Over February 1st through the 5th, La Ronge had the pleasure of hosting the 10th annual Canadian Challenge International Dog Sled Race. The race, the longest held entirely within Canada, is also an official qualifier for both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod races.
This year was unique, as it is the first year that a junior race has been run. The junior challenge runs from Prince Albert to Elk Ridge, and was the brainchild of Tommy Bird, a Southend musher who hopes it will create interest among young people. Bird donated his own winnings from last year in order to create the junior challenge.
The junior challenge had one entrant this year, Natanis Charles, a 17-year-old from La Ronge, who has trained for this race since October.
Mushers struggled through bitter cold and harsh winds, with temperatures dropping below -30c overnight for the duration of the race. However, ten teams made it through to emerge victorious and with this incredible achievement under their belt.
The website for the Canadian Challenge is available at www.canadianchallenge.com
