Canicross Excitment 2017 - Long Lake Lap Dog

So not only do I race and train (which I do a lot) and occasionally coach but I get involved in organizing races as well. Last weekend was such a case, with the third Canicross race being held under the Maritime Association of Harness Dog Sports (MAHDS) banner.

This race was held in Long Lake Park in Halifax. Without a lot of time to organize, the field was small, but this allowed us to test out an interesting race format.  As well we got to try out some new race timing software on our phone, ideal for small races like ours.

First off, for those that don't know, Canicross is a sport where humans and dogs run together via a hands free harness system. This leads to some fantastic run speed as well as the ability to really work with your dog in a race as a team, not just run with your dog.

Our race was a two lap time trial, with each lap (3km) separated by a rest period. The racers hit the start line, two at a time with 30 second intervals.

The new software is called Cloudtimer. Due to the small size of our race series right now it worked really well. Low priced, offering mass start or time trial based starts and the ability to use a smart phone to do all the onsite work, it was a treat. I was even able to change the start order on the fly. Apparently it is able to  also hook up via bluetooth to various auto timers, which is something that may make sense in the future.  Timing Canicross races can be a bit tricky, but this part of the day went really well.

The 2 lap time trial system was great though. All racers got 2 races for a low price, the ultimate winner Sarah with Eddie, winning both heats.

This a great and growing sport in the Maritimes, with two more races in the series this year. Huge thanks to our support from Inukshuk Dog Food, Salomon, and Aerobics First. Now enjoy a few more great pictures, with more on our Facebook Page, linked above.