Icy Waters Ltd Race Day Cool and Moist - but spirits undampened

Maren Bradley with Screaming Beagle Lazarus leading the way in the 4 mile 2 dog!!

Will leads Floren to first place in the Canicross, and both win loads of Arctic Charr!

(all photos thanks to Laura Jane Lucas)

With temperatures approaching what some would term "humane" (forgetting that dogs also run around in the tropics) the 3rd Hot Hounds meet at Icy Waters Ltd saw competitors in all 4 classes. The recent rain had made the initial half mile of muddy "S" bends a slippery proposition, but in fact no one crashed and the Yukon Brewing sympathy prize went unclaimed, although Ringo might have won prettiest Pup in his first race ever.


Pretty Boy ran a close second to Asha the Rottie in the 1 pet dog over 1.75 miles, but just wasn't fast enough. With one race to go and Asha now unbeaten in every race this summer it appears a Rottie is going to be Queen of the Hot Hounds Pet Dog class. C'mon, there must be self-respecting pet dog out there that can run faster than a Rottweillor!

Asha leads Pretty Boy down the slope (not Jon, Ringo, the prettier one further back...)



Some Pet Dogs of course, aren't competitive at all and just like to go along for a walk....



The next race is out at Fast Kennel, Haines Junction, home of Fast Dogs (just because it's written, doesn't make it so) owner Sean Fitzgerald. To get there turn left at the Muffin, then proceed about 4km down the old gravel Alaska Highway. Yukon Brewing are providing the prizes for this one, so I expect they will be wrapped in glass - if you're not going to win, bring your own to the Pot Luck BBQ! Race Meet at 2pm, Saturday October 20th.

Photos to follow, (all photos by Laura Jane Lucas) which will of course make the captions up there a little clearer, your techno-luddite here is having a little trouble with the ol' Blogmaster

Many thanks to Icy Waters Ltd for their offices, and great prizes of Arctic Charr fillets to the value of $100 per place, and also to Aurora Booties for the Dog Jackets, Booties and Collars - these are becoming quite lucrative races!

RESULTS

The blatantly incorrect "1 Mile" (make that 1.75) Races:

Canicross

1) - Will - Floren Antras - 14m 11s - legs

1 Pet Dog

1) - Asha - Jon Lucas - 10m 19s - scooter

2) - Ringo - Janet Keller - 12m 20s - bike

3) - Luna - Maren Bradley - 26m 50s - bike

1 Sled Dog

1) - Indy - Janet Keller - 13m 40s - bike

4 mile (3.5) 2 Sled Dog Race

1) Lazarus & Nanuk - Maren Bradley - 19m 33s - bike

See you all out in Haines Junction...if you think your dogs are Hot enough! I have no idea what that trails are like, I gratefully leave that to soon to be father of two (yes, an instant family!) Mr Sean "Fat Dogs" Fitzgerald!!

Race is ON!!!

Meet 5pm, Saturday 15th Sept, Icy Waters Ltd offices. km 4.2 Fish Lake Rd. : 4 races - Canicross, 1 Pet Dog, 1 Sled Dog, and 2 Sled dogs. Prizes are Arctic Charr and goodies from Aurora Booties.
Bring your wheels (or legs), dogs, $10, and pot luck BBQ food for a great evening of fun and exercise - you know it makes sense!

Aurora Booties Sponsors Hot Hounds & upcoming Twister

Aurora Booties of Whitehorse have kindly donated collars, booties, and dog jackets to the remaining 2 (possibly 3 - keep watching this space!) Hot Hounds Dryland Races, and also to the upcoming Yukon Brewing Copper Haul Twister League of six races. More details to follow

Remember: it pays to buy local!



Contact Cindy via aurorabooties@northwestel.net for all your dog teams' booties, collars, jackets, as well as warm fur hats, slippers, and mits for yourselves

ICY WATERS LTD - RACE 3: SAT SEPT 15TH, 5PM

Set beside the swamplands of MacIntyre Marsh, these races start above Icy Waters in the trees off the Haekel Hill Road. If it's been raining the first 500m are going to be a bit slick (ask Dave Desmarais, his training "crash n splash" in there would certainly have won the Yukon Brewing best crash sympathy prize if it happened in a race. But it didn't, so no prize, better luck in the race). After this winding through the trees the trail opens out onto the Copper Haul up to the old landfill. Here the 1 milers (Canicross, 1 Pet dog, 1 Sled dog) complete a small loop and shoot straight back to the finish - which isn't at the start line - aha! don't worry, it will be well marked. Beware the two earth moguls on the way back and the steep final 50m down to the finish. There will be water at this turnaround.

For the delight and edification of the 2 sled dog entrants running 4 miles the trail continues into the dump after the water stop. This is relatively twisty, and includes the turn where last season Jon Lucas's Snowpigs team successfully schemed to roll a three wheeler over him....twice in one attempt. Well done dogs, I say, do it again, but better next time. The trail then opens onto the old landfill access road in a gentle downhill for a good half mile, then a sharp right (that's a "Gee" for the Team Leaders reading this) back into the trees and a shallow, muddy creek to cross. Then it's pretty much packed earth all the way home over those moguls, the downhill to the finish, and a cool refreshing beverege for the dogs whilst the monkeys prepare dinner.

"GET MORE BEER!"


Potluck BBQ after the race.

Icy Waters Ltd produces delicious Artic Charr, available for sale to the public, and are putting up Frozen Fillets and Frozen Dressed Fish as prizes for monkeys; and secondary processing products (heads and racks left from the filleting process) as prizes for the dogs. Call 668 7012 for more details, or check out the website at www.icywaters.com.

Yukon Brewing provide a very fashionable T-shirt for the monkey having the most spectacular wipe-out.

Eat and drink their locally produced products! and don't forget Phillipe's Bike Repair can fix anything at very reasonable prices as well as selling the bikes, body armour and helmets you need for this non-contact sport (honest) - ask anyone involved, what's a few scrapes and bruises anyway, it's only a flesh wound. If this charging around on wheels with dogs is not for you then do a bit of gardening with Yukon Garden's plants, seeds and garden hardware, although I've often wished for a bit of body armour after stepping on the rake....

So, see you all at the Icy Waters Ltd offices for the race meeting, 5pm, Saturday September 15th...if you think you're hot enough

"AHHHH! THAT'S GOOD"