Circumpolar Musings: Sports and Games

Geography in the News: Iditarod, The race of Arctic champions

Amanda Graham — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:31:11 GMT

(Neal Lineback and Mandy Lineback Gritzner/Geography in the News&tm;, 3 March 2013) -- One of the world’s most grueling races, Alaska’s Iditarod Dog Sled Race, began today, March 3rd. The history and geography of this magnificent race excite followers all over the world as the race is one of the most challenging for humans and their teams of dogs. Sixty-six teams registered for the race and many are repeat entries. The Iditarod is an annual race through Alaska where mushers and teams of dogs cover about 1,150 miles (1,853 km) in eight to 15 days. The Iditarod competition began in 1973 as a test of the best dogs and mushers in the state and has evolved into a highly competitive and popular race. Teams often encounter blizzards with whiteout conditions, aggressive wild game animals, and sub-zero weather and gale-force winds that can create wind chill temperatures reaching minus 100 degrees F (-75 degrees C).

Polar Olympiad opening ceremony

Amanda Graham — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:21:53 GMT

(BarentsNova, 23 March 2012) -- For the 78th time, Murmansk starts over its traditional sport races. Though not in its prime, the festival is still an attraction for Russian and foreign sportsmen. Friday, at 19:30 on the Five Corners Square, an opening ceremony will officially launch Murmansk traditional competition. At 20:45, fireworks will light up the sky. The city centre will be cleared off from cars. Racing spots are scattered all over the Kola Peninsula: Murmansk, Tuloma, Lovozero, Kirovsk, etc. The string of competitions will wind up with a ski marathon on April 01. The prize fund is around one million roubles that are to be distributed among the winners. The biggest money trophy will go to marathon runners. The sad thing is cancellation of a “Friendship ski-track” marathon that would normally start at Rajakoski and cross borders of Russia, Finland and Norway. First started in 1994, any person who has a pair of skis could join the competition without any passports or visa formalities. 2011 was a record-breaking year in terms of attendance: 3,300 skiers joined the show, however year 2012 did not give much snow and this international tournament had to be cancelled this time (in 2003, it was cancelled on the same grounds). The tradition of the festival was born in 1934 and was never interrupted even by atrocities of World War II.

Missing ax could prove costly in Yukon Quest

Amanda Graham — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:39:25 GMT

(Beth Bragg/Anchorage Daily News, 13 February 2012) -- As the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race nears completion, the outcome of the 1,000-mile race hinges on a two-man race and a missing ax. Just minutes separated frontrunners Hugh Neff and Allen Moore on Sunday as the pair drove their teams to the penultimate checkpoint in Braeburn, Yukon, just 100 miles from the Whitehorse finish line.If it stays that close to the end, the ax will fall on Neff's hopes of winning his first Quest title. Neff was assessed a 30-minute penalty, which he will serve in Braeburn, for not having his ax when he arrived at the Pelly Crossing checkpoint early Sunday morning. An ax is part of the mandatory gear mushers must carry on the trail from Fairbanks to Whitehorse. This is the second time in four races Neff has been hit with a penalty.... This time, he left his ax behind in Dawson, where he used it but forgot to put it back in his sled bag, Quest officials reported on Facebook. KUAC radio reported that Neff, an eight-time Quest finisher who has finished second once and third twice, realized the ax was missing when he stopped at Scroggie Creek, a dog drop on the roughly 200-mile run from Dawson to Pelly Crossing. "He informed the race judge immediately," KUAC reported. Once he arrived at Pelly Crossing, Neff had to wait six minutes before he officially could check in. That's how long it took one of his handlers to fetch a replacement ax -- Quest rules don't allow mushers to check in without all of their mandatory gear. ... Neff wouldn't have been hit with the 30-minute penalty if the store at Pelly Crossing had been open and had an ax in stock. But it was 3:27 a.m. in Pelly Crossing when Neff reached the checkpoint. The store was closed. Rules allow mushers to replace accidentally lost gear with gear from a public source. But if the replacement comes from a private source, like Neff's did, it comes with a 30-minute penalty.

Wolves stealing Yukon Quest trail markers

Amanda Graham — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:35:10 GMT

(Suzanna Caldwell/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 11 February 2012) -- DAWSON CITY, Yukon - There are a lot of problems that can befall trail markers — treacherous conditions, dangerous overflow, deep snow and trails littered with fallen brush. But an unexpected challenge for the Canadian Rangers who broke the Yukon Quest trail in Canada? Wolves stealing trail markers. “Pups, they like playing,” Canadian Ranger trail coordinator John “Mitch” Mitchell said. “Mainly they start chewing on them, showing off.” Rangers hold off on putting in markers until mushers get close to that section of trail. Mitchell said a few years ago Lance Mackey complained about a missing marker at a critical junction that led him into someone's driveway. Mitchell suspects a wolf or fox got hold of the marker. “It's enough to screw up someone's race,” he said. “We can get the trail in, but we can't control the wolves.”

Deep overflows, daunting drop at Eagle Summit test Yukon Quest mushers, dogs, equipment

Amanda Graham — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:44:52 GMT

(Suzanna Caldwell/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 6 February 2012) -- Six mushers have left the Circle checkpoint and are heading up the Yukon River toward Slaven's Cabin. Hugh Neff of Tok is in the lead, followed by Brent Sass, Abbie West, Allen Moore, Sonny Lindner and Jake Berkowitz, according to the Yukon Quest SpotTracker site. Four mushers, Lance Mackey, Kristy Berington, David Dalton and Joar Leifseth Ulsom were reported in Circle this morning. All other mushers were reported out of Central this morning, with the exception of Misha Peterson, who was delayed after one of her dogs got loose on the trail over Eagle Summit. Veteran musher Sebastian Schnuelle, who is reporting on the race from the sidelines, said on the Yukon Quest Facebook page that another musher found the dog and brought it into Central and Peterson should be clear to continue. ... As of 9 p.m. Sunday, 15 mushers had arrived in Central. Most had taken their mandatory four-hour stop at Mile 101 and many were back on the trail, starting on the 75 miles toward Circle.

Arctic Winter Games to showcase northern life

Amanda Graham — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:37:44 GMT

(CBC News, 25 January 2012) -- Organizers for the 2012 Arctic Winter Games’ cultural events took the stage Tuesday. Eight presenters got a chance to lay out their plans for the week of shows in Whitehorse which will take place alongside the sports. The theme for this year is "Winter Living". "We're trying to create that atmosphere where people get together and they go in the backyard and they light a fire and there's some music and they go inside to warm up. It's about celebrating who we are as a northern people. I just thought that weather-wise, you know, it's sort of how we winter. That's kind of the theme that inspired some of the work," said Laurel Parry, vice-president for culture and ceremonies for the games. Some of the features will include an exhibition of circumpolar beading. There will also be local dancers, musicians and snow carving. The new Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre and the MacBride museum will feature displays. The budget for the cultural games is $300,000. Patrick Roberge, who directed the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2007 Canada Winter Games is coming back to produce this year’s event on a $40,000 contract. The Arctic Winter Games start March 4.

