According to several seasoned mushers, the 2026 Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race was the most challenging in in its they could remember.
With particularly cold temperatures, gong as low as -55 one night, strong winds and eight to 10 inches of new snow, mushers and their dogs had their work cut out for them.
This year was also the first time most could remember that tall participants finished.
There were 11 12-dog teams the 2 6-dog teams entered with Jesse Terry from Ontario winning the 12-dog team race and La Ronge’s Derek Konga winning the 6-dog.
“This is toughest trails we’ve ever had, … and this might be the first time everybody finished, and I’ve been here since the start of the race,” Sid Robinson, long time musher and Race Marshal for 2026, said, congratulating all the mushers.
“It was pretty dard, six, eight, ten inches of snow and it was alike a poor joke out there … There are some incredible performances out there from the mushers and dogs here.”
Robinson expressed appreciation for the trail crews, saying he counted 27 hours of chainsaw work alone, and organizers, particularly board members, for their constant work, such as organizing the use of the school building in Weyakwin,
“the board was amazing, because they don’t live in a mirage, and it’s like trying to plan a lunar landing … people are straight all over the place, and they make it all come together.”
Shellie Torok, of Prince George B.C. represented herself and carried the flag of her mentor, the Late Jerry Joinson, who participated in for many years in the Challenge/
Joinson was the first musher to lead a start line in the very first Challenge,” Torok said in an interview with the Northern Advocate.
Joinson participated in the 2025 race, carrying an oxygen mask and passed away just three weeks before the start of the 2026.
She gave her account of the Challenge through laughter and tears, as she remembered Joinson, and fought a hard battle to make it to the finish line. During the three-day adventure, she lost her phone, ski pole, bag of booties for her dogs, and, her cooker lid, and, at one time, the whole team.
She got separated from the team, walked out to the highway and hailed down a passing vehicle. The driver helped her and some folks who she thought worked with SaskTel, had found the dogs and they were united to carry on down the trail.
Other mushers helped her out with the equipment she lost on the trail and a few additional hugs.
Throughout the race, Torok kept Joinson’s ashes in her pocket and carried his #11 with her.
Admitting she’s scared of the dark, Torok said, she remembered her mentor’s advice … “Trust your dogs and challenge yourself.”
Torok is the recipient of the 2026 Canadian Challenge Spirit Award, an award for the musher who keep the Spirit of mushing live, and the Red Lantern as the last musher to finish the 10-dog race.
“I made extra friends and strengthened friendships, and I’m just so thankful for all Jerry’s given me, because I would never have been here, if it wasn’t for him. I wouldn’t have me any of the amazing people here … Jerry was in my pocket closest to my heart.”
Joinson’s daughter, Errin Isbister, was Torok’s Handler and confidante throughout the race as well.
Together at the end of the race, they took Joinson’s ashes out and spread them on the lake and “it was beautiful, a beautiful sunset.”
Stefaan De Marie was also back on the trail this year after several years. De Marie competed in the Challenge over several years, before taking on other responsibilities.
He was the Race Marshal for the race for a number of years, before becoming the chair of the organizing board for several years.
This year he came back on the trail with his daughter Brinn, as his handler.
The Canadian Challenge Dog Sled Race under the name, The Gateway North Sled Dog Race Association in 1998 ”to promote traditional sled dog racing in Saskatchewan,” quoted from background information. Canadian Challenge is a qualifier for the Iditarod: The Last Great Race, which was created to support the culture and history of Alaska.
There is a caring community that forms between the mushers on this adventure it seems.
