Mushing News-Hudson Bay Quest at 14 Mushers
The Hudson Bay Quest’s mushing roster has been trimmed down to 14 as the race draws nearer. Al Hardman has withdrawn his entry and Elizabeth Graves, after just qualifying in the John Beargrease Marathon in Two Harbors, MN, also had a change in plans and cannot attend. The Hudson Bay Quest starts in Gillam, MB this year on March 13th. Churchill, shrouded in snow with aurora borealis overhead ,will welcome mushers over the ensuing few days.
Al ran in the 2000 Iditarod and finished 37th. He then placed 21st in the 2002 Iditarod. In 2004 a virus struck his dog team on the first half of the race though he was able to nurse them to the finish in 59th place. Al is a retired CEO of his own company Hardman Construction in Michigan.
Elizabeth, a musher from Ely, MN, competed in the mid-distance leg of the Beargrease which is the longest sled dog marathon in the lower 48 states at nearly 400 miles. She was able to qualify for the Hudson Bay Quest through her efforts in the Beargrease.
Hudson Bay Quest entrant Ryan Anderson won the Beargrease race edging out three time champion Nathan Schroeder by 28 minutes. Anderson also beat Schroeder to the finish line in 2011 by just 20 seconds.
The OFFICIAL 2015 HBQ race roster is as follows:
1.) Martin Massicotte
2.) Dan DiMuzio
3.) Dave Daley
4.) Justin Allen
5.) Tom Terry
6.) Peter McClelland
7.) Jesse Terry
8.) Jennifer Freking
9.) Charlie Lundie
10.) Blake Freking
11.) Denis Tremblay
12.) Ryan Anderson
13.) Shawn McCarty
14.) Leonard McPherson