麻豆社区

Another chapter in the battles of Grizzly and Nahanni was written yesterday at the finale of the Yukon鈥檚 summer mushing series.

The two nine-year-old dogs pulled their respective owners to a tie in the season-ender, completing the one-dog, one-mile bikejor race at the Takhini Hot Springs with identical times of 5:10. The tie kept Grizzly and Darryl Sheepway鈥檚 unbeaten streak in the one-mile race intact this season with three wins and two ties.

鈥淚 wanted my dog to win every race he ran,鈥� said Sheepway, 36.

鈥淭echnically, we didn鈥檛 do it, but we had a good season.鈥�

Meanwhile, Nahanni and owner Cynthia Corriveau were happy to join Sheepway in the winner鈥檚 circle.

Their dogs鈥� rivalry has spanned many years, said Corriveau, 29.

鈥淎lways he wins,鈥濃�圕orriveau laughed. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 always very close.鈥�

In the two-mile bikejor race, Corriveau beat Sheepway handily, with her two dogs 鈥� Foxy and Karma (a future Nahinni, she says) 鈥� pulling her to victory in 9:37.

Sheepway was second across the line in 10:25, four seconds ahead of his wife, Katherine.

While Corriveau said it was nice to win, it is the stories from the trail shared post-race that make her happy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see all of our training pay off,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd I do have a winning attitude hidden inside.鈥�

While the adrenaline-pumping sport of bikejoring makes for a thrill-a-minute adventure, Corriveau said the sport can also be dangerous.

During last season鈥檚 race finale at the hot springs, she suffered a concussion in a fall.

Sheepway said success in bikejoring is as much about luck as it is about owning a dog that knows the trail and responds quickly to commands.

鈥淕rizzly likes being competitive,鈥� he said of his reliable husky-hound.

鈥淗e鈥檚 the reason we win races. I just hang on behind him.鈥�

The race at the hot springs was originally scheduled to happen Sept. 21, but was postponed due to rain.

Weather was not a factor in yesterday鈥檚 race, although pre-race rain did leave the trail muddy in some areas.

Following the race festivities, participants received free passes for a warm soak in the spring.

An introductory clinic held prior to the race was well-attended, said Sheepway, president of the Dog Powered Sports Association of the Yukon (DPSAY).

鈥淲e鈥檝e held beginner clinics at our last two events, which were well-attended both times,鈥濃�圫heepway said. 鈥淭oday, nine people had a try at it so we鈥檙e really pleased with the response.鈥�

Florian Lill was one of the rookie participants, running to a third-place finish with his dog Hayley in the one-mile canicross event.

The 20-year-old German spent the last three months volunteering at Muktuk Adventures getting his 鈥渄og fix.鈥�

Lill said he enjoyed the run, especially the powerful pull from the husky harnessed to his waist.

鈥淚鈥坵as going as fast as I could go,鈥� he said of the experience. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 keep up.鈥�

Simi Morrison won the canicross event with the help of her puppy, Naya.

The duo crossed the finish line in 8:50.

鈥淚鈥檓 not coming for the competition,鈥� said Morrison, 43. 鈥淚鈥檓 here for the social aspect.鈥�

She said she prefers canicross over bikejoring because 鈥測ou have more control running.鈥�

Damarais Riedwyl and Lill finished second and third in 9:28 and 9:35, respectively.

In total, 13 mushers participated in the day鈥檚 events. Mushers will now take a break from competition until there is enough snow on the ground to start the winter Twister series.

Sheepway expects the first race to take place in December, adding that the DPSAY鈥坆oard is hoping to add a few more middle-distance events to the schedule this season.