New sled dog race follows Alaska's west coast

Amanda Graham — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:05:25 GMT

(Hannah Heimbuch/The Arctic Sounder, 29 December 2011) -- Alaska's mushing community can add a new race to their to-do lists in the coming year, as the Norton Sound Sled Dog Club ushers in the Paul Johnson Memorial - Norton Sound 450. The race begins in Unalakleet on the morning of Feb 8 and finishes a few days later in Nome. Race organizers, like Middy Johnson of Unalakleet, are working on making the race a qualifier for the Iditarod, which kicks off from Anchorage a month later on March 3. "It'll give us something to add to our region during that time when you're just coming out of the dead of winter, and give people something to look forward to," Johnson said. The race is dedicated to the memory of beloved Alaska musher and Unalakleet resident Paul Johnson – Middy Johnson's brother – who died unexpectedly in October from surgery complications. Paul Johnson was a lifelong member of the Norton Sound Dog Sled Club and had planned to run the 2012 Iditarod. The club wanted to establish a major qualifying race in the Norton Sound region that is accessible to local mushers – both financially and geographically. Aaron Burmeister, a veteran of 12 Iditarod races, splits his time between Nenana and Nome. He is one of a number of mushers already planning to hit the trail for both the Paul Johnson Memorial race and the 2012 Iditarod. "I think it's fantastic. It's a great way to promote the sport on the coast and get the community and villages back involved with it," Burmeister said. "(It) will be a big benefit to the rural mushers in that area that have goals of running the Iditarod. It's so expensive for mushers in the Bush to travel out to races to get qualified." Burmeister also pointed out that because the race covers nearly a third of the Iditarod trail, it is excellent training ground for any musher serious about Alaska's longest sled dog race.

Special YC course: Learning through Service: Arctic Winter Games 2012

Amanda Graham — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:59:06 GMT

(Yukon College, 19 December 2011) -- Yukon College is piloting a service-learning course this winter that will take advantage of the volunteer opportunity offered by Whitehorse's hosting the 2012 Arctic Winter Games. Essentially, volunteer, come to class, and through academic consideration of the experience and its context, earn university-level Northern Studies elective credits. NOTE: The course outline shown on the linked page is for a different offering of this course. The current outline may be retrieved from the enclosure URL below this post.

Course description: This course is a multidisciplinary service-learning course grounded in Northern Studies. It links the 2012 Arctic Winter Games and academic study through volunteer service to the Games. The course involves four main elements: establishing an academic framework for the service experience that includes preparing a background paper, developing a student-centred approach to thinking about the experience and drawing meaning from it, volunteering in some capacity at the Games, and presenting a thoughtful evaluation and summary of both learning and volunteering experiences.

Yukoner's Windy Arm pond hockey video goes viral

Amanda Graham — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:45:18 GMT

(CBC News, 15 December 2011) -- A pond hockey game involving Yukon College students went viral on the video-sharing website YouTube this week. Gabe Rivest stumbled upon a smooth-as-glass lake on Windy Arm, which is part of Tagish Lake in Yukon. He grabbed six classmates and they hit the ice Sunday. Rivest posted video footage of the playful game on YouTube for his family and friends to see, but he was surprised when Sportsnet posted the video on its website. In just three days, more than 100,000 people had checked out Rivest's video. "I was totally not expecting it," he said. "I guess for lots of people in the world, it's probably a very amazing thing to see. It was unreal to be there." Rivest is now in Whistler, B.C., to coach the Yukon snowboarding team. He said he can hardly keep up with all the email he has been getting about the Windy Arm video [see it for yourself].

Storm winds close ski resorts in the North

Amanda Graham — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:04:43 GMT

(YLE, 2 March 2011) -- Dangerously strong winds have partly closed ski resorts in northern Finland, much to the disappointment of holidaymakers. On Thursday 29 slopes out of 45 in the popular ski resort of Levi, in Kittilä, were closed. The unusually strong winds – over 30 m/s in places - could not come at a more inconvenient time for Lapland’s ski resorts. At peak holiday season most of the slopes at Levi were closed for a whole day on Thursday as it was not safe to operate all of the resort's gondola lifts. At Pyhä half of all lifts were not operating on Thursday. "Wind is rarely so strong that it swings our gondola lifts like today," says Tarja Nikkinen, Head of Marketing at Levi Ski Resort. Holidaymakers can only rue their bad luck as ski resorts do not refund unused lift passes due to weather conditions. The Meteorological Institute says conditions for skiing are expected to improve by Saturday as the winds ease off.

Naval War: Arctic Circle officially announced

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 03:40:23 GMT

(IGN, 16 February 2011) -- NEW YORK - Paradox Interactive and Turbo Tape Games today officially announced Naval War: Arctic Circle. The game is a new maritime RTS that places players at the controls of some of today's most powerful naval forces, including NATO, the Nordic Alliance, Russia, and the United States. Taking place in the arctic regions of the world, Naval War: Arctic Circle will challenge players as they pass through the world's deadliest waters vying for dominance and complete control of the arctic seas, allowing commanders to purge enemy forces either above, beneath, or on the ocean surface. Will you be able to reign over the waters? New video interview with Jan Haugland, lead game designer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHxueQtd-Jo Naval War: Arctic Circle is set to launch in Q1 2012.

Alaskan musher, 23, wins Yukon Quest

Amanda Graham — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:59:03 GMT

(CBC News, 16 February 2011) -- A 23-year-old rookie musher from Alaska has won this year's Yukon Quest International Sled-Dog Race, crossing the finish line late Tuesday night. Dallas Seavey of Willow, Alaska, crossed the finish line in Fairbanks at 11:05 p.m. Alaska Time, just 33 minutes ahead of veteran musher Sebastian Schnuelle. Veteran mushers Ken Anderson and Brent Sass, both from Alaska, crossed the finish line at 1:36 a.m. and 6:14 a.m., respectively. Seavey previously came in eighth place in the 2010 Iditarod. "The Yukon Quest is 1,000 miles of trail I haven't run yet," Seavey stated in a musher's profile on the race's website. Seavey said he is also preparing his dogs for this year's Iditarod, which begins March 5 in Anchorage, Alaska. The Anchorage Daily News reports that Seavey is the youngest winner in the race's history, which began in 1984. The paper said he earned a paycheque of $28,395 for his efforts. Twenty-three teams began the race on Feb. 5 from Whitehorse, running on a 1,600-kilometre trail that traces the routes of prospectors during Alaska's gold rush in 1899.

