Calabogie 500 snowmobile drag races return to the Ottawa Valley
The ski season may be over, but there was snow on the slopes at Calabogie Peaks in Calabogie, Ont., and hundreds of snowmobilers ready to take on the mountain.
The Calabogie 500 snowmobile drag races returned Saturday after a two year COVID hiatus. Racers from Ontario, Quebec, and the northeastern United States gathered at the valley ski hill for one of the bigger snowmobile racing events on the calendar.
"It's really nice to see everybody again," said Justin Hulsizer, event organizer and president of Northeast Snowmobile Racing. "A lot of people have gotten used to this event and it was hard to not see everybody for the last season."
"We're back into the swing of things again," added Calabogie Peaks COO Jim Hemlin. "The Calabogie 500 is really our first spring event which is exciting."
Unlike many other races that take place on the mountain, these snowmobile racers go head to head straight up the slopes, climbing 500 feet in a matter of seconds.
"We have a bunch of different sleds ranging from kids with 120's all the way up to adults with their outlaw models," said Hulsizer, adding that the higher end machines can top 200 kilometres per hour in a drag race. "They're putting down 400, 500, 600 horsepower."
Eric Gautier from Bryson, Que. was one of the more popular racers on Saturday, sporting his Ottawa Senators jersey and claiming a few race wins.
"The adrenaline, the rush," Gautier described to CTV News. "You get out of the hole, it pulls, it's a rush!"
"You come for fun but at the end of the day everybody wants to win. I'm here to win, I'm not here to finish second. I'm here to finish first."
With multiple divisions to enter into, there were plenty of first place prizes to brag about. But for the Patterson family from Havelock, it was a day to reconnect over a family tradition.
"For the last three years with COVID we haven't done virtually anything, this is refreshing," says Rob Patterson, awaiting his turn to race up the mountain. "This is the first time out for me in three years."
Patterson was being supported by his brothers who came together from Ottawa and Barry's Bay.
"I can't even put it into words," he said, revelling in the return of the event and normalcy. "It's everything I could hope."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.