Dog Days are here again!

By Bonnie Kenyon

McCarthy: – For the third year in a row, McCarthy area neighbors turned out in record numbers, filling downtown McCarthy, and bearing their favorite dogs for another exciting “McCarthy Sprint!” Participant Kurt Smith estimates 60 people with half that many in dog power showed up for this year’s event.

On March 13th at 11:35 a.m. Natalie Bay, co-ordinator and timekeeper, assigned Mark Vail the job of drawing names for positions in the Three Dog (or less) Dog Sled race. Five local mushers – Jeremy Keller, Julie Miller, Ally Keller, Tessa Bay, Kelsey Smith – each departed from the starting point in front of the McCarthy Lodge one minute apart. The race course was 2 miles round trip. The winner this year was Jeremy with 12 minutes, beating his last year first place time by 30 seconds. Ally and Tessa tied for second place. All participants completed the course, beating the finishing times of last year. It was apparent our local mushers have been taking advantage of the good snow conditions this year.

The second event was the One Dog Weight Pull. Entrants were: Jeremy Keller, Ally Keller, Kurt Smith, Julie Miller, Stacie Miller and Kevin Smith. The first round of “weight” was Jubal, Hannah and David Rowland. All entrants made the finish line. The second round added another body for weight – Tessa Bay. All mushers scratched but Ally Keller who won hands down! (It could be the dog bone that volunteer George Cebula gave Ally’s dog Bona at the beginning of the festivities. Please don’t tell anyone I told you.)

The Skijour with one or two dogs produced 6 skiers and 1 snowboarder: Keith Rowland, Kaleb Rowland, Don Welty, Nancy Cook, Tessa Bay, Kevin Smith and David Rowland (snow-board). The course for this race was ½ the distance of the dog race. David (who is one-focused 10 year old) won in spite of the two-dog team who attempted to pass him, each dog going around him in opposite directions. He stayed upright with his eye on the finish line. Congratulations, David, for winning this year’s Skijour! Don Welty and Nancy Cook tied for second place.

As Nancy was waiting her turn, she informed me how hard she worked just to make the McCarthy Sprint in time to join in on this race. Delayed a night in a blizzard at Paxson and stuck in a glacier at Mile 33 of the McCarthy Road the day of the race didn’t deter her one iota. Come to find out, Nancy and her dog Saami participated in a 3.6 mile Skijour race in Fairbanks three days earlier, breaking the record with her 14.08 minute finish time! Nancy, you get the prize for traveling the farthest and experiencing the most challenges on the way.

A community potluck followed the races. Everyone wholeheartedly participated in this event!