c “The Terrace Standard, ‘Wednesday, September 8, 1993 - Page C1 | Sports Menu, _SPORTS NEWS — TERRACE STANDARD. ; MALCOLM BAXTER 638-7283 Page C3 Rob STARTED FISHING: the Stellako In the - early eighties, It doesn’t seem that long ago. The season didn’t com- mence until the tail end of the giant stonefly hatch. There were still a few of those big bugs on or near the water, and one could still cast a bushy imitation with a deer hair wing-- an oversized Tom Thumb or an Elk | Hair Caddis--to the head end of a promising riffle and expect a big fish to snap it up. And snap it up they did. Stellako rainbows are ferocious fish. - A two-poufider will test your tackle; the rarér, five-pound fish that frequent _ the swift, rock-filied rons and deep pools take to the dir al the sting of the hook and fight with such power they leave you gasping. My first experience with one of these - magnificent animals was on a July morning 10 years ago. The mist still clung to the canyon walls but had lifted high enough that I was able to follow the path of my dry fly. The hazy shapes of the fishermen and fisherwomen baitfishing from the bridge were just visible from my posi- tion 100 yards downstream. I tied on an Adams--a small grey mayily imitation--cast upstream and watched its grizzled wings bounce over the waves. Thirty feet is the upper limit at which an angler can cast a dry fly and siill hope for some degree of control. I was pushing that limit when the fly dis- appeared in a large swirl. “The talk of the bait fishers drifted down to me in the wet air as the big “a fish, but sea the tiny piece of “bent wire held firm until the fish wes at my feet in the shallows-and J was able . to set it free. Tt-was.as fine a fish as I have ever caught, as fine a fight as I have ever . fought.’ T’ reviewed * the memory last _ week when I returned to the river after an long absence. ‘T also’ remembered Wray’s Rock where Gary would sit, contemplating the morning’s fishing while smoking his pips. I recalled Kelly, the former lodge. owner and MLA for the area * who, it is rumoured, once stood in the river and dared the logging companies to drive their booms over him as part _ of his successful campaign to bring a halt to the drives that plugged the river In those environmentally insensitive times, I recalled the retired British officer who lashed a rope to his waist and had his friends lower him down and, once tis fishing was done, pull him up the . steep sides of the Goat Trail. _ And I thought about Ray, Rick and Steve, the new generation of anglers, teenagers then, who loped from pool to pool picking the brains of older fishermen and fishing with the kind of energy boys of that age normally ex- pend on girls and fast cars. Tt was an invitation to Ray Pillapow’s wedding that brought us back 1o the ’ Stellako this year. We. assembled on the bank of the river’ where Rick and Steve, wearing ’ guits instead of waders, stood up for "their fishing partner. While friends and relatives watched as Ray.and his bride Rennae ex- changed vows, trout rose for ‘caddis flies and an osprey hunted the river be- ~ hind them. - ~ An angler who had.come all the way "from France was fishing the far bank. : When he saw the wedding party as- sembling and heard the processional, the respectfully stopped fishing, ihen ‘took out his thermos and poured a cup of coffee to toast the bride, When the simple ceremony was - “done, he resumed his casting. After refreshments and prime, rib the cake decorated with edible flyrods and flies was cut, telegrams were read and tales were told. * Because it rises in one large lake and: empties into another, the Stellako, with — its air-clear water and tree-lined can- yons, doesn’t change; only the people ~who fish it do, It was a perfect'place for Rennae and Ray’s nuptials, - - : ‘The Stellako’s unchanging beau a catalyst for fond rupmories. Wo ed ‘{lils ‘latest ons away for the next visit, _ Wished .the newlyweds, well and. made "For home. Vint ss Blast a roaring succes The perfect recipe for success? Take a few dozen mean machines, add riders who know just how to get the most out of them and then throw in non-stop sunshine. It certainly worked for the more than 500 spectators