First Icelandic toboggan produced

Amanda Graham — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:12:44 GMT

(Iceland Review, 16 January 2011) -- Kaldbakur, the first Icelandic toboggan, has been released. Named after Mt. Kaldbakur in Eyjafjördur, north Iceland, it is specifically designed for adult practitioners in Icelandic conditions and is very resilient—one of the designers even called it unbreakable. The toboggan was designed for the company Kaldbaksferdir which offers tours to the 1,174-meter high mountain in the winter. People are driven to the top on snowcats and have the option of sliding down on skis, snowboards or toboggans, ruv.is reports. However, the company’s manager Sigurbjörn Höskuldsson said they had trouble finding toboggans that were strong enough for the rough ride down Kaldbakur’s slope and so they decided to have one custom made. In addition to being resilient, the Kaldbakur toboggan is also light and can easily be stacked, Höskuldsson said.

Ottawa board game enthusiast honoured for game design

Amanda Graham — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 01:38:06 GMT

(Ottawa Citizen, 5 January 2011) -- In October, the Wrap featured a story about aspiring Ottawa board game designer Yves Tourigny and the board game he was developing, Northwest Passage. On Nov. 27, Northwest Passage received the coveted Ludor 2010 jury's award in the Ludo-Outaouais' Boardgame Designer Contest. Northwest Passage is an exploration game in which the players lead an expedition during the 1850s into the Arctic Archipelago to find the Northwest Passage and traces of the vanished Franklin Expedition. Players have to manage their crews, sometimes having to sacrifice efficiency for opportunity, in order to explore, collect geographical information, discover clues, find a passage west, and return safely home before they are trapped in the winter ice. "I've been interested in the Northwest Passage, and the calamitous expeditions undertaken to find it, for many years. The fate of the Franklin Expedition is an enduring and deeply Canadian mystery," Yves says. It is also one that has garndered considerable media attention in recent months, which pleases Yves, and makes his game all the more timely. To take part in the contest, game submissions must be unpublished, and not have won a previous competition. Game prototypes are submitted and a jury of five people play and rate the games. The winner is announced at the yearly Ludo-Outaouais game festival. This year, 11 games were submitted. Yves says that his game has one particularly unique design feature. "It's a semi-circular track north of the board that runs east to west. On it, a yellow circular marker indicates what round it currently is. It also indicates the southern extent of the pack ice. Only tiles that are lower (farther south) than the marker can be navigated by the players," he explains. "Tiles that are farther north than the marker are ice-bound. Ships cannot enter or exit. If a player finds his ship icebound, all is not lost: he or she can always send crew members out on the ice with sleds, hauling their equipment."

Athletes go on Santa Claus run in northwest Russia

Amanda Graham — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 20:12:03 GMT

(RIA Novosti, 25 December 2010) -- MURMANSK - Some 50 athletes dressed as Santa Clauses hit the streets of Murmansk, in northwest Russia, on Saturday to welcome the city's main Christmas tree. The Santa Claus race was initially expected to gather some 100 athletes. The organizers planned to put Santas on skis. However, they failed to find enough costumes for the action. After the run finished, the downtown tree and Christmas lights were turned on as fireworks exploded overhead. The Christmas tree will stay on Murmansk main square for several months until spring.

Mackey wins record fourth straight Iditarod

Amanda Graham — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:24:08 GMT

NOME -- Pumping his fist as he approached the finish line, Lance Mackey won the Iditarod Trial Sled Dog Race on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the first musher to take four straight. Mackey, 39, and his team of 11 dogs passed under the burled arch at 2:59 p.m., becoming the second musher in race history to finish in less than 9 days -- by just 51 seconds. "I had seven dogs who would go to the end of the earth for me, and nine more who would try," Mackey said at the finish line. "I've got a lot of young superstars and a bright future with them. "I'll probably be back next year," he added. "I don't see why not. I'm a little beat up, though. I can only be so tough so long." The feat earned him a check for $50,400 and a new Dodge truck. Hans Gatt of Whitehorse finished second at 4:04 p.m., and Jeff King of Denali Park was headed for a third-place finish late this afternoon. Under a bluebird sky, Mackey's dogs trotted down Front Street while the big afternoon crowd surged forward, narrowing the slot of snow through which he could pass. "I drew the right (bib) number, 49, representing the whole state of Alaska and the people who believed in me," he said. "It was an amazing welcome as usual. People were cheering as if it was my first one." Two of Mackey's stalwart dogs, Rev, who's missing his left ear tip, and Maple, sat with Mackey under the burled arch, adorned with collars of yellow roses. Mackey draped his arms around them and planted a kiss on their fur. "They may not be the fastest team in this race," Mackey said. "But they've got the biggest hearts."

Blades of bone to blades of steel

Amanda Graham — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:29:22 GMT

(Jan Housewerth/The Record via NorthJersey.com, 28 February 2010) -- Olympic figure skaters twirling on razor-sharp blades can trace the roots of their sport to ancient Scandinavians and their cow bone skates. Around 3000 B.C., hunters strapped bovine ribs to their feet to slide across frozen Arctic lakes in order to save time and conserve energy in the harsh climate. Who invented ice skating? It is believed ice skating originated in Finland about 5,000 years ago, not as recreation but as a way to survive in the bitter northern winters. Hunters could take shortcuts over icy lakes and return home earlier during the short winter days. How were the first ice skates made? Archeologists believe flattened leg bones or ribs from cows, horses or elk were used to make the first skates. Holes were drilled in each end of the bone, and leather thongs held the bone blades securely to boots. In some parts of Europe, bone skates were used until the 19th century. Since bone-bladed skates did not slide easily, early skating looked like a combination of skating and cross-country skiing. Skaters propelled themselves across the ice with wooden poles. This was faster and more energy-efficient than hiking. Who perfected ice skating? Even though the first skaters were probably Scandinavian, Holland has been associated with the sport since the Middle Ages. In fact, the Dutch word for "skate" is "schenkel," which means "leg bone." In the Netherlands during the 1300s, people traversed frozen canals on wooden blades that were eventually replaced by metal. Skaters were able to glide, like figure skaters today, because the ice melted at the point of contact with the metal blade. Sources: Eugene (Wash.) Register Guard; MSNBC; Federico Formenti, Oxford University; Alberto E. Minetti, University of Milan; Hans Christian Küchelmann and Petar Zidarov, "Let’s skate together! Skating on bones in the past and today," research paper for the University of Tartu (Estonia).

Hans Gatt comes from behind to win Quest

Amanda Graham — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:32:27 GMT

(Mike Campbell/Anchorage Daily News, 15 February 2010) -- Hometown hero Hans Gatt of Whitehorse finally ended Lance Mackey's magic in distance dog mushing by holding off the four-time champion to win the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in record-shattering fashion on Monday. By finishing in 9 days, 26 minutes, Gatt crushed the previous Quest record time by 23 hours, lowering the race record more than any previous champion in the Quest's 26 years. Sebastian Schneulle, also of Whitehorse, set the record just a year ago. The indomitable Mackey, who finished 63 minutes behind Gatt, had won the only four Quests he'd entered as well as the last three Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races. Both he and Gatt are entered in this year's Iditarod, which begins March 6 in Anchorage. "I can't even explain how this feels," Gatt said at the finish line, according to the Quest's Web site. "I'm actually really emotional right now. These nine dogs are incredible. I'm so proud of them." Hugh Neff of Tok finished third, an hour and 40 minutes behind Mackey. Kicking, running and using ski poles, the 51-year-old Gatt pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind victory on the home stretch after Mackey and Hugh Neff passed him with about 200 miles to go. But after dropping three dogs, Gatt regained the lead Sunday night before the final 100-mile charge to the finish line. "That was the goal — to win it," he told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on Sunday, "and I like to achieve my goals, which I usually do."

