Yukoners steal the show at 2008 Buckwheat Ski Classic

Yukon skiers showed off their skills at the annual Buckwheat Ski Classic, winning nine of the 12 race events held during Saturday's competition.

Yukon skiers showed off their skills at the annual Buckwheat Ski Classic, winning nine of the 12 race events held during Saturday’s competition.
More than 220 skiers took part in this year’s competition, held at Log Cabin on the South Klondike Highway in B.C.
“We have never had an American or an Alaskan finish in the top five in the women’s 50-km, Yukoners kick butt,“ said race founder Buckwheat Donahue.

“There is usually more competition, usually we get some men from Anchorage and from Fairbanks that compete with the Yukoners, but this year none of them came, so I think it is going to be a clean sweep in the 50-km and probably even in the 25-km.

That has happened before; there have been years where no American has ever won any of the medals.“
This was the 22nd annual Buckwheat Ski Classic and it featured 50-km, 25-km and a 10-km distance race events.

The Buckwheat also had a 5-km race for kids 12 years old and under, as well as a 5-km snowshoeing event, which was open to anybody.

All of the events were raced using the classic style technique.
Registration was $50 and open to individuals of all ages. The youngest participant was six years old, while the oldest was 75.

There was also a separate category for both male and female competitors at the event.

The Buckwheat Ski Classic is the only Skagwegian-hosted ski race throughout the year and helps raise funds for the Skagway Ski Club.

Besides Canadian participants from the Yukon, the event featured skiers from several provinces, including Ontario, Alberta and B.C.

Competitors also came from a variety of different American states, such as Montana, Alaska, Washington and Oregon.
Every year at the Buckwheat Ski Classic there is a snow sculpture, and the 2008 event continued this tradition.

This year featured a salmon, approximately 60 feet long, 18 feet high and 12 feet wide located at the mid aid station for the 10-km, 25-km and 50-km races.

Post-race events included an awards banquet and dance, featuring a blues-rock band, which performed at the Eagles Hall in Skagway.
The grand prize was $500 (US) awarded to each of the male and female winners in the 50-km classic mass start.

The runner-up, for both male and female, in the 50-km won $200, while third place times were each given a total of $100.

There were no cash prizes for the rest of the ski races, but plaques were awarded to individuals who finished in the top three in each the male and female categories.
Marcus Wattereus of Whitehorse won the 50-km men’s race with an impressive time of 2:54:35.

Wattereus finished the race more than three minutes faster than the second place time, which was posted by Alaskan Guy Thibodeau.

Yukoner Scott Fraser, who is also from Whitehorse, rounded out the top three with a time of 3:00:59.
Wattereus has competed in the Buckwheat Ski Classic close to 20 times.

He said it felt really good to win the event.
“It has been quite a while since I have won it, probably about 15 years, so it feels pretty good right now,“ Wattereus said.

“I take it all in stride. I am happy about it, but it is not the end of the world if I end up in the top five or so, that’s fine too.“
He said the first 25-km isn’t that bad, but the final stretch is always difficult.
“Probably the last 15-km was really tough,“ Wattereus said.

“That’s the hard part, and the rest is just maintaining pace and feeling comfortable.
During the last part you have spent everything you’ve had.

It took a lot longer before I hit the wall this year than last year.

So this year it was good.“
Wattereus said this is one of his favourite events of the ski season.
“I really like the ski trail,“ he said.

“I think it is great, it’s flat, rolling and narrow.

It is a lot of fun that way and then of course the party afterward I really like.

That is a big draw for the Buckwheat .“
Yukon skiers dominated the women’s 50-km race event, sweeping the top three positions.

Sara Nielsen came in first with a great time of 3:20:31.
Heidi Brook also raced very well, coming in second at 3:30:16, while Katharine Sandiford wasn’t too far behind finishing the race at 3:33:17.
The Yukon continued its strong performance in the men’s 25-km race event, taking the top three positions.

In a thrilling finish, Scott Gilbert just edged out Dave Mockford by one second, finishing at 1:36:44. Dan Shier came in third with a time of 1:38:54.
Stacy Edwards of Eagle River, Alaska won the Women’s 25-km race with a time of 1:42:44, which was just over 19 minutes ahead of Yukoner Jeannette Van Esbroeck.

Jill L. Pangman of Whitehorse finished third at 2:07:36, while Yukoner Janice Fairfield came in fourth at 2:10:21.
Whitehorse resident, Fabian Brook won the 10-km men’s race, posting an outstanding time of 0:35:57, which was nearly 10 minutes faster than fellow Yukoner Bruce McLean Whitehorse, who finished at 0:45:47.

Paul Zechel of Carcross, YT came in third with a time of 0:50:47.
This was Brook’s second time competing in the Buckwheat ski race.

Last year he tied for first place with a friend of his in the men’s 10-km race.
He said it felt good to win the event this year.
Brook, 13, came with his parents and two sisters, who all participated in the competition.

The ski race was one of his last big events of the season and he considered the win one of highlights for this year.
Brook said he was looking forward to the Buckwheat race this year and thinks it is kind of different than some of the other races that he has competed in.
“It’s kind of away from everything, out in the woods and it’s lots of fun,“ he said.
Brook, who has been skiing since he was four years old, said he plans on participating in the 2009 Buckwheat Ski Classic and is considering competing in the 25-km race event.
The 10-km women’s race results were similar with the Yukon taking the top three positions.
The first place time was posted by Sheri M. Hogeboom at 0:48:12. Helen Stappers came in second at 0:50:15, while Debbie Thomas was just a couple minutes behind to finish third at 0:52:45.
Yukoner Jim Hart beat out two competitors from Skagway to win the men’s 5-km Snowshoeing event. Hart finished 3:05 faster than the second place time.
No Yukon athletes competed in the women’s 5-km Snowshoeing event, which Marsha Columbo of Skagway won with a time of 1:02:28. 
For the 10 year-old and under boys’ 5-km race, the Yukon placed in the top four spots.
Caelan McLean finished first with a solid time of 0:25:29, which was almost six and a half minutes faster than second place Simon Cash.

Ian Hogeboom-Burr also raced very well, recording a third place time of 0:31:59, while Benjamin Cannings came in fourth at 0:33:05.
Once again, three Yukoners claimed the top three positions in the girls’ 10 year-old and under 5-km.

Maggie O’Conner-Brook finished in first place at 0:31:48, while Natalie E. Hynes came in second with a time of 0:33:36.

Hannah Shier placed third with a time of 0:34:18.
Yasha Saldi of Skagway won the 11-12 year-old boy’s 5-km ski race with a time of 0:35:07, while Yukoner Daniel Latour came in second at 0:53:02.
The Yukon finished strong in the 11-12 year-old girl’s 5-km race category, placing in the top three.

Nahanni Dynes placed first at 0:29:00, while Adrienne S Hynes came in a close second, finishing just 30 seconds behind.

Katie Furlong also did very well, coming in third with a time of 0:31:13.