AND THE WINNER IS..........................

CRAIG HOUGHTON

2015 UNDERDOG CHAMPION!!

Craig Houghton  3:44

Marcel Marin      3:57

Dyan Bergen        4:39

Sean Houghton     4:45

Paul Hamlyn          4:55

It was a fast paced race this year.  -30 degrees at the race start without the wind chill.  Dyan Bergen led the pack followed by the Houghton teams.  Paul Hamlyn and Marcel Marin were the last ones out of the blocks.  Craig Houghton took the lead by the end of the Ice Road and never looked back, his team was led by “Quarter”.  His single lead white hound, his team consisted of 6 Males and 1 Female.  He pulled away from the pack and smoked the competition.  His team peaked and fine tuned for the Underdog.  He set a new track record of 3:44

13 minutes later, Race organizer Marcel Marin rode in to claim 2^nd prize.  

Yukon Quest Veteran Dyan Bergen and her super steady team came in 3^rd and also claimed the Best Cared For Team voted on by the Race Officials.  She also claimed the Sportsmanship award, which was voted on by all her fellow mushers.  

4^th place went to “Rock Star” Sean Houghton, the crowd favorite, he grew quite a fan fair from the local media interviews, including CBC’s Northwind and the Edge Magazine.  At only 11 years old, this remarkable young man took his team of 5 dogs around the 50 mile track in a time of 4:45.  For his efforts, Sean took home a $500.00 cheque from Aurora Telecom, $250.00 prize money, A $400.00 Arctic Cat Jacket donated by Yellowknife Chrysler Motor Sports.  And Countless other prizes.  WAY TO GO SEAN!!!!

Rounding off the top 5 was Paul Hamlyn and his team of Sepalla Siberians after racing in the Yukon this winter.  Pauls team hardened by many miles and other mid-distance races, came in at respectable time of 4:55.  All the teams finished under 5 hours and 2 teams finished under 4 hours. 

Not bad for a little 7-dog race.

Then as a tradition of the Underdog, we all went back to the Hamlyn’s and ate for 5 hours!  Thank you Irene Vasa for the Chilli J

The Underdog thanks its awesome crew of volunteers which makes this race possible.  The professional crew kept the racer’s safe, on the trail, and informed the rules.

Jerry, Ian, Zach, Kane, Wayne, Brena and Rachel.  This race couldn’t of happened without the volunteers.  Thank you so much.

So, a big thank you and shout out to the Sponsors, Volunteers and Mushers.  See you all next year.  

Current weather in Yellowknife, NT

Purse as of Today (March 20, 2015)

1st Place -   $500.00
2nd Place -  $400.00
3rd Place -   $300.00
4th Place -   $250.00
5th Place -   $ 200.00

PRIZES AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING

• TOP JR. TEAM AWARD               $500.00
• TOP ROOKIE AWARD     $100.00
• SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD      $  50.00
• BEST KEPT TEAM AWARD              $   50.00 (gift certificate)

Donations

Jerry Vanhantsaeme - Race Marshall

Wayne Willis - Trail Help

Thank you for volunteering with trail help and race organizing!!  GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

                                                                                                            

Thank you to Aurora Telecom for the Generous Donation:

3917 Ragged Ass Rd., Yellowknife  NT   X1A 2T4

(867) 766-4884

                                                                                                                                 

MIDNIGHT PETROLEUM

HAY RIVER ADDRESS:

42099 MACKENZIE HIGHWAY

HAY RIVER  NT   X0E 0R9

(867)-874-2201

YELLOWKNIFE ADDRESS:

NEGUS POINT

YELLOWKNIFE  NT   X1A 2N7
(867) 873-6214

                                                                                                                

Thank you go ENODAH LODGE - 

for their generous donation of Enodah clothing and CA$H

http://enodah.com/

                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                             

AFTER 8 PUB - YELLOWKNIFE

For a total donation of $100.00 in Gift Certificates

You can find their facebook page on

https://www.facebook.com/After8Pub

                                                                                                                

Sushi North - Yellowknife

669-0001

To make an online sushi order visit

www.sushinorth.ca

                                                                                                                                           

Yellowknife Chrysler – Power Sports (Arctic Cat Jacket)

http://www.yellowknifechrysler.com/

                                                                                                                                     

The Hamlyn family for hosting the banquet.

                                                                                                                                           

Ms. Irene Vasa {Chilly Cooker}

                                                                                                                                           

Thank you to the Olesen Family for the donation of the new book written by Dave Olesen.

Kinds of Winter: Four Solo Journeys by Dogteam in Canada’s Northwest Territories by Dave Olesen

                                                                                                                                  

POLAR FUELS FOR DONATING A KNIFE FOR THE TOP JR. MUSHER.

349 Old Airport Road, Yellowknife, NT X1A 3X6 (867) 766-2777

  

                                                                                                                

LAKE AWRY - YELLOWKNIFE FOR THEIR DONATION

http://lakeawry.com/
                                                                                                                

COYOTES STEAKHOUSE AND LOUNGE

VIEW THEIR COMPLETE MENU, NEWS AND EVENTS ON THIS WEB-LINK

http://ykcoyotes.com/
                                                                                                                

ZACH SLEDS

                                                                                                                

KINGLAND FORD - YELLOWKNIFE

View their details at:

http://kingland.dealerconnection.com/

                                                                                                                

BOREALIS KENNELS

VISIT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE AT 

https://www.facebook.com/ykbkps

                                                                                                                

The Edge YK

Visit their Magazine at

https://edgeyk.com/

                                                                                                                

PIONEER SUPPLY HOUSE

Visit their website:

http://pioneersupply.ca/
                                                                         

Underdog Registered Mushers

Marcel Marin - Yellowknife, NT

Sean Houghton - Fort St. James, BC

Ian Stevens Yellowknife, NT

Craig Houghton - Fort St. James, BC

Paul Hamlyn - Yellowknife, NT

Dyan Bergen - Yellowknife, NT

50 Mile Race **Underdog 50**

UNDERDOG RACE DATE IS APRIL 4, 2015

The Underdog was started in 2005. It is a race designed to be a competitive race for the small Kennel owner. e hope that every musher competitive or not come out and enjoy themselves.

1. Running of the Race

Timed Start

The race is 50 Miles

Exact Trail will be discussed at the Pre-race meeting (TBA)

Race starts no matter the weather.

.

The race marshal has final say over any matter from start of race to closing. Anyone with complaints must contact the Marshall within reasonable time. Mandatory gear is also part of the rules.

2. Passing

All Dogs must have necklines (Including leaders) unless you are running a single leader.

a) Any team which is caught after the 2 miles of start must give way if asked by the faster team. The over taken team must come to a complete stop, if asked.

b) Any Musher whose team cannot properly pass a stopped team will not be given the right of way

c) First 2 miles and the last 1 Mile of the race trail will be considered as no man’s land. Trail does not have to be given if asked in this area

3. Mandatory Gear

a) Axe

b) Knife

c) Matches and Lighter

d) Working Headlamp

e) Sleeping Bag

f) 4 Pounds of dog food/per dog.

Items a, b, c, d, e must be present at start and finish of the race.

Any missing items will result in a 30 minute penalty per item.

(dog food does not need to be present at finish line).

Mandatory gear will be checked at start, and finish line.

4. Dogs

• 7 Dog Maximum, •

No Dog Drops

• No abuse of any kind towards dogs, volunteers, or other mushers.