New 100-mile dog sled race to start in Whitehorse

Amanda Graham — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:00:43 GMT

(Annalee Grant/Whitehorse Star, 19 January 2010) -- The Dog Powered Sports Association of the Yukon has announced a brand-new 100-mile race that will start from Shipyards Park on Feb. 27. The Road Runner 100 will be open to 25 sled and 10 skijor teams, making it the longest skijor race in North America. “We don’t think there’s another 100-mile race in North America, we think it’s the longest skijor race,” said Jonathon Lucas, vice president of the DPSAY. The race grew out of the Yukon Brewing Copper Haul Twister League. Many participants in those races felt there was a need for a mid-distance race closer to Whitehorse. Lucas said there are three races near Whitehorse every two years, including the Yukon Quest, the Yukon Quest 300 and the Percy de Wolfe Memorial. The Quest 300 starts in Whitehorse once every two years. Besides those, mushers have to drive to Alaska or other destinations to participate in the sport of mid to long-distance mushing. Another concern was that spectators only get to see the start and finish of the races that do start in town. The Road Runner 100 will run close to the Alaska Highway at parts, so spectators can follow the entire race if they want to. The close proximity to the road also helps increase the safety of the mushers along the way. “At any point you’re pretty close to rescue,” he said. The DPSAY board plans to grow the race from 100-miles to 200 in future years.

Ylitornio wants to co-host winter Olympics with Swedish neighbour

Amanda Graham — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:09:41 GMT

(YLE, 1 December 2009) -- The neighbouring communities of Ylitornio in the north of Finland and Gällivare on the Swedish side of the border are considering a joint application to host the Winter Olympics of 2022. The municipality of Gällivare is considering the proposal put forward by Ylitornio. According to a report in a Swedish newspaper, the idea would be to hold ski jump and cross country events in Ylitornio and in Svanstein in Sweden. The Alpine skiing events would be held in Gällivare. Hockey events could be held in Oulu, Tampere, and Rovaniemi in Finland and in Luleå in Sweden.

Jamaican to train for Iditarod with Lance Mackey

Amanda Graham — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:10:57 GMT

(Kyle Hopkins/Anchorage Daily News, 29 November 2009) -- Jamaican dog musher Newton Marshall arrived in Alaska on Sunday to begin a kind of three-month Iditarod boot camp with reigning champ Lance Mackey. Mackey, who plans to lend Marshall his lead dog from last year's winning team, is a blunt-talking cancer survivor who's won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race three years in a row. Marshall took up the sport on a Caribbean island where it never snows. Singer Jimmy Buffett is his main sponsor. In other words, Hollywood might as well start casting the movie now. After training with three-time Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt last year, Marshall placed 13th of 29 mushers in the 1,000-mile race from Whitehorse to Fairbanks. Now it's Mackey's turn as mentor, and his family spent three months building a cabin next to their Fairbanks home, where Marshall will live and train until the Iditarod in March. "He's going to be doing everything that we do," said Mackey, who is also a four-time Yukon Quest champion. "From cleaning dog crap to cutting meat. Prepping for the races. Obviously the training part of it. Everything that it takes to make this household run, he's going to be involved in," Mackey said.

Yukon airline to fly Olympic torch across North

Amanda Graham — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:29:03 GMT

(CBC News, 26 October 2009) -- Air North will be flying the Olympic flame to more than 20 communities in northern Canada starting next week. The Whitehorse-based airline is scheduled to transport the Olympic torch and its handlers across the North over a 10-day period starting Monday. Air North will take the torch to all three territories, as well as northern communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Air North successfully bid for the Olympic contract last year and had to obtain special government clearance to transport the torch, which must remain lit at all times, president and CEO Joe Sparling told CBC News. "There are special approvals that Transport [Canada] gives for the transportation of the torch, and it has to handled in a particular approved fashion," he said. Sparling said security is a major factor, but added that RCMP and Olympic officials are taking care of that. The flame was lit on Oct. 22 in Olympia, Greece. The Canadian torch relay begins Friday in Victoria, moving up British Columbia to Comox, B.C., where the Air North crew will pick it up and start the next leg of the relay ....

Video Essay: Games Inuvialuit play

Amanda Graham — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:10:09 GMT

(Rick Bowmer/AP, 16 September 2009) -- Bowmer captured the 40th Annual Circumpolar Northern Games that celebrate the traditions of Tuktoyaktuk, a small native community on the northern shores of Canada.

Woman swims across Sitka Sound without wetsuit

Amanda Graham — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:20:12 GMT

(Craig Giammona/Daily Sitka Sentinal via The Associated Press via Anchorage Daily News, 6 September 2009) -- SITKA - Claudia Rose was cold, tired and seriously considering calling it quits as she approached Middle Island during her historic swim across Sitka Sound last month. Then she was stung by a jellyfish, Rose said, and she "didn't remember to quit." Rose, a 45-year-old from San Diego, went on to complete what is believed to be the first recorded swim across the Sound, an eight-mile journey from Kruzof Island to Sitka that she completed in 4 hours, 36 minutes. Swimming without a wetsuit and with logistical support from Sitka's John Dunlap, Rose left Inner Point on Kruzof at 9:24 a.m. and arrived at Halibut Point Recreation Area around 2 p.m. Along the way she battled jellyfish and strong currents. After swimming into shallow water at Halibut Point Rec, Rose stood up, walked ashore near the totem pole erected last year and raised her hands above her head in celebration. She had spent more than four hours in 54-degree water, but she managed a smile before hopping into Dunlap's boat for the trip to Crescent Harbor. Dunlap, who helped set the course for Rose, was impressed she had enough energy left to bask in her accomplishment. He expected her to crawl out of the water, not raise her arms and smile. "It's an amazing thing to hear or read about," Dunlap said. "Having actually seen it, I marvel at what a test of endurance it was."

Achieving a dream...

Amanda Graham — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:15:06 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 4 September 2009) -- [The] tapestry, called “Achieving a dream,” will greet visitors to the Richmond Oval, a venue for speed skating competitions at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics. Canada’s North will be in the spotlight when international athletes compete at speed skating events at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic winter games next February, reports nunatsiaqonline.ca At the Richmond Oval speed skating venue, they’ll be greeted by a huge rainbow-coloured tapestry, called “Achieving a dream,” which features an igloo, a speed skater, a high-kicker, an inuksuk, a ski jumper and Inuit playing string games. The six-by-10-foot tapestry is the work of weavers from the tapestry studio at the Uqqurmiut centre for arts crafts in Pangnirtung. To design and weave the tapestry, the studio received a $100,000 commission from the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games via Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. The tapestry’s design, showing a fiord surrounded by snow-covered hills and animal tracks, owes much to the creative talent of Pangnirtung graphic and print artist Andrew Qappik. Qappik also incorporated elements from artists Dinah Anderson of Labrador, Sammy J. Kudluk of Kuujjuaq, and Mabel Nigiyok and Louise Nigiyok of Uluhaktok into the final design. The tapestry will be featured in a special book about art and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Weaving started in Pangnirtung as a federally-funded, program in 1970. The Uqqurmiut centre for arts and crafts is now an Inuit-registered firm, supported by the Nunavut Development Corporation.

