Two Foot High Kick and Ear Pull
July 22, 2008 | Tags: Alaska Native Culture, Photos
We had the privilege of attending and photographing two of the wonderful events at this past week’s World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks. We were audience to two of the most amazing and painful events, which you have to see to believe.
The two-foot high kick requires athletes to kick a ball suspended high in the air with both feet. Many of the finalists (demonstrated in images 3 and 4 above) end up successfully kicking above the length of their own outstretched arms!
The ear pull pits two competitors against one another, both having a single string placed behind their ear. The contest begins when both competitors begin pulling their heads straight back. The first person that either gives up, moves their head sideways, or has the string slip off their ear is the loser.
World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, July 16-19
July 9, 2008 | Tags: Events, Native Culture, Video
For time immemorial, Native peoples of the circumpolar areas of the world have gathered in small villages to participate in games of strength, endurance, balance, and agility. Along with these athletic games, dancing, story telling, and other audience participation games took place. This provided an opportunity for friendly competition, entertainment and laughter. The hosts provided food and lodging, and visitors brought news from surrounding villages and expanded opportunities for challenge building and renewing old and new friendships. This is the background of the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and the atmosphere, which we seek to replicate. - WEIO.org
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics are a must-see competition! Fairbanks is proud to welcome every visitor and participant one week from today (July 16)!
Enjoy video clips of the many wonderful events including: the arm pull, stick pull, one hand reach, two foot high kick and blanket toss, then plan to attend today!
103rd Midnight Sun Baseball Game
May 13, 2008 | Tags: Baseball, Events, Goldpanners, Video
The Alaska Goldpanners will be hosting the California Running Birds during the 103rd Midnight Sun Game. Big news from this year’s game includes the official launch of the Goldpanners Alumni, and the addition of Bill “Spaceman” Lee as starting pitcher. This game has an amazing history, featuring some of baseball’s all-time great players, including Barry Bonds, Tom Seaver and Dave Winfield.
Find out more from the ESPN feature on the game (below) or this more recent story from Yahoo!, then be sure to put the June 21st game on your Fairbanks summer itinerary. It is one of the top ten Ultimate Baseball Experiences, and a Fairbanks Midnight Sun sports tradition.
Come see the fine young players, one of whom may emerge as the next great Major League star, during the Midnight Sun Game at Growden Memorial Park on June 21, 2008! Full details can be found at the Goldpanners homepage.
World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Back in Fairbanks
April 30, 2008 | Tags: Alaska Native Culture, Audio, Events
If you don’t know anything about the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics; be sure you make plans to experience them this summer. The competition takes place July 16-19 and features one-of-a-kind events such as the knuckle or seal hop, the four man carry, the ear pull, the kneel jump and the Eskimo or Indian stick pull. If any athletic event can be called “truly unique” this is the one!
Alaska Public Radio Network filed a fantastic Rebecca Sheir/NPR report for last year’s games that will give a touch of the overall WEIO flavor. Play or download the entire feature below. Then visit the WEIO homepage for full details.
Download WEIO Feature from Last Year
25 Toughest Athletes; Mackey #2
April 14, 2008 | Tags: Dog Mushing, Lance Mackey
Sports Illustrated has published a list of the 25 Toughest Athletes. Our very own Lance Mackey finished number two, although many on the SI comment boards thought he should be first. SI tells us what makes him tough:
Caginess and steadfast refusal to quit in the face of throat cancer (2001), hostile terrain and 40-below temperatures. He did the impossible in sled dog racing — win the 1,000- mile Yukon Quest and 1,100-mile Iditarod within a month - not once, but in two straight years, most recently this year on frostbitten feet that hadn’t fully healed after the Quest.
Check out our coverage of the Mackey toughness, then leave a comment and let us know why you think he should be #1.
2008 Open North American Pictures
April 3, 2008 | Tags: Dog Mushing, Open North American, Photos
The GCI Open North American Championship has been blazing through the streets of downtown Fairbanks since 1946. A field of the best sprint-mushers in the world were on hand again this year. Here’s a few pictures from the event.
For more pictures and final standings visit the Sled Dog Central ONAC page. If you would like to plan your own dog mushing adventure in Fairbanks, enter the search term “dog mushing” in one of our interactive guides. You may also want to visit the Inside Alaska dog mushing tag.
Best Cross Country Skiers Compete in Fairbanks
March 26, 2008 | Tags: Audio, Cross Country Skiing
Fairbanks has been recognized as one of the leading destinations in the US for cross country skiers. Some of the best in the nation call Fairbanks home, and now the US Senior National Championship distance races are being held here this week. APRN has been covering the event. Listen to their latest report below.
More from the Trail
March 12, 2008 | Tags: Audio, Dog Mushing, Iditarod, Jeff King, Lance Mackey
In the process of writing the last post about Lance Mackey’s historic Iditarod win, I came across a fantastic radio package recorded last night on the trail in White Mountain. Fairbanks’ own KUAC reporter Libby Casey filed the piece for APRN. In contains some great quotes from both Lance and Jeff King as they battled for the top spot in the race. View the original APRN post or click play below to listen.
Another Phenomenal Win for Lance Mackey
March 12, 2008 | Tags: Dog Mushing, Iditarod, Lance Mackey, Yukon Quest
For two years in a row, Lance Mackey has crossed the finish line first in the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest, and the 1,049 mile Iditarod. The feat is unsurpassed in mushing history and has secured Mackey’s place among the greatest dog-drivers ever. Our Fairbanks, home-town favorite is making news worldwide with tales of on the trail trickery, overcoming obstacles and unparalleled competitive spirit. Congratulations Lance, you have shown the world our indomitable Fairbanks spirit!
Fairbanks Musher Pulls Ahead (for good?)
March 11, 2008 | Tags: Dog Mushing, Lance Mackey, Yukon Quest
If Lance Mackey wins the 2008 Iditarod, he will not only be the first musher ever to win the Yukon Quest and Iditarod back to back, he will have done it twice - in a row. One of the greatest stories in mushing history will have been formed in Alaska’s Interior by a musher who grew into this championship form on the toughest trail - not from Anchorage to Nome - but from Fairbanks to Whitehorse.
While the Last Great Race has built a following for being the most prestigious in mushing, the Yukon Quest has built its own on the basis of sheer difficulty. As a four time winner, Lance has seen his dogs harden into some of the best in the world. So…if you’re an Iditarod fan who hasn’t heard about the “toughest sled dog race in the world”, it’s time to get up to “speed”. Perhaps you should even begin making your plans to be in Fairbanks for the finish in 2009, as Lance tries for his fifth consecutive win.
Here’s the latest from the trail to Nome. By the way, three of the top five mushers are from Alaska’s Interior!
