麻豆社区

The historical significance the late Babe Southwick made to sprint mushing was the cause of much celebration Sunday.

A largely grassroots effort ensured the 50th anniversary of the race named in Southwick鈥檚 honour went off without a hitch at Yukon Horsepacking Adventures on Fox Lake.

Host Armin Johnson slid to victory in the 15-mile event, earning a second straight inscription on the Babe Southwick Memorial Trophy.

鈥淚t was nice,鈥� he said of the victory. 鈥淓verybody came together for this thing to happen. It all came together. Everybody had to fight through the heat though. The dogs really had to work.鈥�

Johnson said the race has been held every year since 1965, except 2006 when there was a lack of snow, and 2007 when the Canada Winter Games were held here.

The Dog Powered Sports Association of the Yukon put on this year鈥檚 event, previously hosted by the Rendezvous society and staged in the Yukon capital.

C&D Feeds chipped in $500, which helped form a small race purse.

According to Star archives, the colourful Southwick and her dog team from Destruction Bay registered for the 1965 Sourdough Rendezvous race, then held over multiple days.

The 40-year-old secured a spot in the top-five after the first stage of the sprint race 鈥� but it proved to be the last race she would be on the runners for.

Southwick died of a heart attack later that night in her hotel room.

Her brother-in-law, the legendary Alex Van Bibber, completed Southwick鈥檚 final two races in her honour.

Some time later, the editor of the Edmonton Journal who was on hand for the races, donated a trophy in Southwick鈥檚 honour, which went on to be awarded to the team that completed the fastest lap each year.

The race was also renamed in Southwick鈥檚 honour that year.

Typically, the race is a part of the annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous festival, which celebrates the territory鈥檚 heritage and frontier spirit for a week in February.

Today, events such as the axe throw, chainsaw chuck, flour pack and crowning of Sourdough Sam and Rendezvous Queen are the main draw. The Snow Shoe Shufflers and Can Can line also prove wildly popular.

But Mandy Johnson said she still remembers when the Babe Southwick race was the highlight of the week.

鈥淭his race used to be huge,鈥� she said today. 鈥淚t used to be the biggest race in the country. People from all over came to this race in the 鈥�70s. There鈥檚 a lot of history to it.鈥�

Mandy Johnson said she had hoped to have the race take place under the Rendezvous banner again this year with two days of racing, but it wasn鈥檛 meant to be.

鈥淭he (Rendezvous) board basically said we didn鈥檛 have enough volunteers,鈥� she explained. 鈥淲e were obviously disappointed we couldn鈥檛 have it in Whitehorse where it should be ... It鈥檚 part of our heritage.

鈥淲e wanted to keep it part of Rendezvous and keep the tradition alive.鈥�

She hopes to see it return to the Rendezvous lineup in the future.

Mandy Johnson, who teamed up with her husband to host the race on their Fox Lake property, said 23 teams turned out for the event, which was followed by a potluck and awards ceremony.

Armin Johnson鈥檚 win ensured the trophy stayed in the family, as she had won the race in 2013 and 2012.

In a letter to the editor published in Tuesday鈥檚 Star, local resident Jessica Simon lauded the Johnsons for ensuring the tradition continued.

鈥淚t would have been a shame to have the races lapse in a landmark year,鈥濃�圫imon wrote.

A telephone message left with Rachel Morgan, executive director of the Rendezvous society, was not returned this morning.

Top results by category from Sunday鈥檚 50th Babe Southwick race are as follows:

15-mile sled race

1. Armin Johnson (54:34)
2. Marine Gastard (59:00)
3. Michael Badine (1:00:08)

15-mile skijor race

1. Katherine Sheepway (54:38)
2. Virginia Sarrazin (56:42)
3. Cynthia Corriveau (1:00:57)

Five-mile recreational race

1. Mandy Johnson (11:45)
2. Michael Badine (12:30)
3. Katherine Sheepway (12:35)