7th Annual Cardboard Sled Race Recap!
The 7th Annual Cardboard Sled Race this past Saturday, February 8th was better than we could have hoped and a great way to kick off Canton's Winterfest! It was a balmy 25 degrees and sunny morning, perfect for speeding down SUNY Canton's sledding hill. Competition was fierce, with many racers fighting their way to the finish line by dragging, flipping, rolling, or getting a boost in their sled from a teammate. Participants competed 1 v. 1 against each other, and then against Nature Up North's sleds to see who was the fastest.
The Teams
K&G Racing - Sasquatch Sled - Most North County Award
Corgi on the Run! - Corgi Sled - Most Colorful Award
Team Joe - "It's just efficient" Sled - Smallest Sled Award
The Red Sleds - Red Sled - Sturdiest Sled Award
Team USA - Helicopter Sled - Most Creative Sled Award
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In addition to the prizes these teams won for their designs, they also had the opportunity to win prizes in head-to-head matchups! We’d like to thank the community organizations and businesses who donated prizes to us including Canton’s Little Italy, A Taste of Vermont, Jreck Subs, Potsdam’s Children’s Museum, Pine Street Arena, and Ogdensburg Bowl. In these head-to-head races team K&G Racing lived up to its name, taking down the competition at every opportunity. There were some surprises among the field, with The Red Sleds having a mechanical failure after their first race, their sled actually became faster in the following rounds! Each team also proved that they're better at building sleds than our Nature Up North team, each defeating our sleds in heads-up matchups.
For more photos see NNY360 and Watertown Daily Times. Thanks to the Canton Chamber of Commerce, Canton Community Engagement Committee, and SUNY Canton for collaborating, and thanks to all of the cardboard sled racers that came out and showed off their creativity and speed! We can’t wait for next year's race!
Dan French is a 2021 graduate of Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. While there, he majored in Sustainability with minors in General Business and Management. As an undergrad he had the opportunity to intern with the National Park Service's Office of Policy in Washington D.C., conduct self-led research on the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid's impact on North American species of Hemlock, and was elected sectetary of his universities ultimate fresbee team, Bentley Icehouse. A native of Potsdam NY, Dan spent many summers cultivating his love for outdoor education at 4-H Camp Overlook where he was a camper turned staff for a total of 14 years. In his free time, Dan enjoys hiking in the Adirondacks and skiing when the snow allows. Most recently, Dan returned to the North Country after a one year term of service as an AmeriCorps member in Montana. He served as the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife (TM) Coordinator in Missoula and the surrounding area. Now that he's back, Dan hopes to expand his connection to the environment through whitewater kayaking, backpacking, and expanding access to the wonders of the North Country to anyone and everyone who wants to tag along.