Fresh from the Trail

Lynx and Cousteau lead Harvery Van P's team of pensioners - half are over 10

Best dressed team: Laura Lucas with Gray and Sammy leading Team Pom Pom

Jo Van Randen's Sweet Pea and Fred


















Spot and Flash keep Martine Didier on the trail

Trevor Braun pumps behind Shipton and Ginger



























Buzz and Ribs lead Ray Zadain

Martine Didier finishes her hand

After the finish

Genesee Keevil rewards her team

Pickles dreams about how to spend Will Van Randen's winnings - new collar, harness, tail braiding



Kyla schmoozing with the best of them
posted by Jessica Simon

H. Coyne Race Day Official Finishes

12-Mile Twister

all 4 dog sleds except as noted

1. Jonathan Lucas, 2 dog skis 56:45
2. Kyla Boivin 59:14
3. Darrel Sheepway, 3 dog skis 59:47
4. Drew Spicer 1:03:30
5. Maren Bradley 1:03:31
6. Katie Young 1:06:05
7. Michelle Phillips 1:08:09
8. Linda Lewis, 2 dog skis 1:08:53
9. Marie Claude Leroux 1:10:06
10. Marine Gastard 1:10:35
11. Genesee Keevil 1:11:08
12. Ian Stewart 1:12:38
13. Kirstie Falkevitch 1:14:23
14. Kate Weeks 1:16:56
15. Alexie Ducastel 1:34:09

Racers also took home prizes from Aurora Booties, Dazhaw Du ointments, Midnight Sun alpaca boot liners (mmmm, warm) and T-Shirts from Yukon Agriculture Association and Yukon Brewing.

Kids 5 km

1. Erin Spicer 13:51
   
2. Keegan Hopkins 15:01
3. Jeff Diment 16:13
   
4. Haley McCloud 18:45

Pet Dog 5 km

1. Asha 19:46
   

Next month's Copper Haul is December 21, Oscar's Electric Race Day, Registration 9.15am, Musher's Meeting at 9:30 a.m. 

Don't miss Yukon Brewing, Hot Hounds Dryland, and Air North's Reach for the Sky and Take the Beer race up and over Mount MacIntyre on December 14, and First Mate's Freight Pull on Dec 14th also (whilst all the tough people are sloggin up that hill - not me says Jon, me n Asha (well Asha really) are doing the Freight Pull!!

posted by Jessica Simon

Growler 1-Mile 1-Sled Dog

Bikejorers Irie and Wendy Morrison. Timers Gene Ennis and Mel Bedard at the Start Line. Go Team!


Dino and Jocelyn

Thanks for the pictures Stefan!

Growler 2-dog 2-Mile Pictures

Dino and Little Otis team up for Jocelyn


Crispin and his magic team - Banshee and Witch

Stefan Wackerhagen photos

Growler Formula One

Pia and Levi lead Dave's 10-dog Formula One team

Cruising through the backwoods. Check out Jonathan's tentacle toque.

photos by Stefan Wackerhagen - Thanks Stefan!

Growler Race Report

I've slathered moisturizer on my sunburn and I'm treating snowblindness with soggy teabags after the season finale of the Hot Hounds Dry(snow)land Race Series.

Ten dog boxes pulled into our parking lot at 2 p.m. and by 2:30 the first teams let loose on the 1 Mile Pet Dog course. Jonathan took the award for outrageous headgear, from his jester cap and octopus toque to grizzly dog ears on his helmet. He also took first prize, over Wendy Morrison's fabulous ride on a a thin coat of cold fresh snow. "I fell once," she said and landed in the moss. "It was soft, thank God." Scooterman Fabian Schmitz took the red lantern on his first race ever.

Race veteran Jocelyn and running mate Valerie had an eventful 1 Mile Sled Dog run. Valerie's Dino is not a solo runner, so at the last minute Jocelyn offered to switch with Little Otis. Dino gave Jocelyn an uphill battle, while Valerie and Little Otis sailed by with ease.

Jocelyn's reward came in the 2-Mile 2-Dog. Together, Little Otis and Dino whipped around the trail tails up. Meanwhile, bikejorer Crispin and his ghost team Witch and Banshee, born on Hallowe'en, fishtailed in the corners and skidded around curves to post a finish four seconds faster than the motorized class.

Formula One drivers scouted the trail in a quick spin on their ATVs before the race that Dave Johnson won with 10 Streeper dogs. "I was going to take twelve, but after looking at some of those turns..., they're pretty sharp," he said in the staging area. Even so, they rocketed around the trail ahead of Laura Lucas and newcomer Christy Oullette.

Arctic Char and dogs (hot) were on the grill for the post-race pot luck with plenty of our sponsor's beverages. Thanks to everyone who brought a dish to share and our sponsors; Yukon Brewing for the Growler jugs, Dazhaw Du Chiropractic Clinic for the Traumeel - highly recommended by the Yukon Quest, Aurora Booties for the ever popular dog collars, and Eagle Pack foods. Without your support we wouldn't have a league!

And a special thanks to our perennial hosts Icy Waters where the Copper Haul Season opens on November 23. Timer Gene Innis reminded teams that races are planned for Rendezvous and we'll Reach for the Sky again this year. So, wax your skis and sew your booties; the dogs have a full winter ahead.
posted by Jessica Simon