ASPA Fun Race Results, 2006-2007 Season

Fun Race #1      Fun Race #2    Fun Race #3       Fun Race #4    Fun Race #5    Fun Race #6    
  1/13/2007        1/20/2007         1/27/2007         12/30/2006        2/3/2007          3/13/07

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Fun Race #2, Creamer's Field, 1/20/2007, -5° F
by Carol Kleckner

The Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association held its second fun race of the season under sunny clear skies at Creamer's Field. A large turnout welcomed groomed trails and wonderful prizes in a new format for handing out the goodies.

Several stories headed up the day with Sara Elzey taking the biscuit award when her dog Blue (borrowed from Andy Warwick), stopped to upchuck along the trail after getting into a bag of dog treats in Andy's car shortly before the race.  Sara still managed to hang onto third place in the 2 dog 2.7 mile race.

Emily Bernhardt with Clyde, Aspen, and Dusty held on to second place in the 3 dog 5.6 mile race even though she went a bit further after several signs were missing and she ended up on one of the longer loops. Mike Malvick won that race with Corky, Mesa, and Ingrid with Jeff Mann in third with Fen, Farro, and Roscoe.

Only one team ran the long distance with 2 dogs, so Dana Truffer-Moudra took the top prize.

Andy Warwick took Zip, Boots and Licorice (all shelter rescues) to a first place in the 3.6 mile race with 3 dogs.

The 3.6 mile race with 2 dogs brought out 5 teams. Chad Carroll with Tico and Elvis was first, followed by Peggy Raybeck with Carmen and Bronte. Finishing out the field was Lisa Baraff (Hope, Luna), Steven Sheehy (Shriek, Sputnik), and Kimberlee Beckman (Ahi, Terri).

There were 2 entries in the 3.6 mile 1 dog race. Ted Wu with Ty (the shortest dog name of the day) beat out Kieran Gleason and Rusty Buffalo (the longest dog name of the day).

Mike Malvick came back for his second race of the day running Mons, Billie and Victor to first place in the only entry in the 2.7 mile 3 dog class.

Four skijorers and their pairs of dogs ran the 2.7 mile course. Carol Kleckner with Robin and Chanel were first, followed by John Schauer with Tsaina and Riley, Sara Elzey with Ayla and Blue, and George Aguiar with Brodie and Kiara. No one confessed to sliding through Blue's regurgitated biscuits.

In the 2.7 mile 1 dog class it was Peggy Rayback taking top spot with Masey. Kimberlee Beckman, back for a double-header for the day, was second with Iris. Completing the class was Katie Breen with Typha, Brian Jackson with Josie, and John Hallsten with Chipper.

Karsten Hueffer and Grizzly came in ahead of his wife Laurie and Suess in the 1 dog 1.4 mile race.

Sara Elzey ended the day with Shadow on the 0.5 mile loop taking home the biscuits for her 12 year old dog.

Each class's first place winner got their pick of prices, then all the other prizes were drawn for randomly. You had to be present to win and many people took home some great prizes from our sponsors.

Volunteers
ASPA races only happen because lots of people step up to help! Today we had great help from these people:
Race Director: Don Kiely
Registration: Don Kiely, Sara Elzey
Starter: Pat DeRuyter
Timers: Judy Warwick and Sara Tabbert
Results/Math: Andy Warwick, Ted Wu
Reporter: Carol Kleckner

Sponsors
These sponsors provided prizes for today’s race:
49er Feed, Alaska Feed/Pet Stuff, Alaska House Art Gallery, Beaver Sports, Food Factory, Lead Dog Graphic Arts, Play It Again Sports, Raven Cross Country, Sara Tabbert, and Taku Graphics. For a complete list of ASPA’s 2006-7 sponsors, please visit http://www.sleddog.org/skijor/sponsorlist.html. 

Fun Race #3, North Star Gold Course, 1/27/2007, 10° F
by Lisa Stuby

Fun Race #3 took place at North Star Golf Course. The overall turnout was a little smaller than expected, meaning all who participated had a chance to win great prizes. The temperature was between 5 and 10 degrees F and the trails were groomed to perfection. So overall, we had near perfect conditions for racing. Participants could choose from 8 to 1/2 mile distances with 1, 2, and 3 dog classes. At the conclusion of the races, I asked if there were any “stories” to report from the trail. All smiling participants reported today went smoothly.  

