聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Despite an unusually mild winter and lack of an abundance of snow in many parts of Saskatchewan, the Duck Mountain Loppet was dealt a 鈥渨inning hand鈥� by Mother Nature with enough snow and acceptable temperatures.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With plus three degrees Celsius temperatures the day before, the loppet began on February 27 in conditions deemed 鈥渇ast,鈥� said Bruno Lemire, the member of the Kamsack Ski Club who has nurtured the annual event since its inception.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗owever, by mid-morning, Mother Nature smiled upon the Duck Mountains by gracing them with a gentle blanket of soft, moist snow,鈥� Lemire said. 鈥淭his new snow greatly helped to make the track a little slower and safer for the 167 skiers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥verall, the skiers鈥� comments were very positive,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Among the highlights of the event which Lemire singled out were having Peter Whitehead of Regina here for his 36th Duck Mountain loppet, and witnessing a number of skiers achieving their personal goals.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Those participants who qualified for special attendance certificates this year were: Billy Blackwood and Pauline Bloom of Teulon, Man., Maureen Blight of Danbury and Aldona Torgunsrud of Regina, who received a bronze certificate marking seven years of participation; Nancy Howes of Saskatoon and Neil Malcolm of Regina, who received silver certificates marking 10 years; Susan Gilroy of Regina and Allan Bear of Kamsack, gold certificates marking 15 years, and Joyce Wolfe of Regina, a life certificate marking 20 years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Having 44 of the skiers 小蓝视频 first-time attendees is a highlight, Lemire said. 鈥淗opefully, they enjoyed their day and will return many times in the future to explore all of the offerings that the Duck Mountain Provincial Park offers to cross-country skiers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淒espite all of the positive aspects of the event, there is still a fly in in the ointment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲here were all the school-aged children? Out of the 12 children aged 17 years and under who did participate, only two were from Kamsack and area.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n other years our loppet had coincided with the school break, which may have accounted for some children 小蓝视频 away. Also, with the school closed, they may not have had access to the free skiing equipment at the schools.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ut this was not the case this year as the loppet was held one week after the students had returned from the February break.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lemire asks persons with suggestions towards how to encourage more district youths to participate to contact him or any other member of the Kamsack Ski Club.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On behalf of the club, Lemire thanked the event鈥檚 sponsors, donors, the Town of Kamsack, staff of Duck Mountain Provincial Park and the Duck Mountain Ambulance Care. He thanked the manager and staff of the Duck Mountain Four-Season Resort 鈥渇or their friendly, efficient service and delicious meal,鈥� and In Good Taste of Togo for providing the healthy cookies, and the 24 volunteers who manned their posts during the loppet.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 special thank-you is owed to Kev Sumner, Allan Konkin and Sharon Rudy for fulfilling their duties as members of the loppet planning committee, and to all the skiers, without whom there is no loppet.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪ee you next year on February 25.鈥澛�
