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News Story : It's Time To Shake Up The Snow Globe. Proud event sponsors: Again this season, BRP along with the Michigan Snowmobile Association (MSA) is proud to host the 2007 V.I.C. (Very Important Customer) Ride & Customer Appreciation Event March 10-11, 2006 with the help of the Munising, Michigan Visitors Bureau. Join us in Munising, Michigan March 10-11 for the Ski-Doo Very Important
Customer [VIC] Ride. It’s the most exciting Ski-Doo Sure, our official unveiling of the 2007 Ski-Doo snowmobiles is reason enough to attend this event but the Zero Tolerance Fun Run is the real highlight that will take you to some of Michigan's most scenic riding areas, including the Hiawatha National Forest, Munising Falls and majestic Lake Superior. Word travels fast among our loyal Ski-Doo owners and snowmobiling enthusiasts because this is the one event of the season that you certainly don't want to miss. So come to the Munising, MI area and bring your sled, do some riding, have a chance to win some great prizes and even talk some tech with our factory service team. All brands of snowmobiles are welcome with the understanding that all riders must adhere to the strict Zero Tolerance requirements for the event. Ski-Doo riders already know how to have a good time with the #1 selling sleds out there. REGISTER ONLINE HERE to take part in this event. Questions? Just visit our FAQ page. You can also contact the Munising Best Western Cherrywood Lodge, the headquarters for this event, by phone at (906) 387-4864 and indicate that you’re inquiring about the Ski-Doo / MSA event. Participants in this event are responsible for lodging expenses incurred, if any. Download the event schedule and, if you are staying overnight, you’ll just need to check availability and make reservations directly with your preferred hotel. See our lodging page for the details on other area hotels. All of us at BRP and our network of Ski-Doo dealers in
the Central Region U.S. welcome your attendance at this event whether
you ride every weekend or just sit in the office and wish you could. (We'd
rather be on the trails too.) So thank you for your interest and support
of Ski-Doo. We look forward to seeing you at this event. You’ll see
that for 2007, there’s still nothing like it! Scott Weber WIDE OPEN: Writer Clayton Collins (left) and guide Greg
Caruso look out over Granny's Cap in Maine. At right, sledders at Northern
Outdoors resort. Into nature on a sled with a tread By Clayton Collins | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor THE FORKS, ME. – Take I-89 across northern New England
this time of year and you might see a squall turn that main route to Canada
into a slippery streak of Wite-Out. My guide, Greg Caruso, gives a hand signal and stops. We shut down our Polaris FS Touring machines and climb off for a long look at Granny's Cap, a rocky outcropping covered with a thin evergreen shroud. The only sound: a muffled wind. Snowmobiling - necessity for a few, deep-chill thrill for many, environmental hot button for others - has its epicenters. Maine is a major one. Snowmobile registrations crossed the 100,000 mark here for the first time last year, though national sales of new machines have been flat since spiking in a very white 1997. The industry has piled on creature comforts in recent years, adding hand-warmers, reverse gear, and helmets with two-way radios to lure boomers of both sexes. New four-stroke engines are quieter and less polluting. Coverage of ESPN's Winter X Games, which included snowmobile racing, could add youth appeal. And outdoor-sports facilities, including ski areas, have added snowmobile rentals as an option for adventurous first-timers and inveterate "slednecks" interested in sampling the latest toys without heavy capital investment. In previous years, "we had little to offer in January, February, and March," says Russell Walters, president of Northern Outdoors, the resort that pioneered the local white-water-rafting boom in The Forks back in 1976. (The name refers to where the Kennebec and Dead Rivers meet.) In the mid-'80s the company bought a half-dozen snowmobiles - "sleds" to the initiated; now they have about 30. Local clubs and businesses support the sport for the economic lift it brings. "We welcome trucks, sledders, and plain folk," says a sign in Caratunk, the town just south of The Forks. Every third vehicle up here is an F250-size pickup hauling a snowmobile trailer. Trail networks are growing. Paper companies - Plum Creek alone owns 900,000 acres here - grant easements that are contingent on defined-trail use. All-terrain vehicles are forbidden. Neighboring states collaborate and compete with vast networks of connecting trails. A rider can even go international. Over the border in Quebec, Mr. Walters says, lie enviable superhighways of snow. We ride about 50 miles today, looping behind mountains and climbing across the bumpy shoulder of one, Mt. Coburn (elevation 3,750 ft.). The ride down the far side is a controlled 40 m.p.h. dive through a glade of young pines. Sometimes the sledding has a rally-car feel, with sweeping turns. Other times it's more like horseback riding, padded saddle rising and falling. But for non-enthusiasts, the sport raises questions about its environmental impact. The biggest debates over snowmobiles have concerned their use in Yellowstone. Decades back, the US Parks Service encouraged snowmobilers to ride near Old Faithful, says Ed Klim, president of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association in Haslett, Mich. But concerns about the stress to bison have since led to a series of impact studies, including one now under way. Some snowmobilers feel singled out. Many forest trails they use are open to loggers and recreational users during three seasons, says Mr. Klim. "The difference is that in the winter we're able to make arrangements to ride across the perimeter of farmland," he says. "Most farmers in the northern region of the US are snowmobilers. And they know that when we ride on top of the snow we don't do any damage." That's debated. There are special places - including some national parks - from which all off-road vehicles are excluded, says Chuck Clusen, director of the Alaska National Parks Projects for the Natural Resources Defense Council. The wildlife issue is serious, he says. "I've seen big bison jump from a trail out into a snowbank," he says. "That really taxes them." Then there's air and noise pollution, even limited water pollution that results from riders using frozen lakes. "We'd like to see manufacturers move more swiftly to the four-strokes and perfect them so they can get pollution levels down," Mr. Clusen says. "We recognize that snowmobiling can be a legitimate recreational activity," says the cross-country skier, who notes that most snowmobilers he encounters slow down and give him a wide berth. "Then there's that other 10 percent who go zooming by me at 60 m.p.h.," he says, "and the occasional one who will violate the law and go into the wilderness area." "Most trails are on private land," says Laurie Bruce, a grandmother who has taught a safety course in Schroon Lake, N.Y., since the 1960s. "And most snowmobilers know that if you upset a landowner and they cut the trail off in the middle, you don't have any place to ride." Problems arise because of sleds with too much power, says Ms. Bruce, who rides a 1969 Moto-Ski - all of 11-1/2 horsepower. "Everybody laughs," she says. "But I can go down any trail, and if I get into trouble I just get off and flip it around." I understand what Bruce means when my 650-lb. Polaris slumps into a trailside ditch as I negotiate a gully; it takes two men to dislodge it. Other common trouble-triggers: alcohol, and riders who ignore thin ice. In the winter of 2002-03, 28 snowmobiling fatalities were recorded across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont - more than any of the previous 12 winters, according to a joint study by the three states. State requirements for rider training vary. Manufacturers have been pushing a safety program, and responsible adventure companies do their part. Northern Outdoors, for example, created its own safety video. Guides brief new riders on safe following distance and keeping to the right - something park wardens have begun to enforce more rigorously. Good riders self-police, too. Nearly every snowmobiler we encounter uses signals. We see almost no trailside trash. And the only off-trail tracks are from moose and, occasionally, hiking boots. We leave a set as we hike to a waterfall before we turn back for the lodge. "I like to get out and explore," says Mr. Caruso. "And there are lots of areas you just can't get to any other time of year." Snowmobiling, by the numbers • Last year, 100,899 snowmobiles were sold in the US; 46,304 were sold in Canada. • 20 percent of owners use their snowmobiles for work or ice fishing. • The average age of a snowmobile owner is 41 years old. • 37 percent of snowmobilers are over 50 years old; 17 percent are over 60. • The average annual household income for snowmobilers is $70,000. • There are more than 230,000 groomed and marked snowmobile trails in North America, developed by volunteer clubs working with local governments and private landowners. Source: International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Snowmobile Manufacturers Reach out in Go Snowmobiling Campaign The snowmobile manufacturers have initiated a new campaign created to highlight snowmobiling as the fun family activity we all enjoy. Numerous economic impact studies have been conducted and we realize that snowmobilers spend over $25 billion annually on their chosen recreation lifestyle. That is a lot of US and Canadian dollars spent in promoting a huge economic job-creating engine. Families make this investment because they realize it is a great family activity, its fun, great exercise and snowmobiling brings them closer to their loved ones. Surveys have shown the main reasons people go snowmobiling
