New race marshal named for Yukon Quest

There's a new marshalin town. Race marshal, that is.

Fabian Schmitzhas been tapped to take over as the lead official for this winter'sYukon Quest sled dog race. He takes over from Doug Grilliot, who was race marshalfor the last five years.

"It's a position with a lot of responsibility, a lot of trouble-shooting that goes on," Schmitz said. "You have to ensure fair competition for the dog mushers.

"I think it is a very interesting challenge for me."

Schmitz is not new to the Yukon Quest organization he has worked as the operations manager in the Yukon office, and was a race judge in 2015 and 2016.

He also has experience as a musher, having run several "mid-distance" races including the Yukon Quest 300.

The Yukon Quest is one ofthe world's longest and toughest annual sled dog races. Mushers travel across 1,600 kilometres of rough and remote terrainbetween Whitehorse and Fairbanks, Alaska, in the dead of winter.

The starting purse for this winter'sraceis now $120,000 up from $115,00 last year. As well, the first 15 finishers will get a percentage of the prize money with additional earnings distributed evenly among all finishers.

The 2017 Yukon Quest begins Feb. 4, in Whitehorse.

• Money for everyone who finishes the 2017 Yukon Quest, organizers promise

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