Catherine Gillis
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 29/00) - Some great fun and excitement is as easy as a visit to Frame Lake as some of Canada's top mushers hit the trail.

The Yellowknife "Sleigh Dog Race" goes as far back as 1955. The first race was put together by the NWT Fish and Game Association. The first rear, first place prize money was $50 and it went to Alfred Drygeese.

Today, 45 years later, the Dog Derby is going strong, now known as Canadian Championship Dog Derby. Prize money has been raised to a whopping $10,000 for first place, and even the 10th place contestant will go home with some cash -- winning $350.

The race is being organized by the Canadian Championship Dog Derby Association. Dave Anderson is this year's race marshall. Some of this year's sponsors include NMI Mobility, Air Tindi Ltd., and Arctic Energy Alliance.

There is a $200 entry fee.

The race is 150 miles long, and participants race in three stages of 50 miles each over three days. Starting times are 12:30 p.m. Friday, and noon Saturday and Sunday. Be sure to be there on time for the start to catch the spectacle of all the mushers driving their dog teams off the start line.

There are plenty of opportunities to see the races. One of the best is at Fort Caribou on Frame Lake, the start/finish line. You can not only see the mushers off there, but a short walk across the ice will take you to another vantage point.

Old Airport Road at the northwest end of Frame Lake is a second spot. The track passes between the museum and visitor's centre and you can also see them from the Dettah Ice Road.

Heading up the list of entries this year are Yellowknife's 'Beck boys' -- Grant and Ray.

They have been winning races since 1974, when Ray Beck won first place with a track time of 14 hours, 14 minutes, 54 seconds. Grant has established himself as one of the world's top mushers after winning the multi-stage 2000 Pirena dog sled race in Spain earlier this year.

Grant Beck's visit to Spain has also resulted in Spanish musher Fran Maruenda bringing his dog team to Yellowknife for the competition.

Also competing this year is Tim White, winner of six races throughout the years, and all the way from Courmayeur, Italy, Fabrizio Lovat hopes to challenge the field.

New this year is the Kids' Race, organized by Ken Weagle who has volunteered his time to co-ordinate the event. There will be two races for younger mushers. The first one will be on April 1 at 12:30 p.m. This race is for children ages 7-10. The race will cover two miles of the original race track. Race contestants must supply their own dogs and sleds. Entry fee is $10 dollars and $1,000 dollar prize money will be divided among the winners.

The second kids race is held on the same day, at 1 p.m. There is no entry fee and this race is for children up to 10 years old. The race will be a 200 yard dash. Winners will receive gift certificates courtesy of Caribou Carnival.

Mushers -- don't forget to attend the luncheon at the Yellowknife Museum planned for Thursday at noon. This luncheon is being held especially for you -- the mushers -- so don't miss it!

The event will conclude with the annual Mushers Banquet and Awards Ceremony, held at the Explorer Hotel at 7 p.m. Sunday.

For more information on the Canadian Championship Dog Derby visit their Web site at www.cascom-yk.com/derby.html

See you at the race track!