are: The manufacturers have been working and meeting with other recreation groups and snowmobile association members and agree that collectively we all need to promote and present the snowmobiling lifestyle as it truly exists. The Go Snowmobiling campaign is a multi level campaign which will consist of a number of steps and programs. The campaign will be a long term effort. The campaign began with a multi level effort. First the manufacturers joined together and generated some great family lifestyle snowmobiling photos that are available for all to use free of charge. All of the photos contain vehicles from each of the manufacturers in family snowmobile settings. The photos are all on disc and are available for use in publications, presentations, greeting cards and more. All of the photos are also on the new GoSnowmobiling.org web site and can be easily downloaded for publishing use. We encourage all CVBs, Chambers of Commerce, businesses, and associations to consider using the photos provided when developing a brochure or using photos to promote snowmobiling. The manufacturers worked closely with a number of Public Relations Agencies and research firms and developed two TV-ready snowmobiling spots. The two 30-second spots feature family snowmobiling and are meant to be attractive and depict family snowmobiling as the fun activity we know it to be. These spots are TV ready and are available by request from the ISMA office. The spots are now being shown on Public Television throughout the United States and they have been distributed to numerous Chambers of Commerce and CVBs and Tourism Bureaus for their use. A number of Tourism Bureaus are using the spots to promote snowmobiling in their states and regions. If you know of an organization that is active in promoting snowmobiling, using television contact us and we will be happy to send the spots out to you or to your sister organization. The spots are designed in such a way so tag lines can be added to promote your local snowmobiling region. A new web site has been created titled GoSnowmobiling.org. The new site is linked to the ISMA web site and all state and provincial association web sites world wide. The web site is fast and easy to use with important information for new and non-snowmobilers. Please visit the new web site and give us your comments: www.gosnowmobiling.org. A special print ad has been developed depicting the snowmobiling lifestyle as a fun family winter activity. The ads have specifically been designed for use in organization publications. The print ads have been distributed to all snowmobile publications in North America. The will grow with time. There are opportunities for snowmobile suppliers and related service companies to participate and support the program. We encourage suppliers to use the lifestyle photos. If any supplier or service company wishes to use the TV ready spots in promoting snowmobiling in their community while advertising their product, they are encouraged to contact the ISMA office. The campaign is now in its infancy and we appreciate your ideas and support on this new program. Please contact the ISMA office at www.snowmobile.org if you have input, questions or ideas regarding the Go Snowmobiling Campaign. ------------- Snowmobile Club Liable in Trail Fatality It is a ruling that could affect other powersports trails
throughout the nation. Kenison's family sued the club and the groomer, Andre Dubois, in 2003. The Kenison family's lawyer said Dubois was taking a break from grooming and had parked the machine below the crest of a hill, in a spot unseen to snowmobilers traversing the trail.
The club and Dubois said they were immune from liability under state law because they qualified as occupants of the land. A lower court agreed, so the family appealed. The state
Supreme Court, in a 5-0 ruling issued July 18, disagreed with Waumbek's
characterization, saying the club and groomer could not be regarded as
occupants because they didn't have the authority to give people permission
to use the land. |
Bombardier's Beaudoin `Enthusiastic' C Series May Be Revived
Bombardier said Jan. 31 it was shelving the C Series because it failed to sign up any airlines. The Montreal-based company expects to spend another $20 million on the plane this fiscal year to devise a plan that may include outside partners and will review the project's status within a year. Abandoning the C Series would leave Bombardier out of the growing market for larger aircraft as demand shrinks for 50- to 90-seat planes. Sales of regional planes fell 26 percent last year, the second straight drop, the company said today. Bigger competitors Airbus SAS and Boeing Co. had record orders in 2005, led by their A320 and 737 jets, potential rivals to the C Series. ``We are taking a step back, but we continue to invest money (in the C Series) because we think we have the right solution,'' Beaudoin said in an interview yesterday in his office overlooking the runways at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport. ``We have every intention of coming back.'' Should it see the light of day, the C Series would also compete with the Embraer 195 model of Brazil's Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, the fourth-biggest commercial-plane maker. Beaudoin has said he wants to book firm orders for 50 to 100 aircraft before officially deciding to build the C Series, originally intended for first delivery in 2010. About 1,000 of the planes would have to be sold to make a profit, he has said. `Huge Need' ``You have to understand we are drafting a business plan for the next 20 years,'' he said yesterday. ``One year over a 20-year period isn't the end of the world. I'm enthusiastic about the opportunities we have to reach a conclusion that will allow us to proceed, but it's my role to be enthusiastic.'' Beaudoin, 43, is the son of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Laurent Beaudoin, who in two decades transformed Bombardier from a small Quebec snowmobile maker into an aircraft maker and the world's top train manufacturer. Bombardier remains controlled by the family of late founder Joseph-Armand Bombardier, whose daughter Laurent Beaudoin married. The future of potential U.S. customers such as Northwest will be ``important'' in determining the C Series' fate, Beaudoin said. Northwest, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, was one of several airlines Bombardier approached to sell C Series aircraft, he said last month. Regional-Plane Slump ``The reality is the C Series is still too much of a gamble right now,'' said Joe D'Angelo, who oversees aerospace investments at CI Investments Inc. in Toronto. ``For now it's hard to have conviction that a U.S. major is committed to that program when they are in bankruptcy.'' D'Angelo, who expects Bombardier to revive the C Series in a year, said he's hesitant to buy Bombardier stock ``because it's hard to know when we've reached bottom'' in sales of regional jets. Bombardier said today it sold 149 such planes last year, down from 200 a year earlier. Still, Beaudoin says U.S. carriers aren't the only key to the C Series proceeding. ``What I like about the C Series is that it's a plane that allows us to play globally because it can fly 3,000 nautical miles and is competitive on a cost-per-seat basis,'' he said. ``We can enter China, we can access markets like India or Russia. There is a huge need for this plane.'' Sharing Production To win orders and sign up local partners, Beaudoin said the company would consider fabricating parts of the plane in countries such as China. ``We're open to all sorts of ideas,'' he said. ``We have had discussions with the Chinese about building some components there. We have said we would do the final assembly in Montreal, but we have never said we would build all the components here. To be competitive as an aircraft manufacturer, you have to be a global player.'' In the meantime, Bombardier will keep cutting costs to counter a 32 percent rise in the Canadian currency over the past three years, Beaudoin said. Embraer's labor costs represent 10 percent to 15 percent of Bombardier's, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. analyst Joseph Nadol wrote in a January report. Bombardier in October unveiled plans to build a factory in Mexico and produce aircraft components that are now being made in Canada. It also is shifting about 200 office jobs to India from Canada by the end of the current fiscal year, Beaudoin said. ``We have a 30 percent headwind, and we have to adjust,'' Beaudoin said. ``We have to keep questioning ourselves'' about ways to cut costs, he said, declining to be more specific. Labor Costs Since February 2004, Bombardier has announced about 3,000 job cuts at its regional aircraft business. The aerospace unit now has about 26,000 employees, with half working on commercial aircraft and half on business jets, Beaudoin said. Bombardier isn't necessarily planning to transfer jobs to lower-cost countries such as India, Beaudoin said. It could try to negotiate new labor deals with Canadian employees, he said. ``Is this a shifting of the jobs or an adjustment of the
working conditions in Canada? This is what we are discussing with our
employees,'' he said. ``We have to be realistic. In Canada, we have given
ourselves working conditions that make us less competitive compared with
the Americans. Look at things like health benefits and holidays. Conditions
here are more expensive.''
