FORT KENT, Maine — A Canadian teen took first place in the In Memory of Willard Jalbert Jr. Can-Am 100-mile race on Sunday.
Florence Shaw, 17, and her dog team, crossed the finish line at Lonesome Pine Trails ski resort in Fort Kent following a 9:07.26 trek through the wilds of northern Maine.
Can-Am comprises three races of different lengths, including the Irving Woodlands Can-Am Crown 250, which is the longest race in New England, the 100 mile race and the Pepsi/Native Dog Food Can-Am Crown 30. The competitors this year ranged in age from 15 to 68 and came from as far away as Minnesota and three Canadian provinces.
Despite her young age, Shaw is fast becoming a Can-Am veteran. The heavy equipment operator from Fermont, Quebec, placed fourth in the race last year. She also finished the grueling 250 mile race in sixth place in 2020 when she was just 14-years-old.
Defending 100 mile race champion Sally Manikian, 41, of Shelburne, New Hampshire, placed second this year with a time of 9:24.42.
Luc Gaudreau, a 55-year-old university professor and cancer scientist from St-Denis de Brompton, Quebec, placed third in the race with a time of 9:38.26.
Fourteen teams are still on course in the 250 mile race and expected to arrive sometime early Monday morning.
For more information about the Can Am Crown International Dog Sled Races, including a live link to follow the mushers’ progress, visit the organization’s website.