麻豆社区

Fabian Schmitz, a mainstay on the local mushing circuit, has been named the new Yukon Quest operations manager of Whitehorse.

Schmitz, a board member with the Dog Powered Sports Association of the Yukon (DPSAY), brings years of experience and enthusiasm to the Quest office.

In the past year Schmitz has helped organize the majority of the DPSAY races while also competing in the events.

In the DPSAY AGM held in June, Schmitz was re-elected to the board for a second consecutive year.

Amil Dupuis-Rossi and Claudia Wickert were also re-elected as returning members.

In his time with DPSAY, Schmitz has organized, planned and managed five local races including the River Runner 100, an annual race from Whitehorse to Mendenhall and back again.

Fifteen teams signed up for the sled race in the RR100 and three teams competed in the newly implemented 105-kilomtre skijoring race.

In January, Schmitz was the man behind the Northern Tales Aura Twister Race, an 11-mile event that drew one of the largest turn-outs of the season.

Thirteen mushers and nine skijorers took part in the race, with David Johnson leading the way in the sled category while Stefan Wackerhagen was the top skijor.

Schmitz also competed in the Yukon Quest 300 in 2011 and has been a handler on the Yukon Quest trail for three years.

"Along with his in-depth knowledge of mushing and race logistics, Fabian has a hard working attitude and great event planning skills, which are crucial for his role as operations manager,鈥� said Marie-Sylvestre Belanger, Yukon Quest Executive Director in Yukon, in a press release.

"Having a team that works great together in the office was very important in the selection process, and I am delighted to welcome Fabian to the Quest family.鈥�

This year will mark the 30th running of the Quest, with the race set to depart from Whitehorse on Feb. 2.

So far eighteen mushers have signed up including Whitehorse's Normand Cassavant.

Cassavant was the first musher to register and has spent the past year training his dogs for the Quest.

This past season he won the RR100 with a time of nine hours and 38 minutes, more than an hour ahead of second place finisher and former Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt.

Four-time champion Lance Mackey has also singed up for the Quest, along with last year's second place finisher Allen Moore.