Photo courtesy Tuuluuwak Dog Sleds on Facebook.
After last year’s Canadian Challenge officials forced a Quebec-born Cree teen to quit out of concern for her dog’s safety, she spent the past year rebuilding her racing skills from the ground up.
Laquasha Laviolette, now 18, was looking to prove – to herself and to other racers – that she knows what she’s doing in the Canadian Challenge this year, but earlier this week official word came that the race was called off.
Her father, Steven Laviolette, said the two weren’t surprised. Steven says it hasn’t just been a warm and dry winter in the prairies, he’s been struggling in the Laurentian Mountains back home in Quebec.
“I don’t feel safe on the lakes, a lot of the lakes don’t have snow on it and the ones that do, the ice is so thin it’s just barely holding the snow up. So our trail conditions have become very poor,” he said.
Regardless, the news came as a disappointment. Last year was Laquasha’s first competitive long-distance run. She was dealt countless blows: her dogs were stressed from the long cross-province trip; the Saskatchewan wind during long, flat stretches tired out her team; and her father wasn’t there to help.
Steven said she encountered some harsh criticism that was hard for a teen to deal with. However, he did say the Cree community in La Ronge was cheering for her. When she was headed into a tough stretch, locals said they were praying for her.
This year was a chance at redemption for her.
Steven said the wacky weather this winter has dealt a blow across Canada. He said he and many other racers have been forced to bow out of the Yukon Quest because they haven’t had enough snow to train their dogs for long enough.
With the Canadian Challenge cancelled, many won’t be able to get the qualification points needed to enter other races next year.
In total, 17 racers had already been entered in the Canadian Challenge this year.
This year is the first time in the race’s 19 years that it’s had to be cancelled.
Next year will definitely be a go, said organizer Gill Gracie. It will be a special year with new events added for the race’s 20th anniversary.
Steven said when Canadian Challenge participant and volunteer Bart de Marie asked if he wanted a refund, or to put their entry fees towards the next year, it was an easy choice.
“I didn’t even hesitate, just ‘keep my name in for next year brother. We’re going again. We’re doing it again man, we’re giving it a shot again,’” Steven said.
For more information on the Steven and Laquasha’s teams, you can check out their Facebook page.