Father and son race at the Copperdog sled dog races

 

Hovland’s Rolland LaBoda of Night Train Racing Sled Dogs, age 12, was the second youngest musher at the CopperDog 15 sled dog race.

His father, Charlie, finished third in the CopperDog 15.

Rolland placed seventh out of 21 mushers who entered. Sheryl Johnson won the race with a time of one hour, seven minutes, and five seconds. Charlie was just a little behind in one hour, thirteen minutes, and fifty-four seconds.

Back in seventh, Rolland wasn’t exactly left in the “snow dust” with a fine finish time of one hour, twenty-six minutes, and thirty-two seconds.

The youngest musher was Nicole Freking, age 10, from Finland, Minnesota. Nicole placed 19th with a time of fifty-two minutes and fifty-seven seconds.

Sled dog racing is in LaBoda’s blood.

Rolland’s grandfather, Dennis LaBoda, has won the CopperDog 150 (the longest of four races) three times. The race is held in March in the Michigan Keweenaw Peninsula.

On March 19, Charlie placed 19th in the three-day Open North American Sled Dog Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

This year three local mushers, Rita Wehseler (4th), Joanna Oberg (5th), and Mary Manning (10th), all had good showings at the CopperDog 150.