Two people with three dogs each raced the 8 mile class. Emily Burnhardt won this class with Aspen , Clyde , and Dusty with a very impressive 30:32. Two of her dogs were adopted from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter. Mike Malvick with Corky, Ingrid, and Mesa came in a close second with 32:14, before quickly switching to his 11 year old dog Billie for the Canine Master Class.

Three people raced the 3 dog, 4 mile class, with Andy Warwick and his dogs Zip, Boots, and Licorice winning with 14:31. Sara Elzey and her fuzzy partners in crime Ayla, Chert, and Crowe came in second with 15:31 and both first and second place finishers broke the previous course record for this season at North Star of 15:40.

Carol Kleckner with her overly eager to run dogs Borax and Jazz, won the 2 dog, 4 mile class with 15:07. Lisa Baraff with her also eager to run dogs Hope and Luna came in second with 16:58.

In a class of her own, Sara Tabbert and her enthusiastic and very friendly dog Rothko finished the 1 dog, 4 mile class with 22:03.

Katie Breen won the 1 dog, 2 mile class with her dog Typha with a time of 9:03. Andy Warwick, fresh from racing and winning the 3 dog, 4 mile class, came in with an impressive second with a time of 11:14.

Today we added a Canine Master’s Class, encouraging those with dogs 10 years or older to come out and let them enjoy the thrill of racing again around a ½ mile course. Mike Malvick and Billie won this class with a time of 3:36. Carol Kleckner and Beans came in second with a time of 3:46, and last, but not least, was Sara Elzey with her dog Shadow at 5:36. I swear all three dogs had big smiles on their faces as they helped their exhausted owners, all who had raced previous races, across the finish line.

Volunteers
This race could not have happened without the help from these folks:
Race Director:  Lisa Stuby
Registration:  Sara Elzey
Starter:  Pat DeRuyter
Handler:  AJ Sutton
Timers/Results:  Pat DeRuyter and Lisa Stuby

Sponsors
These sponsors provided prizes for today’s race:
49er Feed, Alaska House Art Gallery, Food Factory, Grubstake Feed, Lead Dog Graphic Arts, Mushing Magazine, Raven Cross Country, SkijorNow.com, and Taku Graphics. For a complete list of ASPA’s 2006-7 sponsors, please visit http://www.sleddog.org/skijor/sponsorlist.html. 

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Fun Race #4, North Star Golf Course, 12/30/2006, 0° F
by Carol Kleckner

I found myself humming “dashing through the snow” as skijorers lined up today for the first skijor race of the season at the North Star Golf Course. Everyone had big smiles on their faces and the dogs were screaming and anxious to go. Finally, the weather had cooperated with snow and warmer temperatures to bring out 18 skijorers and at least twice that number of dogs to skijor the front and back nine. Pat DeRuyter did a fabulous job of grooming the trails and was on the snow machine just minutes before the race started making sure the trail was in tip top shape.

The Evan’s family has graciously let the skijor association groom and skijor the golf course.

 We ran three classes of two, four, and six miles, with 1, 2 or 3 dogs in each class.

Only 2 skiers ventured out for 6 miles. Jeff Mann with Rosco and Pharro was first and Matt Bray with Gilbert and Sullivan was 2nd. I always want to break into opera when Matt runs by with his dogs.

Matt does get the award for the most acrobatic feat of the day. He did a wonderfully executed cartwheel when he went one way as his dogs decided to go another way. He got a perfect “10” from the judges.

Next out were the 3 dog teams going 4 miles. Alina Evans skijoring on her home turf was 1st with Coho, Sockeye, and Humpy. Andy Warwick with Zip, Licorice and Boots was 2nd and Sara Elzey with Ayla, Chert and Crowe was 3rd.

In the 2 dog class going 4 miles Greg Jurek set the speed record with Tar and Che. Carol Kleckner with Robin and Jazz was 2nd and Mike Malvick with Mesa and Ingrid was 3rd. Rounding out the class was Lisa Baraff with Hope and Luna and Mara Bacsujlaky with Frosty and Hershey.

Hilary Schwafel was the only entry in the 3 dog 2 mile race with Wizard, Frieda, and Ole.