News Story : Alcohol involved in half of snowmobile accidents Updated Wed. Jan. 25 2006 11:32 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff February is the busiest month of the year for snowmobiling injuries, and young men who drink too much are the most likely to suffer, according to a new study. Statistics released Wednesday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information show that snowmobile-related injuries reach their peak in the month of February, and are twice as common as those from snowboarding or skiing. In 2003-2004, there were 788 people admitted to hospitals for snowmobile-related injuries. Thirty-four per cent of those occurred in February, followed by 23 per cent in January. And snowmobiling accounted for 41 per cent of all winter sports-related visits to Canadian specialized trauma units in 2003-2004. The study also found that alcohol was involved in almost half of the incidents where blood/alcohol level was recorded, a statistic that has doubled in the past three years.
"Not only can we see when these injuries tend to happen, we can also see what age group is most at risk," Keresteci said in a press release. The study's findings don't surprise advocates for snowmobiling safety. "The responsibility for ensuring an incident free snowmobile experience ultimately rests on the shoulders of the individual riders," said Louise Sherren from the Alberta Snowmobiling Association's Sled Safe Program. "These new numbers simply reinforce the importance of taking every safety precaution possible when participating in winter sports." The study found snowmobile users between the ages of 15 and 19 were the most frequent visitors to Ontario emergency departments, and had the worst injuries. Most were male (80 per cent) and had more than one injury. In a jump of almost 100 per cent from two years earlier, half of snowmobile-related severe trauma unit admissions in 2003-2004 involved alcohol consumption. Almost all of those were drivers of the vehicle. Drinkers tended to stay in the hospital three times longer than sober riders. The researchers also found drivers and passengers generally face different types of injuries. While drivers often experience crushed legs and spinal afflictions, passengers -- who are often thrown from the vehicle -- were more likely to suffer orthopedic and head trauma. Riders travelling between dusk and darkness made up 26 per cent of incidents, and most occurred on a Friday or Saturday. Comprehensive data from Quebec and Manitoba was not available, and emergency-department snowmobiling statistics were only available in Ontario, where an average of 16 snowmobiling patients are admitted each daily of the winter. In Ontario so far this season, snowmobile accidents have resulted in 13 fatalities. Winter sports-caused injuries seen by specialized trauma units in 2003-2004: Snowmobiling: 41 per cent
Report paints chilling picture of snowmobile injuries Last updated Jan 25 2006 02:09 PM EST Snowmobile accidents account for most severe winter recreation injuries treated in Canada, far outnumbering snowboarding and skiing injuries, according to a report released Wednesday. Snowmobile crashes, rollovers or plunges into lakes and rivers were behind 41 per cent of injuries treated in specialized trauma units in 2003-2004, says the report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Snowboarding and skiing injuries were next at 20 per cent each, followed by hockey (nine per cent), tobogganing (seven per cent) and ice skating (three per cent). CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION: Snowmobile-related
injuries People under 20 were most likely to be seriously injured
while snowmobiling, suffering multiple injuries and often requiring mechanical
help to breathe. Institute spokesperson Valerie Oviatt told CBC.ca that 25 people died in hospital from snowmobile injuries in 2003-2004. Because the report focuses on the health-care system, data on people who died at the scene of snowmobile accidents were not included. Other studies have found that an average of 95 Canadians die each year in snowmobile-related incidents. Statistics from Quebec and Manitoba were not available to the institute's number-crunchers and thus were not included. John Blaicher, who designed the snowmobiling safety program for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile clubs, said people injured on the powerful machines tend to drive too fast, ride without a helmet and take them onto ice that isn't safe. "There's no business being out on the ice at this time of year, with the weather we've had," he told CBC News from Barrie, Ont. "It's the off-trail riders — the people that
go out on the lake, the people who ride on private property — who
tend to get into trouble."
Parliamentary commission to determine the future of Quebec's
snowmobiling industry The Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (QFSC) is enthusiastic
and hopeful about the establishment of a parliamentary The QFSC works to develop and promote snowmobiling, an
activity enjoyed by nearly one million Quebeckers, which generates $1.5
million in economic benefits every year. The Federation serves as the
umbrella organization for 228 clubs with more than 100,000 members. With
support from 4,000 volunteers, For further information: Raymond Lefebvre, (514) 252-3076;
Hugo Delorme,
October 7, 2005 JANE GEORGE KUUJJUAQ — If a truck or car hits you on a public road in Nunavik and hurts you, you’ll receive get from Quebec, but if a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle runs you down and causes injuries or death on the same road, you won’t get a penny. Quebec has a no-fault insurance program, which means victims of accidents that occur on public roads are compensated for their injuries, even if they don’t hold any personal insurance. But this “no-fault insurance” applies only to victims of car or truck accidents on public roads, not to anyone who is injured by a snowmobile or ATV on a public road. Now, Makivik Corp. is financing a constitutional challenge to Quebec’s automobile insurance act to change this. The challenge is being made on behalf of a young Nunavik resident who became a quadriplegic following a snowmobile accident. As a result of this accident, the child now requires constant supervision and care. But this child isn’t eligible for any compensation under the provincial automobile insurance act because Section 10.3 of the act excludes compensation for victims of accidents involving snowmobiles and ATVs. Montreal lawyer Eric Lépine plans to argue this section should be declared invalid under the Charter of Rights because it’s prejudicial to Nunavimmiut. He argues that snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles are not used in the region as recreational vehicles, but as transportation for pursuing traditional activities, as well as for regular, daily transportation within towns. Makivik lawyer Jocelyn Barrett said the way the act makes a distinction between snowmobile and ATV accidents, and automobile accidents, on public roads is “very arbitrary in the Nunavik context.” “The ‘no fault’ spirit of the Quebec automobile insurance plan should be recognized and applied in Nunavik where off-highway vehicles are the principal means of transportation,” she said. “The act should reinstate eligibility for compensation for victims injured in accidents involving these vehicles on public roads.” From 1977 to 1989, claims for compensation following accidents involving snowmobiles and ATVs on public roads were accepted, but in 1989, Quebec changed the act by adding Section 10(3). If Section 10(3) is declared invalid, Quebec will be forced to change the act. Then, residents who are injured in snowmobile or ATV accidents on public roads will be eligible for compensation. In 1990, Lépine challenged the same Section 10(3) in another case involving a pedestrian in Nunavik who had been hit by a snowmobile. The Quebec Administrative Tribunal refused to declare Section 10(3) invalid, but this case never made it to the Superior Court. This time, the case is likely to go to Quebec’s highest court. Meanwhile, Makivik is encouraging all victims of accidents or their dependents, who are injured in snowmobile and ATV accidents on public roads, to apply to the provincial automobile insurance bureau, la Société d’Assurance automobile du Québec, within three years of an accident and to inform the Makivik Legal Department in Kuujjuaq or Lépine of their claim. If the current constitutional challenge is successful, their applications will be reviewed and compensation could be available. However, even if there are changes in Quebec’s vehicle act, compensation won’t cover damages caused to property, such as damages to a vehicle involved in an accident. It is the responsibility of the owner of any vehicle operating in Quebec to have liability insurance guaranteeing compensation for property damage.
