Warmer temperatures graced the 27th annual Ptub races this past weekend as cross-country skiers from Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Smith took to the trails.

About half of the participants saw this as a last weekend of racing after traveling to compete in the Arctic Winter Games, Cadet Nationals and other high level competitions.

Saturday began with the classic style races. Some of the gold medal winners included Christopher Lirette, Agnus Wilson, Ilona Gyapay and both Moira and Tyson Green.
“The conditions were really nice,” said Wilson, a member of the Yellowknife Ski Club. “Hay River is a really nice course.”
Wilson, along with fellow club members Mary Buckland and Tamika Mulders made the drive down to Hay RIver for this weekend’s races.
“It is the last race of the year for us,” said Mulders.
After the classic style races were the less-competitive sprint races. Everyone received a medal at the end of their run but the competitive atmosphere was still there.
There were several photo finishes as the sprinters gave it their all to inch ahead of their rivals.
Bob White was very pleased with the weekend selected for this year’s races.
“We have perfect skiing conditions,” he said.
The cold air the nights before the races allowed the snow to layer and create ideal track conditions in a way that White described as being “set up like a wedding cake.”
A banquet was held Saturday evening for which the Catholic Church opened its doors. People packed into the basement with numbers higher than the organizers had expected.
After a warm meal, White called upon the original Ptub organizers, Chris Brodeur and Chuck Davidge to help award the medals. But before the presentations, Bruce Green, Brendan’s father spoke thanking the community for coming together to help the Olympic athlete make it to the Games. He then donated a piece of art given to the parent’s of Olympic athletes to the ski club.
Sunday’s freestyle skate event began at 11 a.m. with warmer temperatures and incident in one of the waves that will talked about for a while.
Angeline Magtibay and Mary Buckland were racing in the juvenile girls mass start category. As they started up the hill Buckland’s pole snapped in half, and she threw both to the side. Just moments after Buckland lost her pole, Magtibay threw her own away, and the two girls skated the 5 km trail together.
“I saw Mary with no poles so I figured it was the only fair way to race,” said Magtibay.
“I thought it was pretty heroic,” said Buckland. Her pole had been damaged last week in a swordfighting incident between some of her teammates.
“I thought it would be okay,” she said. “I duct taped it, but it didn’t hold.”
Everyone who saw it was shocked by Magtibay’s quick reaction and attitude in the race.
“We all just think that is so cool,” said White, “and in the fun spirit of the weekend.”

Caswell actually entered the Mexico round of the World Rally Championship with a $500 1991 BMW 318i, a competition that boasts world renown racing pros. And low and behold, he actually placed 3rd.

Read the whole story and see more photos of Caswell’s car here: CLICK.

VIA: wonderhowto.com

The TV camera locked on to Brendan Green as he prepared to explode into his leg of the men’s 4 x 7.5 km race in Whistler, BC. It was a tense moment for Green, as well as for 3,600 people in a remote community 2000 km north of him.

Crowds wearing green flocked into the theatre, the hospital, and school gymnasiums to witness firsthand Hay River’s pride and joy during his first Olympic race. Hype in Hay River had been building for months, including a pep rally, signs, media announcements, and even car decals encouraging the athlete in his big race.
Marc Andre strode into the final lap, and Green set off on the biggest race of his life so far. Canada had been in first place at the beginning of the race, but by the time Green’s turn came around, he had some ground to make up.
Unfortunately, just as Green was going into his second round of shooting, TSN switched coverage over to speed skating. Folks at the theatre searched desperately for another channel that would deliver the story everyone had been waiting for months to see, but efforts were in vain. Text messages spread across town minutes later, announcing that Team Canada had placed 10th in the race.
“It was not an amazing race for me,” said Green over the phone on Sunday once he was back in Vancouver. “My results were stronger in Europe, and I was hoping I would hold that form in the Olympics. But it was a decent day, and the team performed well. 10th is a strong finish.”
Green said the conditions were a distraction for him – the wet snow slowed the skiing and reduced visibility on the range.
“We were pretty happy to have it over with,” said Green.
Green said knowing the North was behind him all the way was a great feeling.
“The home crowd is amazing – the support has been unreal,” he said. “To know everyone had my support was a great feeling.”
Green said the most stressful part of the Olympics was the moments leading up to his race.
“It definitely stressed me out more than most other races,” he said. “There was so much hype and talk and expectations leading up to the race. But once I got on the course I was able to focus just like any other race.”
As for Green’s future, he is beginning the Canadian Championships this month with races in Alberta this week. These results will determine his standings in next year’s World Cup races in Norway and Russia.
“Most other athletes are done for the season,” Green said. But the work is never over for a biathlete. Green gets a short break in April, and then is back into training again in May.
“Biathlon is such a technical sport, there are constantly things to work on. It’s a never ending process that I’m sure will last me a whole career.”
Green is considering trying out for the Olympics in 2014 in Russia.
“I’ll take it year by year,” he said. “If I’m healthy and if I’m still performing well, I haven’t accomplished all I want to yet. I’m still hungry for more.”