There were plenty of smiles and tongues dangling at the finish line, a sure sign the first running of the Canicross Meet and Fun Run at 10 Mile Lake Park was a success.
“It was wet and slippery,” Sally Swan said with a grin as her two Siberian Huskies tugged at their leashes wanting to go for another spin around the trail.
“But it was fun.”
Indeed, despite the wet and rainy conditions at 10 Mile Lake Park, participants’ spirits weren’t dampened and organizer Kim Verge was pleased.
“The turnout was better than I expected,” she said.
“Especially since it was quite wet.
“The event went very well.
“There were no mishaps and everyone was having lots of fun.”
In all 27 runners and their dogs took part in the canicross event.
Several of the participants had never participated in a canicross event, but this first experience had them looking forward to similar opportunities, Verge said.
Canicross is the term used to describe the sport of cross-country running with dogs, where both dog and owner wear a harness and are joined by a leash.
Popular in Europe, canicross is a good way for both dogs and their owners to get in some great exercise, whether they walk or run, Verge said.
Among the youngest to participate was Jesse Palfrey, 11, who tackled the trail with two Siberian huskies.
“It was fun,” Palfrey, 11, said.
In addition to having fun, Jesse, along with Peter Palfrey, Zoe Kingma, Anita Kingma and Shellie O’Brian took home draw prizes just for coming out with their dogs and having fun.
“It’s a great way of bonding with your dog and getting out into nature, throwing exercise for both you and the dog into the mix,” Verge said.
The event, organized by the Quesnel Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Association welcomed several types of dogs, including Siberian and Alaskan huskies, border collies, labradors, a poodle, pit bull and Spinone Italiano.
Participants in the canicross event had the option of one of three courses, 1.5km, 2km and 3km.
Some participants, Michele Nylen, Lee Verge, Francesca Aprzzese, Sandra Morrison, Kelly Dreisinger, Sam Palfrey and Josh Boutotte, ran more than one distance and for their efforts received coupons from Bark Avenue Pet Salon.
Event sponsor, Bark Avenue Pet Salon also provided drinks for participants.
Judging by the happy faces on both human and canine participants, last weekend’s canicross event is likely not the last in Quesnel.
“I see this turning into a yearly event,” Verge said.
