Announcing the 2nd Annual 2011 CopperDog 150 Race!
Mark Your Calendars: March 4-6, 2011! $20,000 Purse!
We are pleased to announce the 2nd Annual CopperDog 150 Sled Dog Race to depart
Calumet, MI on March 4th, 2011 for another exciting weekend of
pro-class competition and recreational adventure.
This year's 10-Dog 150-mile pro-class race will feature
three 50-mile legs taking mushers on an exciting backwoods tour of the
Keweenaw racing from Calumet, to Eagle Harbor,
to Copper Habor and finally back home to Calumet. With an
exciting Downtown Calumet start (don't worry, we won't forget
the porta-potties this year), gorgeous bends and turns, running long side
Lake Superior, and a climb to the top of Brockway Mountain,
the CopperDog 150 promises some of the most beautiful trails in the sport.
We are turning up the heat with this years competition by offering a
race purse of $20,000.
2011 CopperDog 150 - Leg 1 - Calumet to Eagle Harbor
2011 CopperDog 150 - Leg 2 - Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor
2011 CopperDog 150 - Leg 3 - Copper Harbor to Calumet
We will also be hosting a 6-Dog 35-mile recreational race
launching immediately after the 10-dog teams are out. Recreational racers
will have an opportunity to participate in the same downtown start as the
pro-class racers.
Please stay tuned. We are not making updates to this web site because we
are about to launch our new 2011 web site. And now, one last look back at the 2010 1st
Annual CopperDog 150!
This is home...
Here's the Press Release
March 19, 2010
CopperDog 150—We Couldn’t Have Done It Without You!
CopperDog Community Appreciation Reception Set for March 25, 2010
Calumet, MI - CopperDog 150 is celebrating the success of the inaugural sled dog race with a community reception on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. at the Calumet Theatre Ballroom.
"We’ve got lot’s to celebrate. Despite the less than ideal weather, the CopperDog 150 was a great event, and the Keweenaw community really came together to make this a success. Now we have the chance to thank everyone who supported us: the TrailBlazer Club members, our sponsors, the spectators, and most importantly our volunteers," said Lori Weir, Assistant Race Director. "Without the hundreds of volunteers who came out to help, we wouldn’t have had a race."
The celebration will include recognition of our TrailBlazers and sponsors, a slideshow/video of the race, a short summary on this year’s event, and an update on the 2011 CopperDog 150 race, already in the planning stages.
The public is invited. Admission is free. Refreshments will be provided.
Community Appreciation Reception - Join Us!
Thursday, March 25th, 7PM, Calumet Theater Ballroom
CopperDog 150 event organizers are hosting a community appreciation reception
this Thursday, March 25th, starting at 7:00PM, at the Calumet Theater ballroom -
everyone is invited! Organizers will share stories about the race, recognize the
numberous people and organizations that made the race possible, and talk about
next year's event.
Offical race photographer, Adam Johnson of Brockit, will be presenting a slide-show
of unique and stunning photos from the trail. Brassard Media will also be presenting
a video featurette of the Musher's trek across the winderness of the Keweenaw. Join
us for an up-close and personal look at the CopperDog 150 through the eyes of our
offcial race photographers and videographers.
Refreshments will be serverd including coffee, punch, and sweets. If you feel like
adding calories to the celebration, feel free to bring a plate of sweets.
Here's the Press Release
March 19, 2010
CopperDog 150—We Couldn’t Have Done It Without You!
CopperDog Community Appreciation Reception Set for March 25, 2010
Calumet, MI - CopperDog 150 is celebrating the success of the inaugural sled dog race with a community reception on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. at the Calumet Theatre Ballroom.
"We’ve got lot’s to celebrate. Despite the less than ideal weather, the CopperDog 150 was a great event, and the Keweenaw community really came together to make this a success. Now we have the chance to thank everyone who supported us: the TrailBlazer Club members, our sponsors, the spectators, and most importantly our volunteers," said Lori Weir, Assistant Race Director. "Without the hundreds of volunteers who came out to help, we wouldn’t have had a race."
The celebration will include recognition of our TrailBlazers and sponsors, a slideshow/video of the race, a short summary on this year’s event, and an update on the 2011 CopperDog 150 race, already in the planning stages.
The public is invited. Admission is free. Refreshments will be provided.
