麻豆社区

Mushing fans, young and old alike, packed the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre last night, seeking a rare chance to get up close and personal with their favourite Yukon Quest mushers.

The 26 mushers set to compete in this year's race signed autographs, exchanged handshakes, and posed for pictures with those in attendance.

Conrad Andrei, a Grade 7 student at Selkirk Elementary, attended the Meet the Mushers event with his parents and siblings.

The 12-year-old was thrilled to meet musher Dyan Bergen, a Quest rookie from Yellowknife, N.W.T. Andrei has been studying Bergen's career in school, as part of a class project on the Yukon Quest.

"It was pretty cool,鈥� he said. "I studied her background and how well she's done in the sport. I think it's a pretty cool sport. I kind of like it.鈥�

On the other end of the spectrum was 73-year-old Harriet Rogan, the mother of another Quest rookie musher, Susan Rogan.

Harriet travelled from Penticton, B.C., to volunteer in the race for the fifth time.

"There's an energy involved with this race,鈥� she told the Star. "It's the energy of the Yukon. It's a big thing, and it's so terrific. I only wish this was bigger in the rest of the country.

"I keep saying I should move up here. It's more my style.鈥�

Harriet said she was very proud of her daughter, a Whitehorse resident, and one of five mushers representing the Yukon in this year's Quest.

Fans and relatives across North America will be cheering her on, she said.

"I just tell her 鈥榊ou do as well as you can, and that'll be enough.'鈥�

While fans and a reported 55 members of the media packed the venue, it was the mushers who took centre stage.

With race day only two days away, all mushers have now arrived in Whitehorse to begin their last-minute preparations.

Jake Berkowitz, 26, rolled into the Yukon capital two hours prior to the event.

"This is just a really fun night,鈥� he said. "You know the race isn't for two to three days 鈥� it's a little bit of a party and a chance for the fans to see us out of our real focused dog element.鈥�

The Alaskan musher from Big Lake finished fourth in last year's Quest, and won rookie of the year. He was tagged this week as a pre-race favourite by defending champion Hugh Neff.

"I think Hugh's a smart musher and he sees his competition,鈥� Berkowitz said.

"We're here to win, and Hugh saying we're here to win 鈥� I don't take that lightly. I think the dogs deserve the respect. They put on a great show last year.鈥�

The sophomore musher will run this Quest with all but one of the same dogs that finished last year's 1,000-mile marathon.

"This is definitely the best dog team I've ever driven,鈥� he said. "I just have to hold them together until the finish line. You really have to respect this race. But we're going to race to win. But you know, there's a lot of other dog teams that are here to do the same thing, and we just have to put on our best show.鈥�

Berkowitz said beside the annual favourites like Neff, Lance Mackey and Allen Moore, he expects strong showings from Alaskans Brent Sass and rookie Scott Smith.

Amongst the veteran mushers, 55-year-old David Dalton will tie a major Quest record when he leaves the starting chute at Shipyards Park Saturday.

Dalton is scheduled to race his 23rd Quest, which will tie him with local legend Frank Turner for most all-time.

"That just means it's a way of life that I enjoy, and I'm really blessed to continue on to do this,鈥� he said.

Dalton said it will be an honour to match Turner for most appearances, and said he hopes to convince the former champ to come back from retirement for an "oldtimers鈥� edition of the Quest next year.

He chuckled while recollecting his Quest memories. After a "stressful鈥� first Quest in 1988, he sold all of his dogs and equipment. Six months later, he purchased a team of yearlings and returned to the sport for good.

Dalton appreciated the large turnout for the 30th anniversary.

"Every year, it seems like at Meet the Mushers, we get more and more people getting involved and coming out, meeting the mushers and getting their autographs, so it's really been a really successful event.鈥�

The starting positions for the 18 YQ300 mushers were also chosen last night.

Race rookie Tamra Reynolds stepped up first and drew No. 1, meaning she will head out of the chute first on Saturday.

A total of 18 mushers will compete in this year's YQ300, which starts at 3 p.m. and follows the Quest trail.

Tonight, the Quest mushers starting positions will be determined at a Quest banquet at the Yukon Convention Centre.