Winner of Dawson City, Yukon's 1st potato race takes home trophy and bragging rights
Potatoes.
You can mash them, bake them, even whip them. And now a group of people in Dawson City, Yukon, can say they've raced them.
On Sunday, over a dozen people gathered at the George Black Ferry landing to participate in an event that has been called the first and only potato race in Dawson City.
The event was organized by Regan Shrumm, the Klondike Institute of Arts and Culture's (KIAC) artist in residence for the month of April, who thought it would be a great way to have some fun, and get people together.
The rules were simple: get your potato across the finish line without using an engine. The first to cross the finish line would be the winner.
Most people tossed their potatoes, hoping it would hit the ground without being mashed — and roll to victory.
Potatoes lined up for the race. (Chris MacIntyre/CBC)
15 people signed up to race, and it was Conor Driscoll who took home the prize.
"I'm feeling absolutely fantastic," said Driscoll, after the race. He's from the U.K. and is in Dawson City to work for the summer — but he had some fun posing as a world-champion potato racer.
"Came to Dawson City specifically to enter this competition. I've been doing the world circuit for the last three years. Won all of the big events except for the Yukon. This year it's mine and I'm taking it home," he said.
"I've done it all ... I guess a new generation is coming up and I'm just going to have to put them in their place too."
Driscoll said it takes the perfect potato to be a winner.
"Aerodynamics is key," he said. "You want a nice round shape . No harsh edges. But you also want something with a little give in her. Something soft. You don't want your potato too hard because it's going to explode on impact."
15 people signed up for what was billed as the first, and only, potato race in Dawson. It was organized by Dawson's artist in residence, Regan Shrumm. (Chris MacIntyre/CBC)
Driscoll's win got him a certificate of participation, a ribbon, a tiny trophy, and. most importantly, bragging rights to take back to the U.K.
Everyone's a winner
Driscoll may have taken the title, but most people at the event on Sunday also left feeling like winners.
Nele David and her friend Paulina Griebelea are visiting Dawson from Germany. They said they have never raced any sort of fruit or vegetable before and so they figured why not try it while in the Yukon.
Knowing that there could only be one winner, they both agreed that if either of them won they wouldn't hold any grudges against the other.
"It's OK really," David said. "We'd share the prize."
Everyone left Sunday's event feeling like winners. (Chris MacIntyre/CBC)
Natty Faye, also from the U.K., was having a great time on Sunday. She was the winner of the race's first round.
"A lot of training went into the race," she joked. "I'm just really pleased that I got the result that I wanted."
Jack McDonald, the youngest racer in the event, said racing potatoes was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but he said he doesn't plan to make a career of it.
Inspired by zucchinis and outhouses
Shrumm said the event was organized with few expectations. If only one person showed up to roll a potato, Shrumm would have been as equally happy as if 15 people did.
They said they've never raced a potato before but they are no stranger to racing other vegetables.
"My last artist residency was in Salt Spring Island in British Columbia," Shrumm said. "There they have a zucchini race which is talked about all year round."
Shrumm said they also liked the idea of using Yukon Gold potatoes for the event.
"It seems to be the pride in all of the grocery stores," they said.
Another inspiration was the Great Klondike International Outhouse Race, a Dawson City tradition since the 1970s.
Shrumm said they were really happy to see Sunday's turnout. And although they're leaving Dawson next month, Shrumm said they'd be more than happy to return to organize the second annual potato race in Dawson.
