Canadian Challenge: The Stories Will Live On

It has been a long day.
Anxiously awaiting the return of three mushers and their incredible athletes.

Darren Haas with six dogs from Controlled Chaos came across to claim his sixth place finish at 1:27 this afternoon.  It was his first race of any kind, and for a rookie did brilliantly.

Christina Traverse followed shortly at 2:05 with eight dogs on the line meeting up with her lead dog, Gogi, and catching that seventh place.  With her race times between Stanley and La Ronge being as fast as they were, she and her team had an amazing run into La Ronge.

Coming in to blow out the red lantern Friday night at 23:20 and close the 20th anniversary of this years Canadian Challenge is Steven Laviolette.  The mountain man with his Siberians from Quebec ran a race they had been dreaming about for a few years now.  He made it here AND he crossed the finish line.

Red Lanter, Steven Laviolette
Photo Credit: Kandis Riese

Every musher who has run the Canadian Challenge over the last 20 years has a story or two to tell. Some are exhilarating tales, many end with a laugh, and each of them share their stories with an enthusiasm that draws you in like a warm blanket on a cold day
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Distance mushers with their dry cracked hands, are a tough breed. They spend days on the runners in the cold brutal wind, chewing on frozen granola bars, and try to keep their drinks from freezing by holding them inside their jackets under their arm pits.  When nature calls, it doesn't care that it is -30 or colder, and that alone makes the tough even tougher.
Yet when they bend down to thank their dogs for working as a team their voices become soft and their hands gentle as they massage tired shoulders and hips.   There is a bond, and a trust between dog and musher that runs deep.  You can see it in the dogs eyes as they look up with unconditional love, and a look that says, I will run for you wherever you want to go.

Spending hundreds upon hundreds of miles together, alone in the wild with 8, 12 or 16 of your best friends doesn't mean you're tough, it means you're lucky.

I have been waiting all day to write, and had wanted to talk about the awesome volunteers, race officials and vets  Everyone who worked hard at putting on the race this year.
However I've decided that, that can wait until tomorrow as the last three mushers coming home was much more important.

Good night everyone, rest well.

Photo Credit: Kandis Riese

Canadian Challenge: Christina Traverse

At 27, Christina is the youngest musher to run the race this year and is looking forward to coming back to the Challenge so she can catch up with all of the mushers.  She continues to come back because she says it has a wonderful welcoming atmosphere that includes awesome volunteers, organizers and vets. 

This year for Christina is more of a personal challenge since getting sick on the Yukon Quest.   In 2013  Christina made it almost to the 1/2 way mark at Dawson City before coming down ill on the trail.  At 23 she attempted and almost made 500 miles into the middle of the Yukon. 

She has come a long way from hooking up her younger brother to a sled then making him run around to pull her.  It must have been a great relief to him when she got her childhood pet, a German Shepherd named Cheyenne.

While pretending to be a musher with Cheyenne, she kept hearing a voice in her head, "don't do it Christina, no, you're not getting your own team, you are NOT dog sledding!"  That voice in her head turned out to be her mothers voice.

Guess she didn't listen to her mother after all as she is now the owner with a full kennel of Alaskan Sled dogs at Mush McMurray in Fort McMurray.

When I ask mushers about a personal accomplishment, or something they are proud of, Christina mentioned something that I would never have thought of, a challenge that most mushers I'm sure have to face head on.  She says that dog sledding helped her to overcome her fear of the dark and is now her favorite time to run.    However she added that just being able to train a team of dogs, work with them and to travel many miles alone together is something she will always be proud of.

Running with a team of amazing dogs would also help boost confidence in a young woman out in the wild alone.  One dog, from Aaron Peck, named Gogi, also known as the Princess of the kennel, stands out amongst the rest.  Christina says she has to be one of the smartest dogs she has ever met, and during the Yukon Quest said she actually saved her life.  When you meet up with Christina you will have to ask her to share that story with you. 

Demi is her other leader, also from Aaron, a loyal, smart and very determined leader.  Demi's mom, Colors,  used to be Christina's main leader who is now a retired couch potato sled dog. However her spirit lives on in Demi, making it feel like she is still running with the team.

You'll see Christina this year with a handler all the way from England, Maddie.  The two of them have already built team spirit as Maddie helped with the rebuilding after the fire that struck Christina's home town this past summer.   The dogs  know her well and they are all looking forward to working together.

There are no specific plans set beyond this race, but there is a very good chance you will see Christina back at the Challenge next year.

Photo Credit: Christina's Facebook Page