The fourth annual Aurora Ford Classic Sled Dog Race drew 18 teams from across the NWT to Hay River over the Feb. 26 to 27 weekend.

Jerry Voyageur of Fort Smith, finished first against 10 other mushers in the six dog class (21:05:26) and Danny Beaulieu of Fort Providence won in the 12-dog class (1:19:16:89) against six other racers.

The six dog race had mushers leaving the starting point in the ditch across from the Super A to the junction to Fort Smith and back.

The 12-dog class race is a 37-kilometre route to Enterprise but also involves a race back on Sunday. However, because of cold weather, the second half of that race did not take place this past weekend.

Danny Beck, one of the few Hay River mushers, had a seventh place finish in the 12-dog class race but said other than the Fort Providence race in January, he has had limited time to have his team out this year.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had no mile from my dogs,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey got sick immediately after the Providence race and I only ran them twice since then. They went all the way to Enterprise, which is very impressive for me.SA国际影视传媒�

Race marshal Sholto Douglas said organizers would have liked to have seen higher numbers attend but added that there were more than one reason why teams were unable to make it out this year, including other circuit taking place races and the price of gas being high for travel.

Public health limitations and southern competitors not being able to come were probably the major factor, however.

SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get the same numbers here because nothingSA国际影视传媒檚 opening up here until March 1,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to take a chance (to travel North) and find out that they canSA国际影视传媒檛 race here. So until things open up, for me, our health comes first in the north. I understand that.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we run these races, we make sure that we do that for the safety of our people.SA国际影视传媒�

Douglas said he was very impressed with the trail conditions and said it should make for quality racing at the KSA国际影视传媒檃mba CarnivalSA国际影视传媒檚 race next weekend.

SA国际影视传媒淚 have to take my hat off to the mushers and the people that made the trail,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was an excellent trail here and it was one of the best ISA国际影视传媒檝e ever seen over the years.SA国际影视传媒�

Anthony Beck, one of the main race organizers who prepared the trail, said he spent about 29 hours in a side-by-side borrowed from from RoweSA国际影视传媒檚 Construction to ensure quality conditions.

The amount of snow the region saw this year made it especially challenging, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat was just to plow down the base,SA国际影视传媒� Beck said, noting that Danny Perron spent hours on the snowmobile grooming with metal drags.

SA国际影视传媒淭his year with the excess amount of snow, it seemed to be pretty hard to push the trail in. Previous years it was easier but this year it was pretty tough with so much to get down.SA国际影视传媒�

Beck said that it is important that the trail has a soft enough base so that dogs are off the ground but arenSA国际影视传媒檛 punching through.

The groomed trail will allow for races to be held again for the 40th KSA国际影视传媒檃mba Carnival slated to take place this coming weekend, which makes it convenient for racers and spectators, Beck said.

SA国际影视传媒淚t shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be too hard to maintain for the next race,SA国际影视传媒� Beck said. SA国际影视传媒淣ow that the base is there and frozen, itSA国际影视传媒檚 just a matter of keeping up the way it is.SA国际影视传媒�

FACTFILE

12-dog race

1. Danny Beaulieu, Fort Providence - 1:19:16:89

2. Dexter Lafferty, Yellowknife - 1:19:48:50

3. Alexis Campbell, Yellowknife - 1:22:09:82

4. Trevor Lizotte, Yellowknife - 1:25:18:13

5. Roger Beck, Fort Resolution. 1:26:54:86

6. Danny Beck, Hay River, 1:29:15:14

7. Mitchell Jacobson, Tuktoyaktuk, 1:36:11:06

Six-dog race

1. Jerry Voyageur, Fort Smith, 21:05:26

2. TJ Fordy, Fort Resolution, 21:25:12

3. Dexter Lafferty, Fort Resolution, 21:54:53

4. Susan Fleck Fort Providence 22:06:71

5. Eric Beck Fort Resolution, 22:13:25

6. Preston Lafferty Fort Resolution 22:23:15

7. Jemra Gruben Tuktoyaktuk 23:23:58

8. Alexis Campbell Yellowknife 23:27:05

9. Andrew Gallop, Fort Resolution, 23:52:75

10. Pete Emile, Fort Smith 24:18:67

11. Randy Buggins Hay River Reserve 24:19:51