CopperDog 150 Photo Teaser
by Brockit, Inc. - Offical Race Photographer
A little photo teaser from Brockit, Inc who stuck with us on our
overnight adventure following the Mushers from Calumet to Gay to Copper
Harbor to Mohawk. Offical race photography will be made avaialble for viewing and
purchasing prints soon. You can also look forward to offical race video from Brassard
Media in the coming weeks.
The 2010 CopperDog 150 Wrapped!
The 2010 CopperDog 150 Sled-Dog Race finished in Mohawk on Sunday, March 14th.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our efforts to make this race a
realizty. The success of this event is due to the support of our supports,
the volunteers, a huge array of organizations, and the Musher's who came to our
community to run in our race.
Look forward to offical event photos from Brockit
and video from Brassard Media. In
the mean time enjoy the photos posted by
Ray Bolsey who was working our
HQ. We'll be posted additional updates to this web site in a few days.
If you have any feedback on the CopperDog 150 - we want to hear them, especially
your observations and thoughts on how we can improve and grow this event for
next year. We want to hear from spectators, volunteers, Mushers, everyone.
Please send e-mail to
feedback@copperdog150.com.
Thank you!
Volunteer for 2011 CopperDog 150
We cut it close this year having enough volunteers to pull off the first
annual CopperDog 150. We need you help to make next years event bigger and
better. Now is a great time to express your interest in volunteering for the
2nd Annual CopperDog 150 Sled-Dog Race.
We Need Feedback!
Whether you loved the CopperDog 150, thought it was a horrible idea, or something in
between, we need to know your thoughts ASAP. We need feedback from spectators, volunteers,
sponsors, mushers, people who were involved with the race and people who were not. Let
us know what you think. What when well? What did not go well? What should we do differently?
You get the idea. Leave your feedback anonymously or put your name on it so we can get back to
you - its your call. Don't like forms ... send e-mail to
feedback@copperdog150.com
Feedback Form
Race Standings From Each Leg provided by MushSoft!
Click here to view race results
CopperDog 150 Banner Sponsors
| 5th & Elm Cafe |
Americinn |
| Check & Cash - Houghton |
Conglomerate Cafe |
| Copper Country Ford |
David Rheault |
| Harbor Haus |
Herman Jewelers |
| Matt's Auto Glass |
Michigan House |
| Monte Carlo |
Red Jacket Brewing Co. |
| Superior Graphics |
Superior National Bank |
| Universal Metal Works |
UPPCO |
| Tamarack Inn |
|
Mushers: Drivers Meeting is now at 3:00PM
Mushers... please be advised that there has been a scheduling
change on Friday, March 12th. The Musher's meeting, to be held
at Irish Times in Laurium, has been moved from 2:00PM to 3:00PM.
A spaghetti dinner will be served starting at 2:00PM. The
drivers meeting will begin at 3:00PM. The bib draw will take
place during the drivers meeting. Teams must be parked in
Mushers Parking by 5:00PM. We appologize for the last minute
scheduling changes.
Limited Edition Copper Class Laser Engraved Paw
Interactive Trail Map (from GPS Data)
Take an online tour of the trail system using Google Maps and
GPS data taken from the actual course.
Locations & Driving Directions
Mushers - Please visit our
Mushers Page
for information on locations of Vet Checks/Registration, Drivers
Meeting/Bib Draw, Mushers Parking, and point to point driving
directions.
Trail Update - Looking Good
(posted 3/9/2010, 2:00pm, added photos at 5:00pm)
Here are a couple of photos take by Brian on his trail recon
today showing the snow base on the trail system. Click on the
photo for a larger image. More information to come.
Provided by Truman: "Ran about 10 miles of
Trail 124 this morning a couple of miles outside Gay and it was
good! Firm and fast but not icy. There were some brown spots in
the lower section in the turns but not more than 20 feet long and
not wide enough to cover the whole width of trail. Looked at the
main trail, Trail 3 on the way home and saw close to a 2 foot base."
Provided by Todd: We should have an
updated trail map posted on the web site later this evening.
Changes to the route have been to avoid stretches of blacktop and
logging roads that have pushed into the trail system. None of
the reroutes have been due to deteriorated in-woods trails - the
trails are holding up. Brian Tiura (Race Director) is spending
the afternoon on the trails further assessing their condition.
