Big money riding on Snow Challenge 2003

CHARLOTTE PETRIE

The race is full, the purse is fat.

Forty snowmobilers are revving up for Snow Challenge 2003, which takes to the ice March 29 at 10 a.m.

Organizers have raised close to $20,000 in prize money, a purse four times larger than previous years. Traditionally held during Toonik Tyme, this year’s race was scheduled a week earlier to ensure good snow conditions.

To encourage spectators to stick around after the racers are through the starting gate, organizer Jay Wisintainer has set up a family skating rink on the ice.

To enhance the outdoor festivities, the rich aroma of stewed caribou will be drifting by the smiling skaters. Besides the meaty stock, the clear morning air will also be filled with the sound of music pumping from a nearby sound system.

Along the three-hour trek to Kimmirut and back, spectators will be scattered about, including first aid attendants and gas helpers. A helicopter has been arranged to follow the racers en route, equipped with a cameraman hired to video the event.

A short version of the race’s finer moments will be shown at the Astro theatre on Sunday.