Ruling could hurt snowmobile tourism Last Updated Fri, 03 Dec 2004 09:26:45
EST CBC News In a decision that could cause ripples across Canada's winter tourism industry, a judge in Quebec has ruled that people living near a snowmobile trail in the Laurentians should be compensated because of noise levels. Calling themselves the Coalition for the Protection of the Environment of the Petit Train du Nord Linear Park, about 600 residents took the province, Laurentians municipal government and snowmobile clubs to court when the trail was approved seven years ago. Judy Girvan, who lives near the trail, said snowmobile traffic is heavy. "One day we counted 1,500 snowmobiles," said Girvan. "It's like an autoroute." Studies along the trail found unacceptable levels of noise causing insomnia, nerve problems and related illnesses. In an 80-page decision released on Tuesday, Quebec Superior Court Justice Hélène Langlois ordered municipal and provincial governments to share the costs of $1,200-per-year compensation payments for the past seven years to each person living within 100 metres of the park. Even though the lawsuit targeted the snowmobilers association, the Laurentians Regional Muncipality (MRC) and the provincial government, the judge ruled that only the MRC and Quebec government are financially responsible. The ruling could cost between $6 and $8 million. Several hundred people will benefit from the decision, said the coalition, which said it was pleased with the ruling. Along with compensation, the court has also banned snowmobiles for a 30-kilometre stretch along the trail between the towns of St. Faustin-Lac Carre and Labelle. Decision a disaster: businesses With the snowmobile industry worth $1.6 billion in the province last year, businesses that depend on snowmobile tourism are concerned. Jean-Guy Pagé, owner of Recreation Centrale in Ste-Agathe, calls the decision a "disaster," saying European tourists spend an average of $400 per day when they come to snowmobile in the area. He says he was surprised by the court decision. "Snowmobile is a vehicle authorized by the minister of transport. It meets standards for noise and pollution ... this is a legal vehicle across Canada," said Pagé. Mike Garneau, with the Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, says the judgment could set a precedent across the country. "This situation presents a particular challenge to
the federation because of the jurisprudence it creates and... the possible
domino effects and it's important to know this is not just in Quebec,"
said Garneau. |
News Story : 3 Snowmobiling accidents claim 3 lives in
Quebec wilderness Canadian Press * * * * MONTREAL (CP) - Three men have died in separate snowmobiling accidents in Quebec. A head-on collision between two snowmobiles claimed the life of a 56-year-old man Saturday north of the city of La Turque, in the northeastern Mauricie region. He lost control of the machine and died in hospital. The driver of the other snowmobile suffered leg injuries. On Friday night, a 61-year-old man was killed on Lake Kipawa, in Temiscamingue, near the Ontario boundary. He was snowmobiling off-trail and hit a tree. A 26-year-old man was also killed the same night in Pont-Rouge, in the Portneauf area near Quebec City. He was leading three snowmobiles on a trail when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. Police suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash. © The Canadian Press 2006
Snowmobile accidents claim 5 lives in Canada Updated Sun. Jan. 29 2006 11:30 PM ET CTV.ca News Two Nova Scotia men died in a head-on snowmobile accident this week, bringing the national toll to at least five since Friday. Clifton Arnold Conrad, 65, of Enfield and Michael Roger Goodick, 42, of Port Hawkesbury died Saturday snowmobiling around Hunters Mountain in Cape Breton. Snowmobile traffic had been heavy at the time, as a provincial snowmobile association had been meeting in the nearby town of Baddeck. While the RCMP are still investigating, they say alcohol was not a factor. In Quebec, a head-on collision Saturday between two machines cost a 56-year-old man his life. The man lost control of his machine and died in hospital. The other driver suffered leg injuries. That accident occurred north of the city of La Turque, which is in the northeastern Mauricie region. On Friday night, two men died in separate accidents. A 61-year-old man snowmobiling off-trail hit a tree near Lake Kipawa. That lake is near Temiscamingue near the Ontario boundary. In the Portneuf area near Quebec City, a 26-year-old man in Pont-Rouge lost control and hit a tree while leading three snowmobiles on a trail. Police suspect alcohol was a factor in that accident. Earlier this week, the Canadian Institute for Health Information released a report saying that snowmobiling accounted for 41 per cent of all winter sports-related visits to Canadian specialized trauma units in 2003-2004. About half those involved in such accidents had alcohol in their bloodstream. The study also found the peak time for snowmobiling accidents is February. NEWS: AROOSTOOK COUNTY International Snowmobile Festival a hit Sledders' spirits
high despite rain MADAWASKA - Rain dampened the snowmobile trails, icicles hung from handlebars and mist blurred windshields on Sunday, but the spirit of people attending the 10th International Snowmobile Festival was anything but wet, organizers said Sunday. More than 550 people, most from away, registered for the weekend of snowmobiling on trails in Maine and New Brunswick, festival President Glenn Daigle said Sunday. While not all registration numbers had been gathered, festival organizers served breakfast to more than 400 registrants at the Madawaska Knights of Columbus Hall Sunday morning. Daigle said that's the biggest number ever for the festival ending meal. "It's one of the better turnouts we've had," Daigle said. "There were no mishaps," he said. "We had another safe festival." The participants ranged from a crew of 40 people from St. John, New Brunswick, to one man who registered with an address from Budapest, Hungary. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the festival that opens trails to snowmobilers on both sides of the border for the minimal price of a $20 "passport." The passport allows snowmobilers on both sides of the border to travel on each others' trails without paying the provincial and state permit fees. Usually the price ranges from $95 to $160 for the privilege. Four New York snowmobilers who were taking a break and making minor repairs to their sled in St. Agatha Saturday afternoon praised the trails in northern Maine, despite the weather. It rained in the area Friday night and started to rain again during the night Saturday. But Saturday was a bright day, and snowmobilers, scores of them, crisscrossed the snowy landscape nonstop. Organizing efforts for the festival were delayed this year when the man who was supposed to be in charge developed medical problems. Daigle took over in late December and with the help of scores of volunteers put it all together in about five weeks. "Volunteers were great, even nonsnowmobilers," he said. "The word was put out and volunteers came." Registrants came from all over New Brunswick and Quebec, from central and southern Maine, and from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, South Carolina and New York. The weather put a damper on the riding Sunday and caused some problems with trails. Trails were breaking up despite the efforts of volunteer trail groomers from snowmobile clubs on both sides of the border. "People were understanding, and it was accepted," Daigle said. "They knew it was out of our control. "People who participated are happy, and that's what's important," Daigle said. "Compliments, especially from people from away, are important and we received them on the weekend." The annual festival also treated participants to a spaghetti feed and a dance with the Jerry T Band at the Madawaska Knights of Columbus Hall Friday night, a supper on Saturday night at two Canadian clubs, and drag racing and breakfast at the Madawaska K.C. Hall on Sunday morning. Riders participated in Lucky Runs on Friday and Saturday, with riders picking up cards at designated checkpoints for a chance to win prizes. Major sponsors of the annual event are the province of New Brunswick, the town of Madawaska, and Fraser Papers Inc. All three use the annual festival to promote their areas and safe riding. The festival also was supported by some 40 businesses on both sides of the border, and snowmobile clubs up and down the St. John Valley and beyond. Trails open for the weekend included two 90-mile loops, one each in New Brunswick and in the St. John Valley, and two 200-mile loops, one in each country. The 200-mile loop in New Brunswick ran from Madawaska to Van Buren and into Canada to St. Quentin, New Brunswick, on to Moose Valley, and back to Edmundston at the Club du Nord Snowmobile Club. The American 200-mile loop ran from Madawaska to Van Buren, Washburn, Portage Lake, Eagle Lake, Fort Kent and back to Madawaska.
