Ever since the first Prince George Iceman in 1988, the word has gotten out into the sporting world about the annual multisport endurance race that happens in the middle of winter.
If you want a unique experience like no other, come to Prince George.
Amy MacDonald made the trek all the way from Hay River, N.W.T. to compete in the solo women’s class for Sunday’s race. She drove in from Jasper the morning of the race and missed the last bus from the Prince George Aquatic Centre.
She eventually got to Otway Nordic Centre and started the race on time but Iceman race director Julie Ubdegrove realized that MacDonald didn’t have her timing chip with her when she began her eight-kilometre ski. Ubdegrove retrieved the wristband from the clubhouse and gave it to MacDonald when she got to the transition area to start her 10-kilometre run.
All the timing chips were activated with the start of the race at 10 a.m., and Ubdegrove was told if MacDonald had her chip with her as she crossed over the sensor in the transition area she would be good to go. But it didn’t quite work out that way.
Unfortunately for MacDonald the computer timing system did not track her start and she was given a “did not start” designation next to her time of 2:49:39, which would have put her sixth in the solo women’s standings.
“It was an ordeal for the poor girl,” said Ubdegrove.
MacDonald’s misadventure aside, Sunday’s 38th annual race was deemed a success. Although the -21.8 C start temperature was a little chily, there was no wind, the sun was out, the roads were cleared and sanded, and conditions were near-perfect for the two outdoor venues, Otway Nordic centre and Exhibition Park ice oval.
The race drew 448 entrants, up 64 from last year, nearly 100 more than the 349 total from 2023.
“It’s coming back strong,” said Ubdegrove. “It was absolutely amazing we could make this happen for everybody and see everybody so happy and willing to go out there when it was -22 C.
“We had 64 more than last year and we’re going to aim for 600 next year. COVID’s over and people are getting back into the normal routines of life. Iceman used to bring in around 600 people and we’re getting there.”
Ubdegrove took over as Iceman race director in 2019 after she’d taken on a director’s role for the Labour Day Classic run in September. Ubdegrove competed several years in the Iceman team relay and just liked the vibe of the race and post-race awards banquet, which this year drew a crowd of about 500 at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre.
Sunday’s race involved about 50 volunteers.
Sixteen junior teams of elementary and secondary school students entered the Iceman relay and that included competitors as young as 10 for the race.
After a few years of uncertainty during the COVID pandemic It appears the future of the Iceman is in good hands with a 15-member volunteer organizing committee overseen by chair Amber Davis, which starts its monthly meetings in September and ramps that up to weekly meetings in January leading up to the race in early February.
“I’ve had so much good feedback come back, that everybody’s happy with it, they really enjoyed it, even though it was a cold start, they were glad it was go,” said Ubdegrove. “Everybody had a great time and they got to the banquet and got fed. It seemed to all go off pretty smoothly.”