Yukoners reach northern tip of Greenland

Amanda Graham — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:33:13 GMT

(Tom Patrick/Yukon News, 20 July 2009) -- Last week, Yukoners Devon McDiarmid, 34, and Derek Crowe, 34, as well as British adventurer Adrian Hayes, 44, became only the second group of kite-skiers to reach the northern tip of Greenland starting from the base of the island. From the tip to their final destination, Qaanaq, it’s all new territory. “We’re going back down (partway) to save on the pick-up cost,” McDiarmid said before leaving for the trip. As of Friday, the adventurers were down to their last 405 kilometres of their 3,500-kilometre trip. However, the winds must co-operate to keep that distance from growing. “And we’re going everything but in straight line the past week,” wrote Hayes on Wednesday. “With the wind continuing to blow in our faces, that ‘distance to go’ will probably end up at well over 800 kilometres. “Today we again ended up further away from our finish point, Qaanaq, than our location this morning.” As of day 62 of a trip they hoped to finish in 65, the adventure seekers have been struggling with food supplies for about a month. ... Those interested can follow their progress and learn more about their trip at http://www.greenlandquest.com

Campaign "Fifth term" carried out in Magadan region

Amanda Graham — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:14:17 GMT

(Magadan Region Internal Affairs Directorate press release via RF Ministry of the Interior, 9 July 2009) -- As part of the campaign "Fifth term" militia officers of the Internal Affairs Directorate in Magadan region started taking measures for prevention of offences among children and teenagers during the summer period for from the first days of the summer holidays. In the children's recreation camp "Energetik" employees of the temporary custody center for underage delinquents and juvenile units held a series of conversations concerning the children's personal safety, discussed a number of law concepts and terms the children may require, recollected the traffic safety rules and explained to the teenagers in what way they are liable for offences and crimes they commit. On the examination day the children were to show the acquired knowledge in practice. The children answered questions of a trivia game, produced a composite facial image of a conditional "criminal" who had "committed a theft" some minutes before, designed and made a creative banner urging inhabitants of Magadan region to be law-abiding. In conclusion of the event militia officers and members of the Public council at the Internal Affairs Directorate in Magadan region awarded the winners certificates of honor and sweets while all participants were treated to a huge pie. Now that the children showed excellent competence the militia officers are sure that the work they perform will save young inhabitants of Magadan region from inconsiderate acts.

Yukon Quest moved a week earlier to entice Iditaroders

Amanda Graham — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:05:11 GMT

(Tristin Hopper/Yukon News, 13 May 2009) -- The Yukon Quest will now start a week earlier in February, easing the transition for mushers looking to run both the Quest and the Iditarod. “There is no way that anyone can recover from the Quest in a week and then run another 1,000-mile race,” said Whitehorse musher Hans Gatt. “We do it, but we’re already tired when the next race starts,” he said. After arriving fourth in Dawson City during this year’s Yukon Quest, Gatt scratched to save his team for the Iditarod, in which he placed tenth. The morning after the Yukon Quest banquet, winner Sebastian Schnuelle was already on his way to Anchorage. Mere days after he had crossed the Yukon Quest finish line, he was already at the Iditarod vet check. “There’s absolutely no room for error; if your truck broke down, you had an issue,” said Schnuelle. With a full week between the races, “there’s a little more time to breathe,” he said. The scheduling change will probably raise the level of competition for both races. There’s a possibility more Iditarod mushers will join the Quest lineup, and Quest mushers will be better prepared when they start the Iditarod. “It’s going to be tougher to place in the top, that’s for sure, but that’s racing and I think that’s a good thing,” said Gatt.

Adventurers set to try 2,000-mile jet ski race

Amanda Graham — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:08:51 GMT

(Mike Campbell/Anchorage Daily News, 12 May 2009) -- Next week a handful of adventurers will take the first step to do on liquid water what has been done so successfully in Alaska on the frozen variety. Following in the footsteps of such established ultramarathons as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the Yukon Quest, the Iron Dog and the Iditarod Trail Invitational, the new Alaskan Wet Dog Race is envisioned as a nearly 2,000-mile jet ski journey from the Port of Anchorage, down Cook Inlet and around part of Kodiak before visiting both sides of the Alaska Peninsula and returning to Anchorage about three weeks later. A half-dozen racers will test the course, hopscotching between 23 towns and villages on their Bombardier Ski Doos. They'll pass through the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay and Lake Iliamna, then hook up with Williams Transportation Co. for a 15-mile road portage from Iliamna to Williamsport before shooting back up Cook Inlet. They'll skirt sensitive wildlife areas such as Izembek National Wildlife Refuge by going at least 3 miles offshore. "We have this fantastic opportunity to go places and see things that primarily only commercial fishing boats get to experience," said race founder John Lang of Wasilla, who's been planning the race for six years. ... Four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser, fresh off a fourth-place finish in the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in February and 18th in the Iditarod a month later, will join five other drivers to test the course, the checkpoints, the equipment and the safety precautions.

Marshall's Jamaican dog-sled team finishes Yukon Quest

Amanda Graham — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:31 GMT

(CBC News, 26 February 2009) -- He's far from home, but rookie musher Newton Marshall of Jamaica has made a name for himself in Canada's North by finishing the Yukon Quest sled-dog race on Thursday. Marshall and his 10 dogs crossed the finish line in Fairbanks, Alaska, at 6:26 a.m. Alaska time (7:26 a.m. PT), completing the 1,600-kilometre race through the Yukon and Alaska in 11 days, 19 hours and two minutes. Marshall's time puts him in 13th place in a field of 19 mushers. He arrived less than two days after Quest winner Sebastian Schnuelle of Whitehorse and runner-up Hugh Neff of Annie Lake Road. The 25-year-old tour guide from St. Ann's Parish, Jamaica, has spent the past two years in the Yukon preparing for this year's Quest, after his Jamaican employer encouraged him to give mushing a try. Marshall's dogs came from his coach, Whitehorse musher Hans Gatt, who also competed in the Yukon Quest. Gatt scratched from the race Feb. 18 at the halfway checkpoint in Dawson City. "If he takes care of those dogs, then they will get him to Fairbanks, no problem," Gatt told CBC News in an interview before the Quest began Feb. 14 from Whitehorse. Marshall's Jamaica Dogsled Team sparked a global media buzz before and during the race. He has been followed by a documentary crew, as well as a team of supporters. Other Yukoners who finished the race are Michelle Phillips of Tagish, who came in fifth on Tuesday, followed by William Kleedehn of Carcross.

