COLUMN: Carillon Flashback March 17, 1971 – Annual Sno-Mo-Cade exemplifies strong Canadian-American bond

At a victory banquet hosted by the Sprague Chamber of Commerce, Harold Mills told winners and participants in the seventh International Sno-Mo-Cade that the annual event exemplified a warm bond of friendship between Canadians and Americans in border communities.

Strong winds causing near-blizzard conditions Saturday morning didn’t dampen the spirits of 64 snowmobile racers as the seventh annual International Sno-Mo-Cade got underway at 1 p.m. at Roseau, Minnesota.

Winners and participants at the victory banquet held in Sprague Saturday night experienced an additional treat, as Miss Dominion of Canada, Norma Hickey, was on hand to help in presentation of trophies and cash prizes.

Seven-year So-Mo-Cade chairman Paul Knochenmus of Roseau said Saturday’s weather had been the worst in the history of the event and felt better weather would have drawn many more entries. Other head table guests included: Co-chairman Bob Foley; Roseau Times Region editor Bill Adams; Roseau Lions Club president Lloyd Olson and Harold Mills, president of the Sprague Chamber of Commerce.

A telegram from Prime Minister Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, read at the banquet, emphasized that no two countries were more closely bound than Canada and the United States. Further greetings and wishes for continued success were read on behalf of Provencher MP Mark Smerchanski.

In spite of weather conditions, the top five finishing times for the seventh edition of the 50-mile cross-country race were the best ever, as veteran racer Bob Eastman of Roseau covered the course in 39 minutes, 18 seconds, to lead the pack of 34 snowmobiles who finished the grueling race.

Eastman, a 29-year-old racer sponsored by Polaris Industries Ltd., said he had enjoyed the ruggedness of the course and even remarked that “it could have been made a little longer.”

A driver of seven years’ experience, Eastman enters racing events nearly every weekend and has been winning events in races as distant as Wisconsin, the New England states and Nevada. He is recognized in snowmobile circles as one of North America’s top drivers.

Race officials explained that several dozen entrants had been stranded at points south of Roseau in a storm that dumped up to 14 inches of snow on parts of Minnesota and North Dakota, but the response to the cross-country race had still been tremendous.

The 50 mile cross-country took competitors from Roseau to Sprague along a wild trail, then along Highway 12 to Provincial Road 310 and south to Roseau to the finish line.

Runner-up in the race was Rick Johnson, who followed the first place finisher by nearly three minutes. He was followed by Bob Prezekwas, Cyril Flem and Paul Dick. All five racers completed the course in less than 50 minutes. One driver said speeds along the straight stretches exceeded 85 miles per hour.

Sunday dawned sunny and clear, and drew a crowd of more than 3,000 to the Roseau sports grounds to witness lap-speed races in 10 different classes, including powder puff races. A total of 94 entries were registered for races along the half-mile oval track, claimed to be the fastest in the world.

– with files from Peter Dyck