Fur Rondy rookies rule at 2024 Open World Championship sled canine races

Growing up in a mushing household, Charlie Conner heard loads of tales across the dinner desk concerning the legends of sled canine racing in Alaska.

Conner, who operates a multi-generational kennel in Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, determined his time to expertise racing within the state had lastly arrived.

He is amongst six rookies racing on this year’s Open World Championship Sled Dog Races, a category that’s stuffed with each expertise and expertise.

“I’ve been serious about coming to this race since I used to be a child,” he stated. “But about seven or eight years in the past, I really began a separate checking account and began saving money, each paycheck. So it’s been a very long time coming.”

The high quality of mushing from the rookies was evident throughout the first two days of motion as first-timers claimed three of the highest 5 spots heading into Sunday’s closing day of racing.

“When I take a look at it, you might have six individuals with many, many many years of expertise on this sport,” stated Jake Robinson, who completed in fifth on Friday. “We’ve all determined that that is the place we must be. It is fingers down essentially the most gifted rookie discipline in all probability because the first operating of the race.”

Like Conner, Robinson stated racing the Open World Championships has been a bucket-list merchandise for him.

“This is likely one of the oldest, most prestigious, most well-known sled canine races within the sport,” he stated. “So to be right here, down on the avenue like I’ve been dreaming about for the final 20 years, is admittedly an honor.”

It was an absence of snow that motivated Anny Malo to journey to the Last Frontier to race this weekend.

Malo stated typically her group can be racing in Manitoba at some longstanding championships in that province.

But a dearth of snow throughout a lot of the middle of North America has prompted races to be canceled, from the UP200 in Michigan to Beargrease in Minnesota and past.

Malo stated the city setting of a lot of the course is sort of completely different from what she’s used to, however the Quebec-based musher with practically three many years of expertise was as much as the duty. She completed Friday’s race in third and, after posting the quickest time Saturday, she’ll begin the ultimate day of racing in second place.

“I at all times enter the race with the aim to win however I’m right here to have enjoyable with my dogs and see what they’re able to,” she stated. “There’s good competitors so we now have to work onerous.”

Blayne “Buddy” Streeper, who’s tied with legend George Attla for essentially the most titles in historical past within the occasion with 10, discovered himself in a uncommon position — chasing a frontrunner.

Streeper stated he had an excellent run Friday, however nonetheless trailed chief Remy Coste. Coste, additionally a rookie, dusted the competitors with a time of 1:23:47, a full 5 minutes forward of Streeper, who sat in second getting into Saturday.

“In a canine race, 5 seconds is an enormous (deficit),” Streeper stated. “Five minutes is a special ballgame.”

Coste, a French nationwide who mushes out of Sweden, stated he got here to Alaska to proceed his evolution as a musher.

“At the top of the season we felt we wished a brand new problem,” he stated. “Try to be taught extra, attempt to maintain bettering and see one thing else.”

Coste received the 2024 Pedigree Stage Stop earlier this month in Wyoming, the place Malo got here in second. From there, Coste headed north and ran the Gold Run final weekend in Fairbanks. He stated his dogs are educated and dealt with in additional of a European type. His canine group is nearly silent within the lead-up to racing, and he has a no-holds-barred racing technique that emphasize pace early and infrequently.

“Remy goes to take off quick,” Conner stated. “Nobody runs like that right here in North America. He’ll run lots otherwise and it’ll add a whole lot of curiosity.”

Coste’s tempo slowed on Saturday as he posted the fourth quickest time however nonetheless held a 54-second lead over Malo. Streeper sits in third, 4:05 off the leader’s tempo.

Streeper is aiming for an eleventh title, which might put him alone on the prime within the Open World Championship file books. He anticipated the robust competitors this 12 months and stated he invested in some top-quality handlers to work along with his dogs at his Fort Nelson, B.C., throughout his racing schedule this winter.

“I’ve bought good individuals at home, building a group for subsequent 12 months,” he stated. “So even when I don’t do it this 12 months, I’m planning on coming again subsequent 12 months stronger.”

[Get the full Fur Rendezvous experience with sled dog races, Running of the Reindeer and more]

Fairbanks rookie Sean de Wolski has been mushing for 15 years and arrived in Alaska three years in the past after making a number of journeys to backpack and packraft within the Brooks Range. After dealing with for Dave Turner on the Open World Championship, de Wolski made some extent to return as a musher.

Many of his dogs are educated for mid-distance, so he had no illusions of ending excessive. He ended the primary day in final place within the 13-team discipline however had a stronger run Saturday, ending tenth.

“I’d love to do effectively however my dogs are mid-distance educated,” he stated. “I’m not apprehensive about not ending however I’m not going to be placing up any land-speed information.”

Conner, too, didn’t anticipate difficult the leaders, joking: “I really feel like I’m going to be within the prime 13, so I’m fairly enthusiastic about that.”

“I’m attempting to be taught as a lot as potential,” he stated. “We’re on this to be taught and have enjoyable and share the life-style with our household and our dogs. This is an unbelievable path and wonderful mushers. And you’re in Alaska. This is the place to be proper now.”

Open World Championship Sled Dog Races

Overall outcomes by 2 days

1. Remy Coste, Lycksele, Sweden, 3:02:59 (Day 1: 1st place 1:23:47; Day 2: 4th place 1:39:12) ; 2. Anny Malo, St.-Zenon, Quebec, 3:03:53 (Day 1: third place 1:29:09; Day 2: 1st place 1:34:44); 3. Blayne Streeper, Fort Nelson, BC, 3:07:04 (Day 1: 2nd place 1:28:51; Day 2: 2nd place 1:38:13); 4. Andy Huetten, Nenana, 3:12:38 (Day 1: sixth place 1:34:18; Day 2: third place 1:38:20); 5. Jake Robinson, Bemidji, Minnesota, 3:13:20 (Day 1: fifth place 1:33:11; Day 2: fifth place 1:40:09); 6. Greg Taylor, Fairbanks, 3:18:11 (Day 1: 4th place, 1:32:40; Day 2: ninth place 1:45:31); 7. Jess Moore, Bondurant, Wyoming, 3:18:59 (Day 1: eleventh place, 1:38:36; Day 2: sixth place 1:40:23); 8. Marvin B. Kokrine, North Pole, 3:20:10 (Day 1: ninth place 1:37:10; Day 2: seventh place 1:43:00); 9. Andrea Bond, Salcha, 3:21:59 (Day 1: tenth place, 1:37:23; Day 2: eighth place 1:44:36); 10. Michael Tetzner, Burg, Germany, 3:29:14 (Day 1: seventh place, 1:35:24; Day 2: twelfth place 1:53:50); 11. Sean de Wolski, Fairbanks, 3:30:21 (Day 1: thirteenth place 1:43:26; Day 2: tenth place 1:46:55); 12. Charlie Conner, Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, 3:36:17 (Day 1: twelfth place, 1:43:10; Day 2: eleventh place 1:53:07); 13. Frank Haberman, Clam Gulch, 3:47:55 (Day 1: eighth place, 1:37:05; Day 2: thirteenth place 2:10:50).