Guests luxuriate at rural Québec inns 09:32 AM CST on Monday, January 23, 2006 By JOHN MASTERS / Meridian Writers' Group Sample the country inns of rural Québec: Le Manoir du Lac Delage There's lots to do outdoors here. You can even spend a night in an igloo. But the manor, a half-hour drive north of Québec City, is really a celebration of the joys of heat. Picture windows in the restaurant and pool show you how delightfully postcard-white it is outside, but from the moment you enter your room and see the temperature-control unit with its oversize number display set to a toasty 72 F, there are endless reminders that in here it's warm. There are heat lamps in the bathrooms (along with Jacuzzis in most) and the bar's roaring fireplace is big enough to barbecue an elk in. In the spa, one of the featured treatments is the Arizona-born hot-stone massage. The activities room likewise devotes considerable space to games you play indoors such as pingpong, pool and air hockey. But for those wanting to suck some frigid air into their lungs, there are racks of cross-country skis, skates and snowshoes. If you hanker to play broomball, a hockeylike game little known outside Québec, they have the equipment for that, too. For those wanting a taste of icy wilderness, Lisa Roy's after-dinner walk in the woods is probably about right. Lisa, the hotel's outdoor-activities director, takes guests on a 15-minute trek into the forest, just far enough to get a sense of how cold and dark a winter night in Québec can be. Then it's back to the inn and the comforting big numbers of your room's thermometer. Double-occupancy rooms from about $105.
The accommodations here were the most spartan of the country inns I visited. The emphasis, year-round, is on the outdoor adventures possible in the surrounding Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean territory, a 2 ½ -hour drive north of Québec City. If you came in summer, that could include canoe trips retracing the river routes of the fur traders. In winter, you not only can visit the past, you also can talk to it. After snowshoeing or mushing into the woods on a dog sled, you can have the unique experience of meeting one of the few remaining fur trappers. Robert Bégin is in his 70s and has been trapping for more than a half-century. The rustic lean-to at which you meet him is hung with pelts and a bit of a sham. His 26-square-mile territory actually starts nine miles away. But the man himself is the genuine item, as lean and leather-worn as you'd expect an old trapper to be. Some teeth are gone, but his eyes are bright and his gnarled hands still capable. Furs aren't for everyone these days, and knowing his is a dying profession, Robert has developed a second craft that's more viable with visitors: making classic beavertail snowshoes, using ash and caribou leather. They're available at the inn. Double-occupancy rooms from $88.
Like the Québec weather itself, Auberge des 21, a two-hour drive north of Québec City, offers a choice of extremes. On one hand, you can stay totally cozy, looking out the inn's front windows at Baie-des-Ha!-Ha!, an arm of the fjordlike Saguenay River, sipping wine from a 6,000-bottle cellar and eating in Le Doyen, a restaurant that is regularly awarded four stars by the Canadian Automobile Association. If you're feeling more ambitious but still want warmth, you can take chef-owner Marcel Bouchard's cooking course, included in your two-night stay. You get three hours of instruction Saturday morning, then three more hours Saturday afternoon, when you prepare the seven-course meal you'll eat that night. If you do want to bundle up, there's a whole frozen bay waiting for you, where an ice-fishing civilization takes shape every winter. There are three main ice-hut villages, widely separated, with a combined population of 1,500 men and women avidly seeking cod, halibut, turbot and sea bass from the 600-foot-deep bay – and drinking the odd beer. A half-hour by snowmobile from the inn is the fishing hole cut through 40 inches of ice by Leo Dumas, a retired papermill worker. For about $40, he'll lend you a rod and teach you his technique. Double-occupancy rooms from $165. Le Baluchon Le Baluchon, a 90-minute drive northeast of Montreal, was the most elaborate and the most Québecois inn I visited. At the other places, having little or no French won't be too much of a problem. At Le Baluchon, copies of the Globe and Mail in the dining room notwithstanding, the guest who doesn't speak French might struggle. But if you want as complete a taste of winter in Québec as you're liable to find, this is the spot. The setting is wonderful: 9 square miles of rolling land. There's a 3-mile-long river to skate on (by torchlight at night), a great hill to tube down and a sugar shack to visit for the time-honored Québec winter treat of fresh maple syrup. You can get around by snowshoe, on skis or in a horse-drawn sleigh with wolf skins on the benches. If you'd rather stay indoors, there's a pool, sauna, steam room, gym and one of the province's best spas: 23 treatment rooms, 30 therapists. (As an added inducement to relaxation, your cellphone won't work here.) There's also a pub with its own microbrewery, Les Bières de la Nouvelle-France, that produces 18,500 gallons of rich, Belgian-style beer annually, including one of the world's very few gluten-free brews, La Messagère. The evening table d'hôte menu in the dark-wood dining room runs to hearty French fare. This isn't a fast-food experience. Soup, then escargot or duck foie gras, a sherbet to clear the palate, followed by trout, salmon, rabbit or caribou. For dessert, a cheese plate, pastis pears or perhaps crêpes Suzette. French wine throughout, of course, leaving you sleepy and content as you tramp through the sparkling snow to your snug, warm room. Double-occupancy rooms from $194.