Jamaican musher on 1,000-mile Quest

Amanda Graham — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:04:16 GMT

(Matias Saari/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner via AP and Anchorage Daily News, 15 February 2009) -- Newton Marshall was working as a horseback-riding guide for Chukka Caribbean Adventures in Jamaica when a phone call changed his life in 2005. The person taking care of some dogs Chukka had adopted from a shelter was leaving. The tour company needed someone to fill in right away. “They said, ‘Newton, can you look after some dogs’,” Marshall said. “I said, ‘No problem.’” Before long, Chukka began giving cart rides using the shelter dogs. Not long after that, company chairman Danny Melville formed the Jamaica Dogsled Team, and Marshall, who drove the cart-pulling dogs, was among those chosen to work with sled-pulling dogs. These days, Marshall is about as far away as a person can be from Jamaica, at least in latitudinal respects. On Saturday he became the first Jamaican to race in either of mushing’s premier distance races, joining 28 other mushers in Whitehorse for the start of the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Championship. Watching from afar will be Jimmy Buffet, the singer-songwriter who is one of the team’s biggest sponsors. Watching more closely will be Hans Gatt, the three-time Quest champion who has coached Marshall for a year. Gatt is providing him with a team of huskies and a detailed race plan for the 1,000-mile journey to Fairbanks.

Raikkonen leads F1 charge in Arctic Rally

Amanda Graham — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:18:00 GMT

(Formula 1, 26 January 2009) -- Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen swapped tarmac for snow at the weekend as he made his debut in the punishing Arctic Lapland Rally. Fellow Finns Mika Hakkinen and Mika Salo were among the other Formula One names taking part. Raikkonen looked very much at home in the freezing conditions. Along with co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, he steered his Fiat Grande Punto S2000 to 13th place overall, finishing the three-day event in a total time of 2h, 7m, 48s, less than 10 minutes down on winner Juha Salo. Hakkinen was not far behind. The former double world champion, at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, came home 19th in what was his fourth appearance in the rally. Salo was less fortunate, retiring his similar Mitsubishi with technical problems.

Raikkonen and Hakkinen to contest Arctic Lapland Rally

Amanda Graham — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:56:26 GMT

(Formula 1, 9 January 2009) -- Former world champions Kimi Raikkonen and Mika Hakkinen are no strangers to the pressures of Formula One racing, but the Finnish pair are preparing to sample a different motorsport challenge later this month, after agreeing to compete in this year's arduous Arctic Lapland Rally. For Ferrari driver Raikkonen this year's rally will be his first and for his debut the 29 year-old will race a Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000, alongside co-driver Kaj Lindstrom. Hakkinen, who contested the rally in 2003, 2004 and 2006, will be at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9, together with Ilkka Kivimaki. This year's staging of the annual event, which sees top drivers tackle freezing weather conditions as they race around Northern Finland in the heart of the Arctic Circle, will take place from January 22-24. Previous winners include former world rally champions Marcus Gronholm, Tommi Makinen and Hannu Mikkola.

Alaska may be finish line for 1,000-mile canoe race

Amanda Graham — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:24:10 GMT

(AP via Anchorage Daily News, 28 May 2008) -- FAIRBANKS - Already home to the world's longest sled dog, snowmachine and riverboat races, Alaska may become the finish line for the world's longest canoe and kayak race. Plans for a 1,000-mile race on the Yukon River from Whitehorse, Yukon, to the Dalton Highway bridge in Alaska are in the works for next year. Approximately half the race will be in Canada and half will be in Alaska. Race organizer Peter Coates of Whitehorse said he expects the race to attract 50 teams, based on the growing popularity of the 400-mile Yukon River Quest from Whitehorse to Dawson. The fastest teams would take about a week to complete the 1,000-mile paddle, he said, and the slowest about three weeks. "We've got about a dozen teams committed to the race already," said Coates, who has served as both a competitor and race marshal in the River Quest. "We've got a New Zealander interested, somebody from Australia says they're going to do it and several locals." There will be no checkpoints or safety boats in the Yukon 1000. Racers must travel in tandem boats or have a partner if traveling in a solo boat.

Vegard Ulvang spearheads Tour-de-Barents project

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:33:45 GMT

(FasterSkier.com, 15 April 2008) -- Retired Norweigan Olympic Medalist Vegard Ulvang is heading a group looking to implement an elite late-season ski event in the northern Barents region of Scandinavia and Russia. The Tour de Barents is set to debut at the tail end of the 2008-2009 cross-country season. The event is designed as a "mini" Tour de Ski. Athletes will compete in five races between April 4th and April 11th, including a 50km marathon—the Murmansk Ski Marathon. The Barents region consists of the land bordering the Barents Sea—the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, as well as the northwestern coast of Russia. Ulvang told the Barents Observer that the event will not be part of the World Cup next year, but sees inclusion on that circuit as a possibility in the future. The hope is that the world's best skiers will attend and cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. The field will be limited to 55 athletes—30 spots to the top World Cup athletes, 20 spots to the top Russian and Scandinavian skiers, and 5 spots on each day to the top local skiers. The local skiers will not be competing in the overall Tour, but will be eligible for daily prizes and bonuses.

Teachers learned about indigenous people

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:14:10 GMT

(Philip Burgess/Arctic Council News, 16 April 2008) -- The Norwegian IPY initiative sent 20 school teachers from all across Norway to Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu. The programme has been an intense introduction to Sami culture, livelihoods, research and the various institutions and organisations that lie at the heart of contemporary Sami society. Presentations have been made by the Sami University College, the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry, GALDU - the Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Sami Reindeer Herders Association, along with a visit to the Sami Parliament. Sami food culture was introduced and the group will be taken to the tundra accompanied by the well-known Sami reindeer herder, 'Farmen Mikkel', whose extended Eira family is featured in the popular NRK Boazolihkku documentary. They will be accompanied on the tundra by Marit Broch Johansen, coordinator of the Veiveisere / Ofelas programme of the Sami University College. ... There were Norwegian, Finnish and Sami teachers in the group.

Lance Mackey: Iditarod 2008 Champion

Amanda Graham — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:26:38 GMT

(APRN, 12 March 2008) -- Yet another Lance Mackey win in the Iditarod. This year he did it in 9 days, 11 hours, 46 minutes, 48 seconds (official time). We'll have audio updates later this morning on APRN stations statewide. And check out our Special Coverage site for more. We’ll have updates from Libby Casey in Nome, plus more coverage from further back in the race from Ellen Lockyer. Jeff King has taken 2nd place. A handful of mushers were battling for third place, and are expected in Nome by 9:00 a.m. this morning.

