Connor McMahon completed the race is 27 hours and 43 minutes. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet, larongeNOW

Sled Dogs

Grande Prairie musher and team score a victory in Saskatchewan

Feb 21, 2020 | 3:49 PM

Grande Prairie’s Connor McMahon is the winner of the Canadian Challenge eight-dog sled race.

He arrived in La Ronge on Wednesday at about 4 p.m. after leaving Elk Ridge the day before. He completed the distance in 27 hours and 43 minutes, well ahead of his main competitor Anna Bolvin who arrived in 41 hours and 43 minutes to take second place. La Ronge’s Sid Robinson claimed third in 44 hours and 14 minutes with Mary England not far behind. Jillian Lawton scratched from this year’s race at Harold’s Cabin due to concerns about her dogs.

“I’m quite happy with it, but more than that I’m happy with the dogs’ performance,” McMahon said. “They really did all the good work there and I just kind of held on.”

This is McMahon’s first year competing in sled dog races and it’s his second win of the season. Earlier this month he also competed in the Caledonia Classic Dog Sled Races in Fort St. James, B.C., where he also came in first place.

McMahon described the trails as being in good shape and well-packed, noting he enjoyed travelling through a variety of landscapes such as lakes and thick forest. He mentioned some parts of the trail along the highway were hard to get through, but he managed to keep on track to where he wanted.

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“I want to thank all the volunteers and everybody from the community who helped put this race together,” McMahon said. “It’s really been an amazing event and everyone has been so hospitable. It’s been wonderful to come here and be part of it.”

Canadian Challenge President Stefaan De Marie said overall the race has been a success so far and everyone is having a good time. He noted some mushers were surprised by how cold the weather was, but they managed to get through the night. De Marie also wanted to congratulate McMahon, stating he’s working with a very experienced team who won the race on several occasions.

“If you want to learn really well what mushing is all about, I would say you go and handle for one of the better dog teams and mushers,” he said. “They will have so much more knowledge and he has the dogs.”