John Kaleta at the 2011 Irving Woodlands/Mad Bomber Sled Dog Races in Eagle Lake. (Contributed) - Eagle Lake, Maine Sled dog races return to Eagle Lake
EAGLE LAKE, Maine — Mushing fans will have an early opportunity to enjoy the sport in the St. John Valley when the Eagle Lake Sled Dog Races return in January. Spectators will be admitted free of charge to the races, which will take place during the weekend of Jan. 12-14.
Veteran St. John Valley musher Amy Dionne of St. David, with the help of a committee of local mushing enthusiasts, has successfully returned the event to competition after it ceased in 2015.
“This race has been around for a while and what makes it unique is that it’s an early race on some of the tougher trails in New England, which tests mushers’ abilities to get good training in early,” Dionne said in October. “Also, this race is held in a small town and you can’t beat the camaraderie.”
The 2018 inception of the Irving Woodlands/Eagle Lake 100 and Mad Bomber 30 with a total purse of $7,000 has drawn mushers and their teams from eastern North America.
“I think we’re at 18 for the Irving 100 and eight for the Mad Bomber 30,” Dionne said.
Registrants include Dionne, a veteran Can Am Crown International musher.
Martin Massicotte of St.-Tite, Quebec, an eight-time champion of the Can-Am Crown’s longest sled dog race and his son, Etienne, also will compete in the Eagle Lake races.
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