Arctic Winter Games opened in Yellowknife

Amanda Graham — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:49:06 GMT

(Jesper Hansen/Arctic Council News, 10 March 2008) -- Sunday evening the 20th Arctic Winter Games was opened in Whitehorse, NWT. The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper held the opening speech to the cheers of more than 2,000 young athletes and coaches, reports CBC. "This year's theme, northern stars inspired by dreams, speaks to the limitless potential of the North and the promise of a bright future," Harper told the crowd, as athletes wearing a rainbow of different coloured uniforms waved flags. The Arctic Winter Games is a high profile circumpolar sport competition for northern and arctic athletes. The first Games were held in Yellowknife, NWT in 1970 with the three contingents coming from Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska. Now there are participants from Nunavik, Nunavut, Greenland, the Saamis of the Northern Scandinavia and from Russia Yamal-Nenets. The young athletes compete in traditional sports as skiing but there are also competions in traditional Arctic sports as Dog Mushing, Inuit Games and Dene Games. The Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse will end at March the 15th.

Tough lady geared up for gruelling dog race

Amanda Graham — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:12:21 GMT

(Aftenposten, 29 February 2008) -- A young, tough Norwegian woman was ready for this weekend's start of Iditarod, the world's major annual dog-sledding event—and she has high hopes of placing even better than she did last year. Last year, Sigrid Ekran (27) came in at number 20, which won her the double-titles of "Best Woman" and "Best Debutant". That wasn't good enough for Ekran, who has spent recent months living with the Eskimos in Alaska, preparing herself for the harsh conditions she will encounter as she races over the 1,850 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Anchorage to Nome yet again. She has been living in a little hut without electricity or running water, with only the company of her dogs, according to Norwegian daily newspaper Aftenposten. She says she loves it there, and her dogs do too. During last year's race, she suffered a broken nose and food poisoning on her journey, but she is not daunted. Norwegian Robert Sørlie, who won the famed dog-sled race in 2003 and 2005, said of Ekran: "She has guts, and most of what it takes to be a winner...she manages to do everything herself."

28 mushers entered to run Yukon Quest

Amanda Graham — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:48:26 GMT

(CBC News, 17 December 2007) -- Twenty-eight mushers have signed up to run the 1,600-kilometre Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, including three-time reigning champion Alaskan Lance Mackey. Regular registration closed Friday. The race begins in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 9 and runs through the northern wilderness to the Yukon's capital, Whitehorse. Quest spokesman Stephen Reynolds said the field also includes former champions Frank Turner of Whitehorse and Alaskans Bill Cotter and Sonny Lindner. Lindner won the first race 25 years ago. The competition roster also has "all kinds of interesting middle-of-the-pack and rookie mushers and a lot of new names in and around the Whitehorse area, so a very, very interesting field," Reynolds said. Yukon race veterans Cor Guimond, Peter Ledwidge, Michelle Phillips, Kyla Boivin and Paul Geoffrion have signed up to run the race again. They are joined by Whitehorse-area rookies Didier Moggia and Jeremy Matrishon. The total race purse is $200,000 US, with the winner taking $35,000.

Traditional Sámi trail has become tourist attraction

Amanda Graham — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:42:38 GMT

(Inger Marklund, Stig-Arne Nordstrom/EuroArctic.com, 1 October 2007) --- A new hiking trail from Swedish village Ritsem to Norwegian village Tysfjord has opened. It follows an old traditional Sámi footpath across the mountains. Gransleden (The Border Trail) is 43 kilometres of scenic experiences. It starts in a high mountain area and ends at a deep fjord—or the other way around, if you prefer. It took two years to prepare the trail, to build toilets, sleeping cabins and “coffee break” cabins. Small wood boards painted in the traditional Sámi colours mark the trail. "There will be guided group hikes to make tourists feel secure in the mountains and people have already asked for all kinds of information," says Lars Israelsson, Manager at Gellivare town administration. The best season to walk the footpath is in August and September. Snow will fall after that and it might get a bit cold while tent is the only sleeping arrangement along the Swedish part of the trail.

Best practices guide for AUV polar operations

Amanda Graham — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:45:11 GMT

(Engineering Committee on Oceanic Resources (ECOR) Specialist Panel on Underwater Vehicles, 29 August 2007) -- The Engineering Committee on Oceanic Resources (ECOR) Specialist Panel on Underwater Vehicles has taken on the task of preparing a Best Practices document for polar AUV operations in the form of a new website. The website includes an expanding archive in the field of polar AUV research and a wiki where members can contribute to the content of the site. Funded by Collaborative Autosub Science in Extreme Environments (CASEE), the website is intended for everyone from experienced to new AUV users, from AUV manufacturers to scientists, and the public at large. The website is a living document open to everyone and will expand as information is added on the wiki. The Best Practices Guide for AUV Polar Operations and other AUV-related information is available at: http://www.srcf.ucam.org/polarauvguide/

Arctic city warms to Olympic bid

Amanda Graham — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 01:56:24 GMT

(Tom Hundley/Chicago Tribune, 26 August 2007)** -- TROMSØ, Norway - Located more than 220 miles north of the Arctic Circle, this surprisingly sunny and cheerful little city likes to boast that it has the northernmost university in the world. Also the northernmost brewery and the northernmost Burger King. In 1989, Tromsø¸ was able to claim the northernmost papal visit when Pope John Paul II flew in for a quick mass. And earlier this summer, a golfer on the local links carded the northernmost hole in one. Boosters of Tromsø are now taking aim at a new target: They want to host the northernmost Olympic Games in 2018, fully aware that staging the Games in the Arctic would undoubtedly pose some unique logistical problems. "The Arctic is an undiscovered area for most people. We are hoping the selection committee will choose us because we think we represent something quite different from the usual winter resort," said Erlend Rian, an adviser to Tromsø's Olympic bid committee and the city's former mayor. During the summer months, Tromsø draws a few tourists who come to enjoy the white nights and midnight sun. But during the winter months the opposite conditions prevail. The sun sets on Nov. 21 and doesn't rise again until Jan. 21. How would the International Olympic Committee feel about holding the Games in darkness? The IOC, which will select the location of the 2018 Winter Games in 2011, had no comment on Tromsø's potential bid. "The process for 2018 has not even started yet," said Sandrine Chabert, an IOC spokeswoman contacted in Lausanne, Switzerland. But Tromsø's bid promoters are confident that solutions can be found to the daylight issue or any other concerns.

Barrow playing field is about much more than just football

Amanda Graham — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:36:33 GMT

(Tamar Ben-Yosef/Anchorage Daily News, 6 August 2007) -- BARROW - The Whalers football team players will no longer have to scrape their bodies on cold, hard gravel or mark the field for every game. For that, they have to thank one strong-willed woman, a lot of faith and an overwhelming response that made the dream of getting a new playing field a reality. "It is like building a football field on the moon!" said Cathy Parker, the St. Johns County, Fla., woman who became inspired to help Barrow after viewing a documentary on the team on ESPN last October. Parker and the team hope to have the turf ready for action for the first game of the season on Aug. 17, when she plans to make her first visit to the city she has become so connected to. She hopes to raise the remaining $200,000 needed to pay for the $800,000 project before that game. Ever since the team began getting coverage on ESPN and other news stations nationwide, Parker has received thousands of letters and donations of various amounts and forms from people across the country who want to take part in turning the Whalers into a real dream team. In addition, a brigade of companies and individuals are involved in making the improbable Arctic delivery of 60,000 pounds of artificial turf, which according to Scott Barr, a Barrow football dad with an integral role in pushing the project through, feels just as springy and soft as real grass turf.