who. showed up for Grass Blast ’93. It’s the second year the Skeena valley . Snowmobile Association has: staged the - weird and wonderful speciacle of snow- mobiles ‘diag racing aCIOSS a field of green. This time, however, the . evenl had a. special distinction: it was the first ever such event sanctioned by the racing divi- sion of the B.C. Snowmobile Federation. And it drew. racers from Prince Rupert to Chetwynd and Stewart to Kitimat. When the dust finally settled at the Aug, 29 meet, Marco Punis of Prince George was the big winner, Aboard an Arctic Cat 900cc Thunder cat, he swept the Open Modified 1,000, Open Fuel Unlimited and King of the Grass. That last victory camed Punis a $1,000 cash prize to go with his trophies. Also on top form was Claudia Holland, “You need the right people, doing the right things, at the right time.”............... RON NIESNER. the Chetwynd rider collecting three vic- tories and a third.. — - Duplicating . that performance was Trevor Gibson, the most successful Ter- _race rider on the day, ' Employing a line of Yamaha V-Max models including a ‘cookie sheet” 750 with plenty of horses. 1o spare, Gibson look top spot in the Improved Open Stock, Pro Stock Open arid Open Modified 800. Steven Devost and Troy Titner both put together 2-0 record$, Devost winning the Stock A and Improved Stock A events while Turner sped to kis trophy victories in Improved Stock B and Pro Stock 585. an earlier third. For Steve McCulloch, it Was one of those so-near-and-yet-sc-far days as he had to settle for the runner-up spol no less than three times in Pro Stock and — Open Modified racing. Also in the thick of it but kept out of . ‘top spot was Lory Knull who finished with a second and two thirds, Among other out-of-towners, Lorne Lucas just missed. his hatirick when Trevor Gibson beat him out in the Im- proved Siock Open while Dave Phillips picked up a pair of Open Modified tri- umphs. Gerry Hebert, aboard a 750 V-Max 4 with a turbo-charger and nitrous oxide kit attached, took the specialty class and Taylor Galloway was first: past the post in the Stock C event. Race co-ordinator Ron Niesner was understandably. pleased with the way the event went, . Paying Iribute to the hard work of all the volunteers involved in staging Grass Blast °93, he added, ‘You need the right. - people, doing the right things, at the right time.”’ The only problem the mace commitiee ran into which couldn’t quickly. be solved was, ironically, the result of the event being tao successful. That was the concession sland running out of supplies. With the Smithers: Fall fair going on the same day, Niesner said the committee had simply not anticipated such a huge turnout. Apologizing to the fans for the: error, he promised, ‘We will be a little better prepared for 1994.”” Apart from the generosity of the event's many sponsors, Niesner also ack- nowledged the contributions. .of Henry Rosenau, owner of the land, and: Ian Munson who had cut and. baled’ the hayfield in readiness for race day... Having had a chance to let their ma- chines. cool off, northern circuit riders will be winding thern up again this Sun- day at the Vanderhioof drags. For full results of Grass Drag '93, see the SCOREBOARD on page C2, Marsh Mallo, Muller, magnificent BACK IN THE RING. Having enjoyed a successful competition at the Timberland Horse Show, Carmie Cameron and her mount Rafter Tee were back in action at the Terrace Fall Horse Show, held during last weekend's Skeena Valley Fall Fair. Above, the duo go through their pacas in Friday's dressage competition. . The name may be Marsh Mallo, but this horse is no softie! Under the able guidance of Kirsten Muller, Mallo proved the point at this year’s Timberland Horse Show,. emerg- ing from the two-day competition as the high point horse. Coming off the opening day’s dressage events with a couple of placings: only, Muller’s Appaloosa strung together five. class victories Sunday Aug. 22 to take the weekend's fop honours, - That performance also took Mullor to top polnt spot for Junior Briders. In Junior C, Lisa Webber was high point rider, I Am No Boy and Deodars Tbn Fad each providing her witha coupie of victories. Corea Anderson rounded out the