1918 NORM
BRADLEY, CHAIRMAN
"If it's anything like this next year, we won't have anything to worry about!"
liThe first annual long distance dog-sled race for Canada will take place in Marmora next Feb. 15, 16, 17 & 18 a race of around 150 miles involving dogs and their owners from all over the continent. It will be sponsored by the Marmora & District Business Association and managed by the Arctic Sled Dog Club of Ontario." MARMORA HERALD OCT. 12, 1978
ROBERT DRUMMOND,
TRAILS
"There's a lot of work by a lot of people, before, during and after the race."
SHEILA GOLDEN,
ADVERTISING
".... the possibilities are endless of making this an international event. "
CAROL MAWER, FUNDRAISING
"We will find ways and means for securing funds. "
JUNE VILNEFF, PRIZES
"The community was extremely responsive to this idea and was most generous in
This was the exciting news that broke after the October 6th 1978 meeting of the 15 businesses that attended their association meeting at the Relm Club in Marmora. Guest speaker that night was Dennis Fitzgerald of the Arctic Sled Dog Club of Ontario, who was invited when it was learned from the Highlands of Hastings Tourist Association that the Club was looking for a race site. He explained that there was no long distance race in Canada at the time, and only three in the U.S. Marmora, he agreed, was a good choice in that it was the focal point of the Highlands of Hastings, with lots of snowmobile trails and enthusiastic people. By October 12, 1978, all Committee members had been chosen. The upcoming work was laid out with a budget of $4,000.00 (the 1998 budget is closer to $40,000.00!) And the whole village was to be called upon to work with the committee to make the weekend the biggest event Marmora had seen. The Marmora Herald wrote, "this first year is important in impressing the visitors and ensuring their return in even larger numbers in the years to come." By 1988, the crowd was estimated at 10,000.
YflLOWKNlrE
REBUTTAL
Over the weekend of October 7, 1978, the Executive committee chose to name the new Marmora Race the "Canadian Long Distance Championship". It seems, though, that not everyone was totally pleased with the idea! The folks up in Yellowknife had their own version of what they called the "Canadian Long Distance Championship" which had been running for 20 years, covering 150 miles. But, pointed out the Marmora organizers, the Yellowknife race is run in three separate 50 mile sections, leaving the Marmora Race as the first truly long distance championship.
donating prizes and money to put on this first race. Âť
4
*Also on the 1979 committee were Renate Harder/Accommodations, Frank Randell/Communications, Lionel Bennett/Parade, Gordon Bennett/Social Events