Copperhaul Twisters end winter season on new course

It’s always nice to get a change of scenery.

It’s always nice to get a change of scenery.

Especially if you’ve gotten used to the same scene over four years.

The final Yukon Brewing Copperhaul Twister League race took place at

Uncommon Journeys in the Ibex Valley on Sunday, rather than at the usual Icy Waters.

“The dogs get excited on a new trail,” said Jonathan Lucas, league founder and former organizer. “It wasn’t any harder, it was just we hadn’t seen it for four years. It was a good, hard-packed, fast trail. It wasn’t about the challenge of the trial; it was simply a different trail, different view, different outlook. I would say it was getting a little bit the same, going down the Copperhaul every time. Next year it would be nice to have one down the Copperhaul, and then five elsewhere.”

Lucas hung up his organizer’s hat earlier this year to focus on racing.

He competed in the Yukon Quest 300 in February and most recently in the Percy de Wolfe Memorial Dog Sled Race, a 210-mile jaunt from Dawson to Eagle, Alaska, in March.

Lucas finished 10th out of 14 racers in 37 hours in last month’s race.

Since Lucas’ retirement, various mushers have taken the reins to organize the Copperhaul Twisters.

“I really appreciate people doing it, because I can still race but I don’t have all that pressure, which is nice,” Lucas said.

“It’s great. Now I go to a race, and the night before I pack my truck, and I get up at a reasonable time, and just pack my dogs like everybody else, go there and it’s all laid out. It’s been great for me. It’s great that they’ve taken it on and carried it on.”

The finale also featured the open class race – the first of its kind offered by the league – in which two daring mushers came out to compete.

Twenty-three teams showed up to race in the event – the largest field of competitors all season – maybe because of the change of scenery, the new open class race or simply because it was the finale.

Sixteen teams competed in the main event, the 4-6 dog sled and 2-4 skijor, on the 11.5-mile trail.

Three kids teams and two pet dog teams came out to compete on the 3.5-mile trail.

Lucas said the attitude of the dogs and the etiquette of the racers have improved since the league began four years ago.

“I’m really pleased to be able to say that, simply because people are able to get out more, they understand more rules and etiquette and how racing goes,” Lucas said.

After all the races were completed on Sunday everyone moved to Drag ‘N’ Fly Kennels on the Old Alaska Highway where volunteer race marshal Stefan Wackerhagen handed out the awards. After the race day prizes were handed out, Lucas passed out the league awards.

Uncommon Journeys sponsored the purse and First Mate dog food, Aurora Booties, Yukon Brewing, Bombproof Outdoor Gear and Muktuk Adventures each sponsored the prizes.

Complete results are as follows:

Main race (4-6 dog sled/2-4 dog skijor)

1. Alexandra Rochat (6-dog sled) 52:46

2. Jonathan Zangg (2-dog skijor) 54:19

3. Darryl Sheepway (5-dog sled) 56:21

4. Fabian Schmidt (6-dog sled) 56:44

5. Jonathan Lucas (6-dog sled) 57:18

6. Claudia Wickert (6-dog sled) 58:20

7. Christel Bartczak (6-dog sled) 59:03

8. Matthias Beck (6-dog sled) 1:00:06

9. Genesee Keevil (6-dog sled) 1:00:14

10. Kate Weekes (6-dog sled) 1:02:18

11. Gerry Willomitzer (6-dog sled) 1:02:30

12. Moria Sauer (4-dog sled) 1:05:14

13. Debbie Last (6-dog sled) 1:05:25

14. Amil Dupuis-Rossi (6-dog sled) 1:06:08

15. Marcus Lepin (6-dog sled) 1:06:50

16. Janet Keller (6-dog sled) 1:34:26

Kids (3.5-mile trail)

1. Seth Carey (3-dog sled) 16:31

2. Thea Carey (2-dog sled) 18:03

3. Samuel Mason (3-dog sled) 18:31

Pets (3.5-mile trail)

Pippa Lawson and Tiramasu 25:52

Jonathan Lucas and Asha 35:41

Open Class (11.5-mile trail)

1. Tony Radford (9-dog sled) 43:43

2. David Mason (16-dog sled) 51:06

Yukon Brewing Copperhaul Twister League final standings

1. Stefan Wackerhagen 22 points

2. Darry Sheepway 22 points

3. Jonathan Lucas 14 points

4. Fabian Schmidt 12 points

5. Claudia Wickert 8 points

Kids

1. Seth Carey 30 points

Pet

1. Asha and Jonathan Lucas