LAC LA BICHE - Despite challenges thrown up by Mother Nature, Lac La Biche’s Winter Festival of Speed ran well this year, says event founder and coordinator Ken Staples.
Warm weather and a lack of snow in the weeks leading up to the Feb. 24 and 25 event days did have an effect on the annual spectacle that has taken over the frozen ice surface of Lac La Biche lake since the 1980s — but the show must go one, said Staples.
Despite no real snow flurries, the weekend saw its own flurry of winter and speed-based activities ranging from car races and aircraft fly-ins to ice sculpturing and axe throwing.
Hundreds on the ice
Staples said organizers estimate there were approximately 1,700 people on the lake over the two days, a decrease from the estimated 2,000 who took in last year’s Festival of Speed. Some of those lost numbers are a direct result of events that were cancelled due to the lack of snow, like the snowmobile drag races, which can bring in 500 people, Staples explained.
Drawing in some new people this year, organizers created a “Town Square” in the middle of the racetracks and on-ice runway, displaying products from local businesses and creations from local crafters. The area also hosted displays from the Alberta Trappers Association and the ice-carving demonstration.
“The Town Square concept worked well with a number of activities concentrated in the one area,” he said. “As the event continues to grow and add more activities it will become more of a winter festival, with the speed component only a part, but a major part of it,” Staples said.
Western Canadian Championships
The ice races, a signature event sponsored by the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club, (NASCC), took place on a road-course-style track built on Lac La Biche Lake. According to Staples, there were 51 cars that competed in rubber to ice and studded tire categories.
“The car races went extremely well, with car counts up and some extremely competitive races over the weekend,” said Staples, who is also a racer in the winter series, and finished the season in third place overall.
He said this year’s track got great reviews from racers, explaining that he created it to be driven clockwise and counterclockwise, increasing the challenge for drivers over the two-day championships. The reverse direction on the second day also helped to preserve the track, which can see more than a foot of ice chewed away by the spinning wheels on a busy racing weekend.
“This also helped to reduce the severe track rutting that is caused by the aggressively studded tires,” he said.
The last race of the weekend was the annual Charity Race. This year, more than a dozen racers paid to compete for bragging rights and the local trophy. Over the years, the charity race, gate admissions and other fundraisers have helped to bring in more than $250,000 for local charities. The giveback is something that Staples is very proud of.
“Last year we gave $31,000 to local charities, groups and volunteers who have helped make our weekend a success,” he said.
Exact tallies from the most recent weekend will be released in the coming weeks.
Staples thanked the organizing group, racers, community supporters, sponsors community members for another great weekend on the ice.
“We had some questions about the weather, but the ice was great and again, we had the support to make it a success.”
