Click here to learn about "Survive the Ark" during the 2010 August Long Weekend!

Mad Trapper 2010 Race Results

photo credit: Gilles Monvoison, click here for more race pics

December 12, 2009 "Flatter" Course

January 2, 2010 "Hilly" Course

January 30, 2010 Combined Course

February 27, Mad Trapper Grand Finale

Click here to learn about "Survive the Ark" during the 2010 August Long Weekend!

Mad Trapper Series Points Leaders

When Saturday morning arrived, conditions couldn't have been better. There was plenty of snow on the ground, the skies were clear and the temperature was hovering around -8C. The 2009 Canadian National Snowshoe Champion, Alexander Michel, was here as was 2 time Mad Trapper Series Champion James Galipeau. So there was definitely going to be a competitive element to this event. But not only were these returning champions here, but so were a good handful of first time Mad Trapper racers. There was definitely some tangible pre-race excitement in the air, although I had the distinct impression that a few of the guys were more excited about the post race buffet than they were the race!

Recycled race bibs were handed out to the Solefit Orthotics 5k racers, and thanks to Raid the North, race jerseys were brought out for their 4th year of use here at the Mad Trapper. This is certainly an over-the-top "No Waste" race. For perhaps the first time ever, everyone was lined up at the start line at precisely 10am. Race and course instructions were given, the gun sounded and they were off!

Sort of....

In true Canadian fasion, there seemed to be a lot of "after you", "no you go ahead", "I'm sorry, was I in your way?", "please don't let me stop you"....

Nobody wanted to set the pace for this event. Although there isn't much wind assistance from "drafting" in snowshoeing, the more people who race ahead of you, the firmer is the ground you have to run on. So for the 10k'ers especially, they wanted every advantage available to them.

So Stephan Meyer stepped up and powered ahead with Alexander Michel, James Galipeau, and Andrew Cameron hot on his heels, eating his snowy rooster tail. Steve maintained his lead for about 600m until the first big downhill and then the big guns decided to be a little more aggressive and pulled ahead. For the remainder of the race, 2009 Champ Alexander Michel held the lead with James Galipeau always within 20m of the leader. 30 to 60 seconds behind them was Andrew Cameron.

Andrew was wearing a high-definition video helmet camera and filmed over 2 hours of snowshoe racing. Once I get this edited down to a more reasonable viewing time, I'll post it on the Synergyark, Mad Trapper website.

In the end Alexander Michel won the Atlas 10k Snowshoe Race by just under 30 seconds over James Galipeau. Sophia Tsouros won the Female Atlas Snowshoe 10k Race and Jean Filion and Rebecca Stallwood won the Solefit Orthotics Male and Female 5k events.

But of course Mad Trapper Races aren't really about racing at all. They are more about the meal! This event's buffet included meat and vegetable lasagna, a spring mix garden salad with a choice of dressings, The Ark's already famous homemade brownies, tangerines, bananas, potato chips, hot chocolate and coffee. And while people were chowing down on their second and third lunch helpings, prizes were awarded to the first place winners and randomly to people who could match me in the "1-2-3 Finger Game". Of course, special consideration was given to those individuals who brought their own plates, cups and utensils with them. Prizes were also awarded directly the 5 individuals who all carpooled up together in the Volkswagon sub-compact car!

Thanks to Bushtukah Great Outdoor Gear and Raid the North for donating our post race prizes! Our next event is January 2nd, 2010. This is the much feared, much dreaded, but oh-so-much-fun HILLY course. So come on out and see what you're missing.

And sure enough, come race the tracks were still visible but there was 3-4 cm of fresh snow covering them. Many of the racers arrived to the Ark a bit late because of the snow plow that went off the road and had to pulled out of the ditch! It’s always a good omen for snowshoeing when the snowplows have trouble staying on the road!

This race was the much anticipated and much feared “Hilly” Course. I try to explain to people that this is the easiest race in the series. How could it not be? Half the course is downhill! But with all the soft fresh snow, the leaders were definitely going to have to work to make their tracks and pack the trail down. Speaking with the leaders following the race, I learned a gentlemen’s agreement had been reached (too bad Syl Corbett wasn’t racing here this year – she could teach these “men” a thing or 2). The plan was for the three leaders – Alexander Michel, James Galipeau, and Andrew Cameron to pace themselves and take turns in the lead packing out the trail. Their race would officially begin on the second lap.

Again, I heard all of this second hand, but it is my understanding that Alex and James took the majority of the turns pulling in the lead early on, but Andrew finally “manned up” and took his turn up front. A position James and Alex didn’t relinquish again voluntarily. On the final downhill of the first lap, it was Andrew in the lead followed by Alex and James. I tried encouraging Andrew as he ran through, telling him Alex was looking weak and tired and it was now his race to lose. He just had to hang on for the final 4.5km!

From what I understand, Andrew was able to maintain his position until the first big downhill of the loop. Andrew tried to amp up the pace, but in true “Andrew” fashion, ended up doing a face plant instead. Alex saw his opportunity and ran over Andrew with James hot on his heal. Andrew still has the cleat marks on his back to show for his efforts!

It’s my understanding that this is also the point where the race was decided. Alex possesses a gear not possessed by the average runner and once he turned this on, neither James nor Andrew were able to respond. Alex secured himself a comfortable lead, but continued to hammer up and down the hills and keep his undefeated record (for the season) alive.

Alex finished the 9km course in a time of 1:06:25. James finished second in a time of 1:07:21. And Andrew placed third in 1:07:49. These placings are the same as in the first race of the season. I was speaking with both Jimmy Gobeil (the 2007 National Snowshoe Champion) and local running legend Ryan Grant, both racers indicated their desire to return to the Mad Trapper for a race of 2 this season. Hopefully one of these speedsters will be able to mix up the results in one of our upcoming events.