Snowmobiling is a Year Around Activity Over the last few months we have experienced some great hot summer weather. A few of us have experienced winter storms in Chile that required the use of snowmobiles to help save and feed people stranded in the rugged mountains. This hot August morning I was working, over the phone, with soldiers in Afghanistan who are preparing to use snowmobiles in their upcoming missions. Yes, it has been a busy summer and snowmobiling is a year around activity! Enthusiasts, volunteers, regulators and employees work throughout the year on snowmobile related issues. In June 2005 the Utah Snowmobile Association hosted the International Snowmobile Congress, which was attended by over 500 snowmobile enthusiasts. The manufacturers are proud sponsors of the event, which this year featured speakers from around the globe and allowed snowmobilers to interact and share ideas. Next year's Congress promises to be a "must-go-to" event. The 2006 Congress is being sponsored by the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers in beautiful Burlington, VT. Immediately following the International Snowmobile Congress, snowmobile clubs and associations planted trees across America. The tree planting activities garnered positive public relations for the local snowmobile communities. A few years from now, beautiful trees - planted by snowmobilers - will line snowmobile trails, roadways and pathways across North America. Your club and association is encouraged to participate in tree planting activities in the spring or fall of each year. Special arrangements have been made with the US Forest Service to obtain trees. The activity is being coordinated by the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA). In Canada events are being coordinated by the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO). We are in the process of updating the Safe Riders! safety campaign material. The material includes Snowmobiling Fact Books, posters, Public Service Announcements, decals and a 22 minute safety video that is used by safety trainers throughout the world. All of the Safe Riders! materials will be updated and ready for free distribution by mid August, 2005. On July 13, 2005, we joined members of ACSA, the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA), the Blue Ribbon Coalition, the Motorcycle industry Council and others attending an OHV Congressional Hearing in Washington DC. Members of the United States Congress participated in active discussion on forest planning issues related to ATV use and other wheeled vehicle use. The snowmobile community was visible at the meeting to understand the issues discussed. We were present to protect the access positions snowmobilers have developed over the years, and to emphasize snowmobiles are over snow vehicles. We agree with the Forest Service position, "You can't wear out the snow." The snowmobile manufacturers have introduced a new campaign designed to expand the snowmobiling market. The campaign is titled "Go Snowmobiling" and it features a new web site www.gosnowmobiling.org. The web site is designed specifically for non-snowmobilers and is meant to answer questions about snowmobiling and to provide information to non-snowmobilers on where to snowmobile, how to snowmobile, and how to join a club and association to improve the snowmobiling experience. The manufacturers have created two snowmobiling TV spots which will be used to promote family snowmobiling. These spots will be used by CVB's and other Tourism related organizations in their advertising efforts to promote snowmobiling in their states or provinces. Public Television programs will feature the spots depicting family snowmobiling. The professionally developed spots are available free of charge from the ISMA office and can be requested through the web site. In addition, some new print public service announcements have been developed, depicting snowmobiling as a fun family activity. The "Go Snowmobiling" program is still in the development stage but is being warmly received and welcomed by snowmobilers and related businesses. A summer wouldn't be complete without continuing activity on land access issues and in particular, Yellowstone National Park. As you may know, Yellowstone Park management is conducting another Environmental Impact Study, during which, they will consider all of the new technology machines, rules and regulations that have already been imposed on visitors to Yellowstone and more. I encourage you to send a short note to the Park Service expressing your views. You can receive some guidance for your written comments by visiting the ACSA web site at www.snowmobilers.org. During this summer I have been involved in the Public Engagement process for the next Yellowstone Winter Use Plan and it appears the Park service is working closely with all stake holders and will consider all input provided to them. This EIS will be very transparent. Yellowstone will be open to snowmobiling this winter, following the existing Winter Use Plan. Legal action to close the Park this winter WILL NOT occur due to a Congressional action protecting our right to snowmobile. This summer I spent time in Quebec meeting with members of the FCMQ and the newly formed Quebec Snowmobile Commission. Over the summer there were 17 town-hall meetings held throughout the province to discuss off-highway vehicle recreation. Every meeting was attended by members of the FCMQ. I testified at the hearing held in Joliette, Quebec - a quaint town north of Montreal. We are anticipating a positive report to come from the Snowmobile Commission this fall. A lot of hard work went into telling the "truth about snowmobiling" story for Quebec authorities and we are confident our efforts and the efforts of snowmobile volunteers in Quebec were recognized. We believe recommendations by the Quebec Snowmobile Commission should have a positive influence on snowmobiling throughout Canada. Yes, it has been a busy summer and there is still much
more to do. It won't be long and we will all be checking the long range
weather forecasts and I'm hopeful that you will view the ISMA web site
at www.snowmobile.org and send me your upbeat heavy snow weather forecasts
for the winter of 2005-2006. When Diane Guillemette went ice fishing with her partner in the Saguenay fiord, about 155 miles north of Quebec City, she thought she had all the permits she needed. She didn't. Guillemette was hoping to land something a bit smaller
when you hooked on to a Greenland shark the size of a small car, according
to the Canadian Press news service. Upon their return to civilization, the fish tale quickly spread. Media reports caught the attention of government officials from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who quickly determined that Guillemette did not have the necessary permits. See the complete Pilot, exactly as in print Email this Page And, no, Guillemette didn't get to keep the shark.
Bombardier cuts jobs and heads to Mexico Workers have been told 150 jobs will be cut in 2007 and another 150 in 2008. "It's not an excuse, it's a reason: globalization," says factory worker Michel Girard, noting the news is hard to swallow. Valcourt, where the headquarters of BRP are based, is considered to be the roots of the Bombardier empire. The company is the world leader in snowmobile and recreational watercraft production. However, BRP is relatively new to the all-terrain vehicle market. BRP is still trying to gain ground on international competition, and moving to Mexico will help BRP save money, says company spokesperson Pierre Pichette. "We looked at various scenarios and transferring our operations to Mexico just made more sense," said Jose Boisjoli, the president and CEO of privately-held BRP. The company said the manufacture of its Ski-Doo snowmobiles and Sea-Doo watercraft manufacturing operations will remain in Valcourt as BRP is completing a $10 million investment to revamp its assembly line. Proper notice The company is not turning its back on Valcourt, Pichette insists. "Valcourt, Que. is 50 per cent of what BRP is, and that won't change. We're committed to Valcourt," he said Wednesday. Layoffs were announced two years in advance to give workers a chance to find other jobs. BRP will use the time to refurbish its Mexico factory before moving production there. Formerly owned by Bombardier Inc., BRP was taken private
in late 2003 by members of the Bombardier family, Bain Capital and the
Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec.
