Fifty-eight vehicles carrying 80 riders from Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa, Longlac, Kapuskasing, Thunder Bay, Marathon, and Terrace Bay joined local riders for this weekend’s 2023 ATV Jamboree, hosted by the Manitouwadge Economic Development Corporation.
The riders began to gather in town on Friday night at the golf clubhouse restaurant and bar where they got their first chance to familiarize themselves with the route map and catch up with past years’ participants. A golf contest took place in the evening. For $10, folks bought a chance to hit a golf ball 50 feet, with the closest putt to the hole being the winner. Noah Lasante, a non-golfer from Sault Ste. Marie achieved a hole in one, earning him a cool $500.
On Saturday morning the participants were up and raring to go. They met at the Rec Centre, where they were given some last-minute guidelines — they were reminded to wear their helmets, observe the speed limits and other rules of the (off) road, and that this was not a race, slow down and enjoy the ride. Then they hit the trails.
There were two trails again this year, a 100-kilometre trail, and a shorter, but more challenging 75-kilometre trail. A couple of the vehicles got into a jam, at least one got bogged down in the skag, and another overheated and had to be towed back to town, but otherwise, everyone finished the course.
“I had a blast,” said Dale, who recently moved to Manitouwadge from Southern Ontario and had an exhilarating ride. “I’ve never done this before, but I’ll be back next year.”
The participants who successfully ran the course were given five randomly selected playing cards. Later at the windup banquet, which was held at ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ Catholic Church, the best poker hand was revealed, and prizes of $3,000 for first, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third place, and a ‘Worst Poker Hand’ prize of free registration for next year’s event were awarded. A lucky ticket holder received half of the $1,250 in the 50/50 draw, and other valuable gifts, including free snow removal services, outdoor equipment, paintings, clothing, baskets, and many other prizes, generously donated by local businesses, were given out.
Jocelyn Bourgoin, a volunteer with the Manitouwadge Economic Development Corporation, spoke about the importance of the volunteers.
“Everyone, from the tickets sellers, the kitchen staff, the checkpoint people, the sweepers who make sure no one gets left behind, those who clear the trails every year; everyone who shares their time is appreciated and welcomed, and we can always use more hands.”
“Everyone had such a good time,” said economic development corporation volunteer board member Karen Robinson. “It’s something unique for the community. We have the trails, we have the resources. It’s something that brings people from all over Ontario into our town year after year. We hope to see even more people in 2024.”