Junior: winners, Fresh Prince's four event: wins sewing up the ‘A’ division. Among senior riders, the crown went to Pat Hobenshield aboard Two Eyed Plaudet, the duo going home with the Champion's rosette in Sunday’s halter class competition. Hobenshield also took the - champ’ 5 spot in registered light horse with, Lot- zacharm. Turning in a strong performance: was Carmie Cameron who rode Rafler Tee and Hlite Starship to top spot in several _ events as well as conxing Deodar’ ‘3 Jadar fo place finishes. A Little Class proved to have alot, the Appaloosa carrying Cathy Jackson. to three victories including the Westem Pleasure Senior. Dan Muller and T’seana Chickara also proved hard to beat when they hit the ring, scoring four victories, Others with reason to be happy with their performance were Avery Archibald, atop Century Spoon (three wins) and Leah Drescher, Vicky Klingner, Nancy , Hogue and Annyha Klingner cach of whom picked up a pair of firsts, . ~~“ For full resulis, see the SCOREBOARD on page C2. Two Terrace runners showed they” were Masters indeed at the Fall Fair 10km race in Smithers. only showed a clean pair of heels to their fellow Masters division op- ponents, they also left younger run- ners toiling in their wake. Ansems crossed the linc in 35: 48, a clean 26 seconds. clear of. the next ‘fastest male, Smithers, He was also. nearly: three minutes David Shearer of Prince Rupert. That’s the third consecutive ‘victory for Ansems in Masters competition west Road:Running Series... Shearer leads the. standings. at the: moment with 76 points to Ansems’ the total points from the runner’s best four resulls. Ansems’ three... -: Therefore, if ‘Ansems wins. ‘or ‘fins ishes second in the All-Seasors”. race : title. A wih would-give: ‘him a four point edge while a second, assuming Shearer won, would leave the ‘pair’ Masterful running Ed Ansems and Sue Simpson not hers, ‘Tim. ‘McCosker of © able... - ahead ofthe next: Masters..entrant, - i |! ‘she was more than cight minutes clear -of Kitimat and two minutes plus faster and has set up a fascinating finish for than top Women’s ‘Open finisher “the division title in this’ year’s North-— . Skm. ‘He completed the course in |- 60. However, the Series Is decided on - 18:39, Just 35 seconds shy of Richard. . dominated all season. And Shearer has” raced fout times to. : Women’s Skm.-Open ‘behind’ home. - ‘town racers Susan Davies and Kelly Maskiewich who crossed the line to- ~|- to be held here Oct. 3 he will take the - ht Hamer, however, grabbed maximum Series points for the 35-39 years divie “sion and now has a solid shot at taking that group 's crown. - wo even at 78 poinis. However, the tle-breaker system ue compares results of ail races the duo have met each other. Since Ansems. has beaten the Rupert runner on two previous occasions, he would get the | nod. ; For Sue Simpson, the Women’s Masters title for the Series Is already Her Smithers victory leaves her with the maximum 80 points and uncatch- Clocking 40:21 in the Fali fair race, of nearest’ Masters rival Pauline Kile Tammy Woods of Smithers. ‘In other results, Ray Warner was Terrace’s top finisher in the Men’s Harrison, the Smilhercen who has’. Sherri Hamer. took’ third in the - gether in 23:13 to share top spot. Running tips offered B.C. Athletics is offering a runulog workshop here, Saturday, Sept. 18, And whether it’s advice on training for running distances from 5km up io the marathon you're locking for or tips on how to organize such. events, the session offers what you need. John Hill, a Vancouver coach, will. be conducting the workshop. - Beginning at 9:30 am. he will. spend two and half hours dealing ‘with orpanizational dos and don'ts including how to measure courses, After a break for lunch; the workshop reconvenes at 1:30 p.m. for the training tips session which will be follawed by o question and answer period lending up to the 4:30 p.m. wrap up... ; Skeena Valley Runners spokesman Ed Ansems sald this is the first time such a workshop’ has | been put on here. : And the cost of attending -- just $5 * shouldn't keep anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity. - For more ‘information or. to register, contact Ansems at oa 70, :