Alain Lasalle Killed in Arson Friday April 8th 2005, 7 AM It has now been nine days since I hear the first reports of a fire at the Refuge, and that the boys were missing. Since that time, I have spoken to hundreds of Al's friends, the authorities, the families, and Al's guests. It has all been very difficult and unrelenting. I have flown to the funeral, followed bulletin boards, answered e-mails the best I could, and built web pages to try and tell about Al's life. I have emptied my bank account, ignored my client's jobs, missed my sleep, and not eaten properly. I am still sick, and have managed to run myself down. This morning I realize, that it's time to move on. I never knew how one selfish and vicious act of hate could hurt so many people. I can see where the negative energy has taken me these past days, and realize it is time to close the door on this for a while. I think the worst part is reading the bulletin boards. Everyone's mourning and sadness is turning into anger, accusations and revenge; an ugly mixture of human emotions. But as for me at this time, I have to change the channel. It's time for me to get back to work on my client's web sites, and leave all this in the hands of the Police. I spoke to one of the investigators yesterday, and again, I was very impressed with what he had to say. Although he gave no actual details, he told me that they still had their team up in the area, and that they are working very hard. I thanked him and told him that all of us are praying for him and for the team. He was moved. It must be a terrible job. I know I couldn't do it. So, time to move on. Time will heal all. As for me, please do not call me to ask about what is going on anymore, I have told you everything I know on these pages. Once a week or so, I will add your letters of condolence to the page you have already seen, but apart from that, stick a fork in me.... I'm all done! And as for the village of St-Zenon, and the next snowmobile seasons to come, all of that will take care of itself. What will be will be. One thing is for certain though, this tragic event marks the end of an era, and the start of something new. There is an old saying in Quebec that says, if you spit up into the air, it will fall on the end of your nose, and when it does, it hurts like hell! Let's just take three steps backwards, continue to pray for justice and healing, and watch our great God do his thing. And as for you two guys, Al and Danny, we will never forget you. zw
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2 Ottawa-area men involved in snowmobile accidents Brendan Nash, 21, of Kanata went through the ice early Sunday morning when he tried to drive his snowmobile across the Ottawa River near Fitzroy Harbour. Nash is missing and presumed drowned. Divers began searching on Sunday, and police say they will resume their search Monday morning. A friend who was following on an ATV also broke through the ice, but managed to escape the frigid Ottawa River and get help on the Quebec side. He was treated for minor frostbite and released. Trevor Dorzek, 32, of Renfrew County died Saturday night when his snowmobile crashed near Cobden. Police say Dorzek's snowmobile hit a bump on the trail
and he was flung about 40 metres. He wasn't wearing a helmet.
News Story : Thursday, January 26, 2006 by Justin Anderson
The event will feature 15 hours of live television coverage on ESPN and ABC. The Snocross final is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 10:15 – 11 p.m. EST and will be telecast live on ESPN. Morgan (No. 7c Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo) is a veteran of WPSA Snocross racing, holding 11 titles, but is also the undisputed king of Winter X Games competition. Morgan is a four-time and defending gold medal winner in Winter X Games Snocross competition. Morgan has also won two silver medals, as well as a bronze, taking his Winter X Games medal total to seven. “I needed the track time and last week was a really big boost,” said the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan resident. “Our sleds have been working great and they’ll only get better as we go up in altitude. I’m looking forward to it.” Dennis Eckstrom (No. 25 AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants/Polaris) will certainly be gunning for his own shot at gold here. Eckstrom, from Duluth, Minn., has been on a roll this season, scoring an Open Class win in the season opener in Duluth, and notched a runner-up finish last Sunday at Park X. Eckstrom is currently second in Pro Open points, just five markers out of the lead. Eckstrom also has two podium finishes in Pro Stock competition and is sixth in points. His Winter X Games results include two medals: bronze in 2001 and silver in 2003. Another hard charger this year is Winter X Games Eight gold medal winner Mike Island (No. 8 Bud Light/Ski-Doo). Island, who hails from Warminster, Ontario, and his Warnert Racing crew have overcome some difficulties early in the season, recording a fifth-place finish in the Pro Open final last weekend at Park X. The dark horse in the field here may be Island’s teammate Steven Martin. Martin (No. 18 Dodge/Polaris) was the very first qualifier for Winter X Games 10, winning the first invitational event of the year, back in November at Duluth. Martin hopes to build on the bronze medal he won here last year. Though he suffered injuries to his tongue and the inside of his mouth last weekend at Park X, it would be premature to dismiss defending WPSA Pro Stock titleholder T.J, Gulla (No. 44 TEAM Industries/Polaris). Gulla holds one medal in Winter X Games competition, a gold in Winter X Games Seven Hillcross competition. The South Hero, Vt. rider has two podiums in Pro Open competition this season. Also on a tear this season, Ross Martin looks to light up Aspen/Snowmass, seeking his first Winter X Games medal. Martin (No. 837 Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) leads the Pro Open standings on the merit of a win, in Round 3 at Canterbury, as well as a second-place finish at Duluth. Martin, from Pleasant Prairie, Wis., also won the Pro Stock race at Canterbury. Mike Schultz (No. 5 Avalanche Racing/Polaris) will attempt to overcome a hip injury suffered at Park X last weekend to bask in the Winter X Games spotlight. Schultz earned his first career Pro Open podium at Canterbury. Schultz lives in Pillager, Minn. Another rider to watch is Mathieu Morin (No. 187 Evinrude/Ski-Doo). Morin was a part-time, Semi-Pro WPSA rider, hoping for a good finish at the season opener in Duluth. After qualifying for Winter X Games there, he was tapped to fill in for C.W. Sirjane, who suffered a season-ending back injury. The Val-Dor, Quebec resident, who is only running Pro Stock this season, delivered, winning in his first Pro start, at Round 2 in Gaylord, Mich. Robbie Malinoski has also delivered this season, especially lately. Malinoski (No. 194 Olah Racing/Arctic Cat) won the Pro Stock event at Park X and led a sweep of the top-four spots by Arctic Cat. The win gave Malinoski the points lead. Malinoski, from Fergus Falls, Minn., also has a podium finish in Pro Open competition. Also part of the Park X sweep were Shaun Crapo (No. 3 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat) and Kurtis Crapo (No. 9 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat). The brothers from St. Anthony, Idaho, bathed in Arctic Cat chartreuse, will be a force in Aspen/Snowmass. Steven Taylor hopes his Pro Open win at Gaylord is also a harbinger of good things to come here. Taylor (No. 2 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo) is from Prince George, British Columbia. Levi LaVallee (No. 108 TEAM Industries/Polaris) has also had a fruitful season and is seeking success here. The affable Longville, Minn. resident is coming off his first Pro Open podium of the year, at Park X. LaVallee also has a victory in Pro Stock competition, at Round 2 in Gaylord. Other invitees are: Brett Bender (No. 19 TEAM Industries/Polaris), Willie Elam (No. 130 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Aaron Christensen (No. 10 Fly Racing/Ski-Doo), Katejun Coonishnish (No. 101 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Garth Kaufman (No. 48 Olah Racing/Arctic Cat), Brad Pitlik (No. 90 Kowalski Racing/Ski-Doo), Matt Piche (No. 518 Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat), Carl Schubitzke (No. 96 AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants/Polaris), as well as Matt Boron (No. 19 Outdoor Performance/Ski-Doo) and Tyler Sedlmeier (No. 21 XP-S Oil/Ski-Doo). Winter X Games 10 will feature 15 hours of live programming Jan. 28 - Jan. 31 on ESPN and ABC. ESPN2 will present daily late-night highlight programs from Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, resulting in 19 total hours of original programming for Winter X Games 10. Additionally, ESPN International will televise the Winter X Games to more than 190 countries and territories throughout Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim. SportsCenter, ESPN's flagship daily news program, will report from Aspen/Snowmass on Monday, Jan. 31 and Tuesday, Feb. 1. Each of those nights, the 11 p.m. EST SportsCenter will contain event coverage from Winter X Games 10. About the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour X GAMES 10 TELEVISION SCHEDULE Sunday, Jan. 29 Monday, Jan. 30 Tuesday, Jan. 31 ALL TIMES MST ALL TIMES MST