We'll have an updated report upon his return.
What is wrong with this picture?
(posted 3/9/2010, 1:20pm)
Is it our imaginations or is there something a little suspicious
in play here? We caught these guys out training on the
beautiful
Swedetown cross-country ski trails, but we were not exactly sure
what they are training for? Ahh... we have it... these guys
are training for the CopperDog 150 sled-dog race and the Great Bear
Chase cross country ski race! Although their training tactics
seem... well... a little off.
Who is having the most fun here?
Perhaps the musher (Brian Tiura, Race Director of the
CopperDog 150), the skier (Arnie Kinnunen, Race Director of the
Great Bear Chase),
the lead dog (Punch) who's obviously just along for the ride,
the photographer Adam Johnson (of
brockit, inc.), or Todd
Brassard (of bbrassard media and
race organizer) who's just trying to stay out of the shot?
The correct answer is, all of the above!
The CopperDog 150 may be new to this neck of the woods, but
the GGreat Bear Chase has
been premier event drawing over 400 athlete's annually to
Calumet, Michigan for over 20 years.
Sharing the snow-covered streets of downtown Calumet, the
CopperDog 150 starts its trek northward Friday evening. On
Saturday while race teams are resting in Copper Harbor, at least
a thousand skiers and spectators will line the streets of
Calumet for the spectacle f the Great Bear Chase. Finally,
dog teams return home on Sunday to a big downtown finish.
Don't miss out on all of the action in Downtown Calumet on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you want to meet the
CD150 race teams, join us in Calumet on Saturday 7am to 5pm.
If you are a night owl, come on out to the Gay Checkpoint
Saturday between 12am and 7am. See you on the trails!
See more pictures here.
Visit
Brockt's BLOG for more pictures and
information!
Trail Report - Registration is Open
(posted 6/7/2010)
Despite warm temperatures our trail is holding up well.
We have re-routed the second leg leaving Gay
to take advantage of the deeper snow base on the ridge. This shortens our second leg from a sixty mile
run to a fifty. We are set to cool of slightly toward the end of the week.
Registration is still open
online at www.copperdog150.com and the competition is shaping up nicely. We welcome returning Can-Am'rs
to stop by on the way home, as well as anyone else looking to finish off their season with an exciting
downtown start and a beautiful trail!
Registration closes on Thursday, March 11th at midnight.
Brian Tiura
Race Director
HAM Radio - CopperDog 150 Communications/h1>
The Keweenaw County Repeater Association is on the air!
One of the many challenges facing organizers of the CD150 is
establishing reliable real-time communications across 150-miles of
backwoods tails. Communication during the event is of
paramount importance for safety, coordination, and keeping the fans
up to date on the progress of their favorite race teams. Enter
the members of the Keweenaw County Repeater Association.
The Keweenaw County Repeater Association owns and
maintains a 2-way radio system in Keweenaw County. This is "HAM" radio.
A repeater is a radio system that repeats low-powered signals such as hand-held radios and mobile units that normally run
low power (less that 10 watts) and repeats them at a higher power from an higher elevation, there extending the range of
these devices from just a few miles to something like 100 miles.
The
KCRA has been in existence now for over 25 years and
serves a 5-county area here in Michigan's Copper Country. Weekly tests are run each Friday to be sure the system is
operational, and we are part of a system called ARES or Amateur Radio Emergency Service a division of our National
organization the American Radio Relay League. (ARRL).
Their motto is... "When other systems fails there is always HAM
radio !" Visit their web site at
kcra-mi.net.
Volunteer Training this Saturday
The CopperDog 150 is hosting a non-mandatory training session for event volunteers Saturday, March 6th, start at
2PM in the CLK Elementary School gym and parking lot. Whether you have already signed up to be a volunteer, are
thinking about joining our volunteer army, or are just curious, come and join the fun on Saturday. Race Director,
Brian Tiura will be talking about the race, about mushers, dog teams, and how volunteers play a critical role in
making this event a success. So join us for information, treats, and hands-on experience.
Donations for Musher Bags Needed!
March 1st, 2010
The students at CLK Elementary are working hard to decorate bags for each CopperDog Musher.
to make these extra special bags even more special we need items to place inside them.