David Norris sped over after a ski race to run Zip and Blue to a first place in the 2 dog 2 mile class. Zip ran for the 2nd time today. Mike Malvick with Victor and Billie was 2nd even though Billie is only seeing through one eye these days, and Janice Wiegers with Trance and Mario was 3rd.

The last class to go out was the 2 mile 1-dog class. Hilary came back to ski again with Lena and she took the top spot. Kristan Kelly was 2nd with Hobbes and John Hallsten with Chipper took 3rd. Rounding out the class was Jim Altherr and his Golden Retriever Sophie and Molly Putman sped along on her classic skis with Cookie her border collie mix dog that was rescued from the animal shelter.

Volunteers
ASPA races only happen because lots of people step up to help! Today we had great help from these people:

Race Director: Don Kiely
Registration: Don Kiely, Sara Elzey, Lisa Baraff
Starter: Pat DeRuyter
Handlers: Alice Stickney, Gail Davidson
Timers: Sydney and Yuri Morgan
Mathematician: Andy Warwick
Reporter: Carol Kleckner

Sponsors
These sponsors provided prizes for today’s race:

49er Feed, Beaver Sports, Howling Dog Mushing Supplies, Katahdin Mushing Supplies, Lead Dog Graphic Arts, Play It Again Sports, and Taku Graphics. For a complete list of ASPA’s 2006-7 sponsors, please visit http://www.sleddog.org/skijor/sponsorlist.html.

A HUGE thanks to Roger Evans and the North Star Golf Club for letting us hold this event in their wonderful trail system, that I understand even golfers use during the summer!

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Fun Race #5, Creamer's Field, 2/3/2007, 14° F
by Carol Kleckner

If you were a spectator at today’s ASPA Fun Race #5 you would have wondered if you were watching a skijoring race or some sort of dog ballet and gymnastic competition. Mike Malvick had a nice showing in the back fields as his three dogs Billie, Mons and Victor had a tangle, setting the stage for Chad Carroll to literally fly over Malvick in the most spectacular pass of the day. Actually it wasn’t really a pass but more of a vault over the prone Malvick with Carroll remaining upright and catching some air in this feat of balance as his dogs just cleared Malvick’s back.

Malvick finished fourth in the 3 dog 3.6 mile competition while Chad finished in the top spot for the 2 dog race for the same distance with Elvis and Tico.

Others in the longer 3 dog class were Andy Warwick with Zip, Licorice and Boots in first place even though he lost his keys in a nice stopping fall at the start line as he poked the volunteer handler (Karsten Hueffer) with his ski pole. Sara Elzey , with a relatively clean run, was second with Ayla, Chert and Crowe, and Don Kiely was third with Casper , Daikon and Chance. Don barely made it to the start line with all of his gear on and a handler running back to retrieve his ski pole that had turned into a javelin.

Behind Carroll in the 2 dog class for the longer distance was Peggy Raybeck (Charlie Brown, Bronte) followed by David French (Boone, Kodi), Janet Smith (Buckwheat, Pete), Sara Tabbert (Pete, Irene), and Dana Truffer-Moudra (Mica and Saphira).

Four teams showed up for the 3.6 mile 1 dog class. Kristan Kelly with Hobbes did the course in a mixed up order but finished first. Kieran Gleason had fun coming in second place even though his dog Rusty Buffalo trotted along beside him today instead of working too much, although RB took out a couple of walkers at the side of the trail when they got between Kieran and the lines. A perfect 10 for the somersaulting pedestrians!

Christy Peterson placed third with Baywolf , a large wheel dog that had never skijored before. Jim Altherr and the ever happy Sophie closed out the class in fourth.

Peggy Raybeck did some nice gymnastics to place first in the 2 dog 2.7 mile race. Her dogs Carmen and Masey managed to run into a dog team on the trail, stringing Peggy between the sled and another skijorer. Peggy executed a beautiful line over the head maneuver to have both all the dogs and herself pointing straight ahead.

Carol Kleckner was second with Misty and Loon. She executed the hard maneuver of skiing to the start line leaving one ski behind. Quick help got her back together for the count down.

Third place went to Don Atwood with Coho, who is 10 months old and still learning the ropes, and Miley, a seasoned pro.