Colorado Racing News
The event will feature 15 hours of live television coverage on ESPN and ABC. The Snocross race final is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 10:15 – 11 p.m. EST and will be telecast live on ESPN. Hibbert (No. 68 Stud Boy/Arctic Cat) is second only to Blair Morgan in Winter X Games medals. Hibbert won a gold in the 2000 edition of the event, followed by a silver in Winter X Games Six in 2002, a bronze in Winter X Games Seven in 2003, and two more silvers Winter X Games Eight and Nine, in 2004 and 2005. Hibbert also own three WPSA points titles, on the merit of 25 victories. Though Hibbert left WPSA Snocross competition after the 2002-2003 season to compete in motocross racing, his father, Kirk, continues the family tradition, riding the No. 41 Arctic Cat in both Semi-Pro Open and Pro Veteran competition. Hibbert will be joined by D.J. Ekre. Ekre (No. 52 Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat) regularly competes in the Pro Stock class as well as Semi-Pro Open. Dave Allard is also among the list of competitors. Allard (No. 167 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo) finished on the podium once in Pro Open competition this season, at Round 2 in Gaylord, and currently sits third in the Pro Open title chase. Allard also finished on the podium in the Pro Stock event at Gaylord and sits fifth in Pro Stock points. Allard is from St. Prime, Quebec. Other riders are: Ryan Simons (No. 129 Olah Racing/Arctic Cat), Jason Boron (No. 14 Outdoor Performance/Ski-Doo), Phil Johnson (No. 233 Kowalski Racing/Ski-Doo), Zach Pattyn (No. 99 Stud Boy/Ski-Doo), Justin Tate (No. 28 Pirtek/Polaris), and Jeff Arsenault (No. 118 XP-S Performance Lubricants/Ski-Doo). Already announced competitors are: Blair Morgan (No. 7c Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Dennis Eckstrom (No. 25 AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants/Polaris), Mike Island (No. 8 Bud Light/Ski-Doo), Steven Martin (No. 18 Dodge/Ski-Doo), T.J. Gulla (No. 44 TEAM Industries/Polaris), Ross Martin (No. 837 Judnick Motorsports/Polaris), Mike Schultz (No. 5 Avalanche Racing/Polaris), Mathieu Morin (No. 187 Formula XPS/Ski-Doo), Robbie Malinoski (No. 194 Olah Racing/Arctic Cat), Shaun Crapo (No. 3 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat), Kurtis Crapo (No. 9 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat), Steven Taylor (No. 2 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Levi LaVallee (No. 108 TEAM Industries/Polaris), Brett Bender (No. 19 TEAM Industries/Polaris), Willie Elam (No. 130 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Aaron Christensen (No. 10 Fly Racing/Ski-Doo), Katejun Coonishnish (No. 101 Blair Morgan Racing Team/Ski-Doo), Garth Kaufman (No. 48 Olah Racing/Arctic Cat), Brad Pitlik (No. 90 Kowalski Racing/Ski-Doo), Matt Piche (No. 518 Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat), Carl Schubitzke (No. 96 AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants/Polaris), as well as Matt Boron (No. 19 Outdoor Performance/Ski-Doo) and Tyler Sedlmeier (No. 21 XP-S Oil/Ski-Doo). Winter X Games 10 will feature 15 hours of live programming Jan. 28 - Jan. 31 on ESPN and ABC. ESPN2 will present daily late-night highlight programs from Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, resulting in 19 total hours of original programming for Winter X Games 10. Additionally, ESPN International will televise the Winter X Games to more than 190 countries and territories throughout Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim. SportsCenter, ESPN's flagship daily news program, will report from Aspen/Snowmass on Monday, Jan. 31 and Tuesday, Feb. 1. Each of those nights, the 11 p.m. EST SportsCenter will contain event coverage from Winter X Games 10. About the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour The PowerSports
Snowmobile Tour is North America’s leading snowmobile racing tour
and features the greatest show on snow. The Tour is North America’s
premiere form of Snocross racing, with its high-flying aerial displays,
jumps, jolts and high-speed runs on short tracks throughout the United
States and Canada. The Tour is sanctioned by the World PowerSports Association,
North America’s largest and most respected organizer and promoter
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Massive shark hooked on ice-fishing jaunt Cold-water fish not uncommon in Saguenay fjord * * * * CP A shark the size of a car has been reeled in by a woman out for a day of ice fishing. The whopper - a Greenland shark, which isn't dangerous to humans - is so big it had to be pulled from the water with the help of a snowmobile. Diane Guillemette knew she had a big fish on her line but she wasn't expecting a shark. "We worked for an hour and a half to get it up to the hole in the ice," she said. Guillemette was fishing on the weekend with her partner in the Saguenay fjord, where waters from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean meet, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City. "It was about 680 feet (207 metres) down, completely at the bottom," she said of the shark. "So it took 366 turns on a wheel crank to bring it to the surface." The Greenland shark weighed 230 kilograms and was more than three metres long. "I reeled in the line gently because the catch was very heavy." At one point, Guillemette thought she had lost her catch but she got help enlarging the ice hole. The shark was then landed with the aid of a snowmobile. The Greenland shark is also known as the sleeper shark and lives in polar waters all year round. Sharks are known to make their way into the Saguenay fjord from time to time. Jean-Denis Lambert, a marine biologist with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said three have been caught in the last 11 years. "It's not something we see often," he said. "It's not too dangerous because actually there's not too many of them, first of all, and it's a species that lives in deep water, cold water, open water. "It's not a coastal species and in this case it goes up into the fjord of Saguenay because the fjord of Saguenay is very deep and the waters in the basins are very cold." The shark is in Guillemette's back yard on the snow, awaiting pickup by a local museum that's still looking for a freezer big enough to store it. "Usually, scientists recommend to those fishing to cut their lines when they catch a shark," she said. "It's a practice we didn't know about. "Biologists don't encourage the catching of sharks, but they don't seem to be disappointed to have one to improve their knowledge," Guillemette said of her catch, which will be studied by experts. © The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
Quebec woman who caught giant shark could be fined for permit breach Canadian Press Diane Guillemette was fishing with her partner in the Saguenay fiord - where waters from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean meet about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City - when she caught a Greenland shark. The shark, which weighed 230 kilograms and was more than three metres long, had to be hauled from the ice with the help of a snowmobile. But while Guillemette's catch attracted the attention of media outlets across the province, it also raised eyebrows at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Officials for the government body are investigating the catch because Guillemette didn't have a permit to fish shark. According to the agency, she should have cut her line and returned the shark to the water. The agency could hand down a fine sometime next week. The giant shark itself was expected to be displayed in a local museum, but a maritime institute in Rimouski has commandeered the cadaver. © The Canadian Press 2006
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