Rock and Ice Ultra

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A Choice of Routes and Classes

Rob Howard / 16.03.2007

Rock and Ice is offering a variety of challenges to competitors, depending on how hard they wish to push themselves, and some glittering prizes, in the shape of Ekati Diamonds.

All the races start in Yellowknife, with a mass start tomorrow (Saturday) at 09.00 on Frame Lake, which is on the outskirts of the city by the state legislative assembly building. Originally, it was planned that the family fun race, the 2 or 5km Frozen Toe Trail Break, would start first (and break the trail), but the plan has now changed and everyone is setting off together.

The Frozen Toe racers (who are mostly from Taiwan), will head around the Lake shore to the Matrix camp on Yellowknife Bay for a BBQ. This camp, set up among the local house boat community (now iced in), will be the end of the two ultra distance events later in the week.

All the other racers will cut northeast across the bay to reach the first of the checkpoints, Dettah X-ing Camp. There are classes for skiers and runners/snow shoe racers so the skiers will pull away quickly across the frozen lake, on a trail that has been run regularly by snowmobiles and is hard frozen in the unexpectedly cold conditions. Race Director Scott Smith says the trail is as good as he’s ever seen it, but adds, “it can change day by day�.See All Event Posts