, with Fort St. James musher Craig Houghton and Sam Palfrey of Quesnel fighting hard for first place on Friday and Saturday. Houghton had finished less than 27 seconds ahead of Palfrey to take first place on the Friday. On Saturday, Houghton was poling hard from his sled with his team one dog down. One of his younger dogs was played out, and Houghton put him in the sled to finish the race, adding to the weight the others must pull. The depleted team, helped along by Houghton’s poling, lost their place as Palfrey pressed forward at the finish, the two teams vying for position right up until the final metres. “That was kind of neat actually,” said Houghton. “I’d never had a race finish like that.” Houghton went into the third stage on Sunday with a lead of less than 30 seconds separating him from Palfrey, but he had to leave behind his main lead dog due to a sore wrist. While Houghton struggled to get his team organized in the first miles of the race, changing things around to find a new dog to lead the team, he did manage to catch up to Palfrey, but could not maintain pace with Palfrey and over the final 20 miles, Palfrey made up 12 minutes on Houghton. “He just had the stronger dog team,” said Houghton.
In the end, Palfrey took first in the stage with a total time of 14 hours, four minutes and 34.01 seconds. “He deserved that first place without a doubt,” said Houghton. Houghton took second with a total time of 14 hours, 16 minutes and 31.62 seconds. Houghton will now be heading to Yellowknife just before spring break to race in the Diavik 150, a 150-mile race, and in a 50-mile sevendog run after. But Houghton said the Caledonia Classic is a unique race in some respects because it is so well-supported and almost every musher always finishes their race, while in some up to 20 per cent of racers do not finish. Every year Houghton looks forward to the race day “like a 10-year-old at Christmas” and said the race is a highlight of his year. The entire three-day event, in its 14th year running, went off well, despite pre-race concerns over warm temperatures and lack of snow, and Houghton credits the crew of volunteers who bring it all together. With not only great local volunteers who put in work throughout the year, but also a dedicated class from the UNBC Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management Course which has come out each year to help. This year, 18 students and their instructor came, and students from all over were able to enjoy a unique northern experience. There were students from France, Germany, Mexico, Norway and of course B.C, and they helped with everything from
Craig Houghton (left) poles his team towards the finish as Sam Palfrey begins to pass him (right) just before the finish line on Saturday, Feb. 23. Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier
dog handling to building the steps to the viewing platform for the announcer, Joanne Vinnedge, who kept up an animated commentary on everything from dog sledding action to humorous anecdotes. There were many great highlights to the dogsledding action in addition to the tight stage race. Junior World Champion Rachel Kinvig of Whitehorse, Yukon, took first place in the six-dog sprints both Saturday and Sunday. She also took first in the four-dog sprint on Sunday, but lost out to Dave Johnson by 15 seconds on the Saturday. Dave Johnson won the 10-dog race against Fort St. James musher Ian Kitchen. The fourth annual Politician’s Race was won by Mackenzie Mayor Stephanie Killem, being driven in a sled by Petra Perrino. Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad put in a solid run this year finishng his race running a sled himself, after falling off the sled in two previous years. Rustad only had three dogs (where everyone else had four or the six for Perrino and Kil-
lem because there were two people to pull) he still came in with a smile on his face. Mayor Rob MacDougall came in third in the race also running a sled himself, and it was the first time he had been on a dogsled. Reining champion Tom Greenaway of the Regional District came in second running his own sled. The detailed weekend results can be found on the Caledonia Classic’s new blog page, which posted updates throughout the day of the stage race and sprints: caledoniaclassic.blogspot.ca
Above right: A participant in the Kid and Mutt race waits for the start. Above: MLA John Rustad heads for the finish in the Politician’s Race. Below: Dogs watch from their cubbyholes on a musher truck. More photos onlne at: www.caledoniacourier.com Ruth Lloyd Photos