Musher wins points after placing

Musher wins points after placing

Jan. 19, 2002

STAFF REPORT

Wes Widener of Mancos has been busy lately.

The local musher, one of the top sprint mushers in the nation, recently captured ninth place in the Adult Six Dog Speed Class at the Winding River Sled race on Jan. 6 near Grand Lake, Colo. Widener finished the 12-mile course with a total two-day time of 43 minutes, 57 seconds. Also at the Winding River Sled Dog Race, Widener competed in the Adult Four Dog Speed Class and finished in 16th.

The race was sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club. The Winding River Sled Dog Race was sanctioned by the International Sled Dog Racing Association and counts towards the International Championship Series for Sled Dog Racing.

Widener improved his time and captured eighth place in the same Adult Six Dog Speed Class at the Iron Dog Challenge Sled Dog Race at Ouray this past Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 12-13. That race was produced by the Ouray Chamber of Commerce. Widener did not compete in the Four Dog event. The Iron Dog Challenge also was a sanctioned ISDRA event. Widener will compete in several more events before the end of the season. He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club.

He is ranked nationally and internationally in the Adult Six Dog Speed Class.

Some more events are scheduled for Colroado this season. The eighth annual Colorado Blue Ididarace is set for Kremmling Feb. 2-3. A return to Grand Lake is slated Feb. 9-10 for the Grand County Rendezvous and the Grand Lake Sled Dog Classic is set for Feb. 16-17. The 12th annual High Altitude Sled Dog Championships is set for Feb. 23-24 also at Grand Lake.