YUKON’ER BATTLES IN CARIBOO CHALLENGE DOG SLED RACES

Whistlers Richard Crittenden Takes the Money
 
 
Jan 10, 2010

108 Mile Ranch, BC…The Jack Gawthorn  Memorial Dog Sled Races were run on the shores of 108 Lake at the 108  Lake Historic Site in front of large crowds  on Jan. 9-10, 2010.    Australian Richard Crittenden of Whistler BC was the big cash winner  winning both the  Open 4 Dog & Open 6 Dog Team races, however it was a duel with Yukoner Dave Johnson through-out the weekend.     The prestigious Open 8 Dog race was won by Dave Johnson from the Yukon  who also took 2nd in the 4 & 6 Dog Open Race behind Whistlers’ Crittenden.        

The 48 mushers  of all ages & featuring many women, competed for $5000 cash plus other prizes and came from the  Australia, Germany, Austria, Yukon, Alberta,  & across BC to compete on what many said was the “best trail ever”.   Female mushers were also dominant,  Nicole Swan took 1st prize in the 4 Dog Pure Bred Class, Quesnels’ Mona Penner took 3rd in the PureBred Class,  while Alberta’s Brooke Hartum took  2nd in the high profile  Open 8 Dog plus 3rd in the Open 4 Dog Class.

Mushers competed with 8 dog, 6 dog, & 4 dog teams, plus Ski-Jouring and a Weight Pull in front of the very historic series of log buildings that were once part of the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail, providing a team change location for the many stage coaches & freight wagons that worked BC’s  first major transportation route.   The venue created a photographers dream with the sights of the husky dogs, the historic buildings &  frozen 108 Mile Lake in the background, highlighted by the largest long barn in North America.

A well organized committee with strong community support set the stage for the resurgence of the event which is in its 18th year and is named after a legendary musher named Jack Gawthorn who disappeared through the ice on Lang Lake near 100 Mile House in 1991 while taking his dog team out for a late winter training run across the lake.
Full results are available as well as many pictures, video’s on youtube.   

 If you would like any further information on the Cariboo Challenge “Jack Gawthorn Memorial Dog Sled Race”, or if you would like information on dog sledding vacations or day trips, please contact Pat Corbett at pat@thehillshealthranch.com, or phone 1-800-668-2233