Actor Neeson adds star power to Nunavik with fishing trip

Amanda Graham — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:25:45 GMT

(CBC News, 1 August 2007) -- Tourism in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec is getting a celebrity boost from Irish-born actor Liam Neeson, who is visiting the area on a fly-fishing trip. Neeson, best known for his roles in the films Schindler's List and Rob Roy, has been in the area since Friday, shooting a television program on fly fishing on the George River. He is scheduled to leave later this week. Nunavik Tourism executive director Allen Gordon told CBC News that he and Neeson have already cast their lines on a stream near Kuujjuaq, Que. It was there that Neeson caught a trout on his first cast—part of an overall amazing experience, the actor said. "I have to flatter myself and say I caught nine brook trout. I hasten to add, I practise catch and release, so all of these trout were successfully released back into the river," Neeson told CBC News in an interview. "The biggest I caught, I think, was about three pounds. Beautiful."

Jamaican dogsled team sets sights on 2009 Yukon Quest

Amanda Graham — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 06:43:21 GMT

(CBC News, 20 July 2007) -- Consider it way colder than Cool Runnings: a dogsledder from Jamaica will come to Whitehorse this winter to train for the 2009 Yukon Quest. And in case you missed it the first time, it's a dogsled team—unlike a certain other wintersport team from the same country that tried to crack the Calgary Winter Olympics and was later immortalized in the 1993 movie Cool Runnings. "So many people confuse it with the bobsled team," said Danny Melville, founder of the Ocho Rios-based Jamaica Dogsled Team, on Friday. "They say 'You mean bobsled team?' I say, 'No, dogsled team.' " Melville, who came to Whitehorse this week to meet with Yukon musher Hans Gatt, said he founded the Jamaica Dogsled Team with a collection of stray mixed-breed dogs found on the streets or through the Jamaican SPCA. The idea started as a fun way to promote humane dog care in his island homeland, he said. ... But what started as a fun way to promote humane dog care on his island homeland started to take off: lead musher Devon Anderson and the Jamaican sled dogs were featured in Palm Pictures' 2006 documentary Sun Dogs, which chronicled their trip to the 2006 U.K. championships in Scotland. Now, Anderson wants to tackle the 1,600-kilometre (1,000-mile) Yukon Quest, considered to be one of the most grueling dogsled races in the world. Getting into the race, for starters, requires teams to complete qualifying races 322 kilometres (200 miles) and 483 kilometres (300 miles) long.

Explorer to swim Arctic waters for climate change awareness

Amanda Graham — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:52:57 GMT

(Ryan Davies/24dash.com, 7 July 2007) -- Explorer Lewis Gordon Pugh starts his journey to the Arctic today to raise awareness of the "devastating effects" of climate change by swimming the coldest waters a human has ever endured. Pugh will attempt to swim one kilometre to the Geographic North Pole in temperatures of minus 1.8°C, breaking his own record of the coldest point swum by a human--0°C--which he set in 2005 off Antarctica. In accordance with Channel Swimming Association rules, he will swim in only Speedo trunks, a cap and a pair of goggles, despite the extreme cold. He is predicting the swim, which will take place on 15 July, will take him around 21 minutes to complete. Pugh will be swimming in waters created by melted sea ice, and hopes to draw attention to the damage climate change is already doing to the world's most vulnerable ecosystems. He said: "In recent years the Arctic has had the greatest increase in air temperatures in the world and a substantial decrease in sea ice. "These changes are being driven by global warming gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. "Just five or ten years ago this swim would never have been possible. It's deeply regrettable that it's possible now because of the devastating effects of climate change."

Fisherman's Day to last for 1 month on Taimyr

Amanda Graham — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:25:23 GMT

(Newslab.ru, 25 May 2007) -- The Fisherman's Day will be celebrated on Taimyr for a month. As Taimyr District Duma reported, the holiday would be celebrated in 18 villages of the district. The festive program will consist of rowing competitions by national wooden boats, contests for the quickest fishing net mending, the biggest catch, the biggest fish. Women will compete in fish cutting for yukolas (yukola – dried fish made in the North and Far East) by national recipes. Taimyr best fishermen will be awarded for the results of their work in 2006. There are 18 motor boats "Vikhr-30" among the prizes granted as part of the municipal special purpose program "Taimyr Peoples". A total of $30,000 has been allocated from the municipal budget on the celebration of the Fisherman's Day by Taimyr deputies. Norilsk Nickel is known to sponsor the holiday. Citizens of Taimyr villages will get sewing-machines, tents, sleeping-bags, liquid fuel stoves, special warm suits and kitchen utensils as presents.

Arctic race tests contestants' physical, mental fortitude

Amanda Graham — Sun, 06 May 2007 09:08:12 GMT

(Belinda Goldsmith/Reuters, 3 May 2007) -- NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - After more than a year's training, eight teams of adventurers are battling across the Arctic in what is described as the world's toughest polar race, facing freezing conditions, polar bears and their own mental strength. The Polar Challenge is a 350 nautical mile race to the magnetic North Pole in which team of three people, sponsored to raise money for charity, endure temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius and 24 hours of daylight for about two weeks. Six days into the race, competitor Christopher Mike, one of the three team members of Bearing 360 North, co-sponsored by Reuters, ICAP and Merchant Inns, said the event was tougher than he could have ever imagined. "Physically you can train all you like but you just can't be mentally prepared for the Arctic environment," he told Reuters on Thursday via a satellite phone from the first of the race's three manned checkpoints.

Native Youth Olympics aren't for the weak

Amanda Graham — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 02:02:14 GMT

(Ron Wilmot/Anchorage Daily News, 27 April 2007) -- To truly get an appreciation of Native Youth Olympics events, get off the couch, set down the cup of coffee, and try a few of these traditional tests of strength, flexibility, endurance and pain tolerance. It's harder than it looks. And right now, you're probably looking at the photos on this page and thinking, "That looks pretty hard." Start with the Alaskan high kick. First, sit down on the floor in a crabwalk position, balanced on your hands and feet. Now grab your left foot with your right hand, or vise versa, so you're balancing on one hand and the opposite foot. Now, the hard part. Try to kick up with your foot. Unless you possess a lot of upper body strength, flexibility, balance -- and faith that you won't fall on your face -- it'll probably be tough just to kick your foot higher than your head. At Thursday's senior NYO games at Sullivan Arena, Manuel Tumulak Jr. of Anchorage kicked a seal-skin ball suspended 92 inches -- almost eight feet -- above the floor to set a NYO record. Tumulak's mark broke the previous record of 90 inches set by Billy Bodfish of Wainwright in 2005.