Andy Warwick came back for his second race of the day with Blue and Lady to take first in the 1.4 mile 2 dog class. Lady is also known as Psycho dog for her craziness and constant barking once she is in the car. Laurie Hueffer with Grizzly and Suess were second.

Andy and Susan Seitz came out today with their guitars and singing dogs. Actually Andy and Willie won out over Susan and Waylon and the dogs may have been singing country western but the guitars were left in the car.

In the second old dog race of the year the teams went 0.5 miles. All the dogs were over 10 years old. Carol Kleckner and Beans (11.75 years) won with Janet Smith (Skeeter, 10+) coming in second. Mike Malvick did another wonderful display of ballet artistry and he did a face plant right after the countdown to the admiration of all watching. He and Billie (10.5 years) had won the first older dog race of the season at North Star last week, but Mike went for style today in his well timed fall and tied for third place with Sara Elzey and Myst (11.5 years).

Rounding out the finishers in the Old Dog race were Pat DeRuyter with Crisco (10 years) and Sara Elzey back with Shadow (12.5 years).

Volunteers
This race could not have happened without the help from these folks:

Race Director: Don Kiely
Registration:  Don Kiely, Lisa Stuby
Starter:  Pat DeRuyter, Don Kiely
Handler:  Karsten Hueffer
Timers/Results:  Lisa Stuby, Andy Seitz , Chad Carroll
Reporter: Carol Kleckner

Sponsors
These sponsors provided prizes for today’s race:
49er Feed, Alaska Feed, Alaska House Art Gallery, Apocalypse Design, ASPA, Beaver Sports, Canine Caviar, Food Factory, Lead Dog Graphic Arts, Raven Cross Country, Sara Tabbert, SkijorNow.com, and Taku Graphics. For a complete list of ASPA’s 2006-7 sponsors, please visit http://www.sleddog.org/skijor/sponsorlist.html. 

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Fun Race #6, Creamer's Field, 3/13/07, -5° F
by Andy Warwick

Five below brought out only the hardiest of skijorers. The trails were in good shape and provided venues for the half mile, 1.4 mile, 3.6 mile, 5.6 mile and 8.6 mile distances.

Brian Charlton led the way with 3 dogs (Bronte, Clyde and Wiggy) on the 8.6 mile course with a time of 31:15. Following close behind them was Mike Malvick (Corky, Ingrid and Mesa) at 35:32. Emily Bernhardt (Sally, Coral and Aspen) was reportedly faster than Brian, but she took a wrong turn and finished third with 37:01.

The 5.6 mile course only had two competitors, David French and Jim Herriges. Dave started with three dogs (Boone, Kenai and Kodi). About a mile into the race Kodi slipped his harness and free ran the rest of the course. Needless to say he still had lots of energy at the finish. David posted a time of 33:10. Jim with Ole and Vinnie cruised the 5.6 mile course in 26:59.

The 3.6 mile two dog was won by Lisa Baraff with Hope and Luna in 12:33. She was followed by Janet Smith (Buckwheat and Red) in 13:09, and by Doreen McNeill (Snowball and Rouen) in 14:07. Janet also won the costume contest dressed as a clown which was interesting because she didn't know there was a contest. Ted Wu led the one dog 3.6 with a time of 18:56 (Ty). He was closely followed by Deanna Huff (Sky) who probably would have won if not for a miscue (19:18). Sky was running on one day rest from the grueling three day LNAC.

Mike Malvick (Victor, Billie, Mons) was the only entry in the three dog 1.4 mile posting a time of 6:35. Lisa Stuby and her Elkhound Killae took the top prize with 1 dog 1.4 mile with a time of 12:04.

The half mile was run by Andy Seitz and his two pubs; first running Waylon and then Willie. Willie won by two seconds with a time of 2:15.

Volunteers
Andy Warwick was the (temporary) race director. John Hallsten and Cheryle Barrett were timers. Alice Stickney helped with registration. Lisa Baraff and Ted Wu crunched the numbers.

Sponsors
These sponsors provided prizes for today's race:  49er Feed, Alaska Feed/Pet Stuff, Alaska House Art Gallery, Apocalypse Design, Beaver Sports, Food Factory, Howling Dog Mushing Supplies, Lead Dog Graphic Arts, Mushing Magazine, Raven Cross Country, SkijorNow.com, and Taku Graphics.

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Please send corrections or comments to Mike Malvick.