If you have 50 of some small item to donate to be placed in these Musher Bags (i.e. chapstick,
hot cocoa, candy bars, small packs of kleenex, etc), please drop them off at the CLK Elementary
School Principal's Office during school hours. (Thanks to Karyn King for heading this up.)
Volunteer - We need you!
February 26th, 2010
To support this race we will need 200-300 volunteers to handle chores
that include escorting screaming dog teams to the starting chute, setting up
fences and signs, staffing road crossings, and cleaning up downtown. Race
dates are March 12, 13, and 14. Job locations include Calumet, Gay,
Copper Harbor, and many points in between.
Please mark your calendar for a Volunteer Training Session that will be held on Saturday, March 6 from 2-4 pm at the Calumet Elementary School.
Thank you very much for your support. It will be a challenge to coordinate this first-annual event, but with your help it will be a success.
First Places winners in the 2010 Heikinpiva Parade! That's another $100 for the 2010 CopperDog 150 budget.
Competition Shaping up for the CD150
by Race Director Brian Tiura, 2/26/2007
The inaugural running of the Copper Dog 150 is
filling up, and our unique race format is drawing some of the finest
teams the sport has to offer.
Jo Ann Fortier, the current Midnight Run champion,
has been signed up from the beginning. "We were drawn to the race
because it is 10 dogs and 150 miles, which compliments our focus in
racing," she said. "Also, it is in Michigan, making it not as
expensive to travel. I am looking forward to running a race in an
area that I've never been to before."
Several top Stage Racing teams also fill the
roster, including two teams from Caribou Creek Racing Kennel, owned
and operated by Lloyd and Mary Gilbertson in Chatham, MI. Teams from
this kennel have crossed the finish line first multiple times in the
prestigious International Pedigree Stage Stop held in Wyoming each
year.
Another IPSSSDR regular visiting the Copper
Country this year is Team Magnusson Racing who placed fourth in
2009. "The thing about dog racing is that you never know who the
competitive threat will be," said Monica Magnusson. "We focus on
running our dogs the way that they have been trained, and we hope
for a clean, fast run." "This year we had a bad run at the UP200 and many of our
core dogs will have to sit out the Copper Dog. We will be bringing a team with a
bunch of young dogs to give them experience and have fun."
"We are very excited about the CopperDog for a
number of reasons", continued Monica. "We have always felt there were too few races
in the UP given the abundance of snow they get, and there are no races later in
March. This race is at a perfect time of the season. We are excited about the
format because stage racing is very dog friendly and it gives mushers the
opportunity to actually spend time together and it gives the spectators the
opportunity to see the mushers and dogs. The Copper country is so beautiful and
we are anticipating some gorgeous trails."
The Copper Country is going to the dogs!
Calling all dogs to the 1st Annual CopperDog 150 Sled Dog
challenge! Join us March 12-14, 2010 on the snow covered streets of
historic Calumet, MI and experience one of sled dog racing's few
downtown starts. Watch the anticipation build on Friday evening as teams of canine athletes and their drivers approach
the chute bouncing and banging to launch, then tearing off
into the night to chase and be pursued.
Michigan's Copper Country, located in the northernmost part of the
Western Upper Peninsula, is the ideal location for winter fun and
excitement this year. Technically an island, the peninsula enjoys
heavy lake effect snow on trails as rich in natural beauty as they
are in history. Spectators will enjoy following the dog teams as
they traverse 150 miles of beautiful and scenic Copper Country
woodlands. The unique combined stage/checkpoint format allows
many opportunities for spectators to cheer on the teams as they pass
through crossings, villages, and checkpoints from Calumet to Gay to
Copper Harbor and back again.
Make this winter one to remember! Plan on running with the
dogs this coming March, 2010, at the CopperDog 150 in Calumet,
Michigan.
We need your help...
Now that we are well into the planning of the CopperDog 150, we
are getting a good idea of what we need to pull of this event and
make it exciting for everyone involved. We need mushers,
sponsors, volunteers and spectators to get plugged-in to this event.
If you are interested in helping out with the CopperDog 150,
please let us know ASAP by filling out our Plugged-In form.
Getting plugged-in will let us know your out their and interested in
volunteering your time, sponsorship, donation money, or even if you
just plan on watching.
Get Plugged-In Now!
Photo courtesy of Gary Minckler.