NNSL (Mar 18/98) - The NWT has made its presence felt early and often at the 1998 Arctic Winter Games. The home team is off to a fabulous start and currently leads the seven-nation games in the medal count, heading into the halfway point.

"I didn't anticipate such a quick start," said Doug Rentmeister, chef de mission for Team NWT. "Hopefully we can keep this momentum up throughout the week."

The Slave Lake games in 1994 were the kindest year to the NWT so far, producing it's highest medal count in AWG history, according to Rentmeister. At press deadline Tuesday afternoon the NWT leads the pack with 34 medals, seven ahead of Arctic Winter Games powerhouse Alaska.

Of the 34 ulus, territorial athletes have earned has 13 golds, 12 silvers, and nine bronze. The big events to date have been arctic sports and speed skating.

NWT speed skaters have already accounted for nine medals, while arctic sports athletes have netted an impressive seven.

Three podium sweeps have also no surprise in earned in the open men's one foot high kick and speed skaters swept both the 333 metre juvenile boys and girls races.