In the Solefit Orthotics Male 5k category Ronald Walker finished in first place, although he did not finish first place overall. That honour went to the female Solefit Orthotics 5k winner, Sylvie D’Aoust in her first year of serious snowshoe racing. In the men’s category, Rick Whitford finished second with John Warner finishing in third place. On the women’s side, Gina Scantland and Julia Hicks finished in second and third respectively.

On the women’s side of the Atlas 10k Series, the overall standings are heating up nicely between Tanya Hanham (first place on Saturday), Carlie Gray (second) and Sophia Tsouros. Only 15 points separates these 3 women from the overall win. Once again, thanks to the Atlas Snowshoe Company, the Series Champions in the 10k division will go home with a brand new pair of Atlas Race Snowshoes.

But as always, the Mad Trapper is only partially about racing! It’s actually more about the post race celebration and buffet. This time around Monique served fabulous ham and vege casseroles, along with her so-delicious homemade brownies. The majority of the prizes were awarded to people who were attending their first-ever Mad Trapper event, and one prize was awarded to the woman who held up 3 fingers during the 1-2-3 Finger Game (where you need to hold up 1 or 2 fingers to match me). Don’t worry Teresa, I won’t mention your name and embarrass you.

And that’s the report from the January 2nd, Atlas Mad Trapper Hilly Event. Our next event is scheduled for January 30th and will be a combination of the “Flatter” and “Hilly” Courses. So those lazy 10k men slackers won’t be able to rest for their first or second laps. The 5k racers will be given a choice and can run either the Flatter or the Hilly Course. It’s entirely up to them on race day.

I hope to see you out at our next event on the 30th!

Snow conditions for the Mad Trapper Grand Finale were going to make racing tough for all the competitors. The snow was deep, wet, and HEAVY! Hiking the course, setting the flags on the previous Friday evening nearly killed me with exertion. Leaving deep footprints in the snow made it easy for the racers to follow the trail but the men complained that my walking stride was too short for them to run in and the women complained that my stride was too long! My response to all of them was that they should run beside my tracks and make their own trail if they’re not happy with my stride length!

In the Atlas Snowshoe 10k division, the overall men’s winner had already been locked up by Alexander Michel, last year’s champ, with 2 first place and one second place finish. Alex couldn’t make it to the Finale though due to a prior ski engagement. Perennial second and third place finishers, James Galipeau and Andrew Cameron had just this week returned from a 6 day adventure race down in Patagonia, Chile where they finished in 6th place overall with a final time of 142 hours (of nonstop racing!). So they weren’t quite yet recovered enough to compete this weekend either. This left the overall men’s category up for grabs. Pre-race speculation was that it would come down to John Ranson, Steve Meyer, or the shorts-clad Gilles Parisien for the win.

Steve Meyer wanted it most though, and after hanging with the lead pack for the entire “flatter” course and half of the “hilly” course, he made his move on the big mountain climb and never looked back. Steve finished a 1:15 ahead of John Ranson, and 1:24 ahead of Gilles Parisien.

On the women’s side of the Atlas 10k Series, all eyes were on Tanya Hanham. Although an all-round athlete, Tanya considers herself more of a mountain biker and hadn’t snowshoe raced prior to this season. She finished in second place in her first race of the season, but that was wearing her big backcountry snowshoes. Once I convinced her of the value of the Atlas Race Snowshoes, she was untouchable and went on to finish in first place in her remaining 3 races for a resounding overall series win. And thanks to our sponsor, the Atlas Snowshoe Company, Tanya now has a pair of her very own Atlas Race snowshoes. Let’s see if she can defend her title next season!

In the Solefit Orthotics 5K division, the overall men’s winner was also unchallenged all season with 3 first place finishes. Congratulations goes to the Solefit Orthotics 5k Series Champion Jean-Francois Filion.

On the women’s side of the Solefit Orthotics 5k Series, Sylvie D’Aoust had her Series Championship locked up as well with one first place and two second place finishes. Given that the Mad Trapper prioritizes fun and family over cut throat competition, Sylvie was able to convince her 7 year old daughter Tamsyn to compete on the 5k course with her. So CONGRATULATIONS go to Sylvie for winning the overall Solefit Orthotics 5k Series Champion title, and to her daughter Tamsyn for not only being the youngest competitor to finish a 5k course here, but she did so on the dreaded Hilly Course, on the toughest snow conditions ever! So CONGRATULATIONS again to mother and daughter.

Following the race, participants enjoyed another terrific post race party. Once again Monique’s home made chili, home made brownies, and home made cookies attracted more attention and praise than the actual race itself. Our number one prizing sponsor, Bushtukah, also stepped up bringing even more post race prizing to this final event. MANY THANKS to Bushtukah Great Outdoor Gear for their ongoing support and sponsorship of the Mad Trapper.

In the end, everyone went home with big smiles on their faces. Everyone left with tired legs and full bellies, and the majority of people went home with a race prize as well. All are already looking forward to next season, where we’ll once again be hosting 4 Mad Trapper events. Next year’s line-up will see one slight change however. We’ll still be hosting one “flatter” course, one “hilly” course, and the final combined course. But the third race of the season in late January will be a night race, followed by an all-night snowshoe dance party RAVE! Bushtukah has already agreed to provide headlamp discounts to registered racers. Now we just need to sign on an energy drink supplier to ensure we're not all asleep by 9pm!

So thanks to everyone who competed in this year’s events and thanks to the Atlas Snowshoe Company, Solefit Orthotics, Bushtukah Great Outdoor Gear, and Frontier Adventure Racing for their ongoing sponsorship and support. See you all again next winter!