Mark your calendar! January 25th through 27th, the Town of Eagle Lake will be host to 25 sled dog teams competing in the 3rd running of the Eagle Lake/Irving Woodlands 100 mile sled dog race. The $5000 race purse is sponsored by Irving Woodlands and will be paid down to the first 10 teams to cross the finish line.

Teams will begin arriving in Eagle Lake on Friday, January 25th. Some vet checks will be completed on a first-come-fist served basis on Friday from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Fort Kent Animal Hospital. Remaining vet checks will be completed at the start of the race on Saturday. A public supper will be held at Eagle Lake Elementary school on Friday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m and a mandatory driver’s meeting will immediately follow at 7:00 p.m. The public is welcome to stay and observe the meeting.

Teams will assemble at the public beach at Eagle Lake at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. The race will begin at 11:00 a.m. for the 50 mile journey over a woodland trail to Moose Point Camps on Fish River Lake. Teams will rest there for a minimum of four hours before returning to Eagle Lake. The first teams are expected to arrive at the finish line around midnight. An awards luncheon will be held at Eagle Lake Elementary school on Sunday, January 27th, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

Many area businesses, clubs, and individuals have volunteered and donated services necessary to support the race. For example, Katahdin Trust has donated radio advertising, John Martin has donated the use of Moose Point Camps as the mid-way check point and will also be feeding the mushers and volunteers working there, Eagle Lake Winter Riders snowmobile club will be organizing and staffing the public supper and awards luncheon as well as helping put in the trail, and Northern Maine General has planned activities to coincide with the race weekend and create a “winter festival” atmosphere. Volunteers will be out clearing and marking the race trail, assisting with a road crossing at route 11 at the start of the race, and staffing the start and finish line areas, as well as timing the race teams and providing “safety points” along the race route.

If you are an individual or business that would like to help support our race please contact race coordinator Tenley Bennett at (207)444-5207. There are many positions that still need staffing and services that need sponsoring.

Sled dog racing is a fast-growing, exciting winter sport for mushers and spectators alike. We are pleased to bring this event to the St. John Valley and Town of Eagle Lake. It is an excellent “warm up” for teams who will compete in Fort Kent’s CanAm races held in March.