Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Marsch, Bernard, Clifford, Szegvari, Collins, Johnson, Murphy, Carey, Franke, Van der Merwe, Cooper, Carter, Cunningham, Hediger
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/18/2015
Marsch Brings Home Gold Medal (International Race - 2015)
Marsch Brings Home Gold Medal in International Race
Mike Marsch of the Neillsville area and his six-dog team negotiate a curve in the track at the IFSS Dryland World Championships held Nov. 1 in Bristol, Quebec, Canada. After 30 years in professional dog racing, Marsch won his first Olympic style gold medal at the competition. (Contributed Photo)
By Todd Schmidt
Training and perseverance paid off for Mike Marsch of the Neillsville area, as he won a hotly contested Nordic Breed 6-dog race to earn a gold medal Nov. 1 at the International Federation of Sled dog Sports (IFSS) Dryland World Championships in Bristol, Quebec.
Marsch, who also served as president of the United States Federation of Sled dog Sports (USFSS), overcame a first day’s time deficit of a split second to best Canadian competitor Ken Bernard on day two by a total of .659 seconds to win the title.
Over 200 teams from 15 countries graced the starting chutes in the remote village in Canada Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. Team USA won 18 medals (nine golds, five silvers and four bronze). Canada came in second with 12 medals, followed by France and Belgium, with seven medals each.
The USA junior contingent fared exceptionally well. Taking the top honor in gold medals were juniors Nova Clifford (Junior 1-dog scooter), Asa Szegvari (Men’s Junior Canicross), Forest Collins (Men’s Junior Bikejor), Tanner Johnson (Junior 4-dog Rig) and Melissa Murphy (Women’s Junior Bikejor).
Juniors also scored big in silvers: Forest Collins (Men’s Junior Canicross), Nova Clifford (Women’s Junior Canicross) and Asa Szegvari (Men’s Junior Bikejor). Joel Carey took home a bronze medal in the Men’s Junior Bikejor class.
Asa Szegvari and Forest Collins juggled for the top spot in the Junior men’s Canicross, exchanging ranking after the second heat of the race, but Asa managed to squeak ahead by a total of 15 seconds overall.
In the adult classes, Peter Franke, a transplant from German, garnered two gold medals, both in the Nordic Breed classes (Nordic Breed 4-dog Rig and 2-dog Scooter). Andre Van der Merwe, a recent US immigrant from South Africa, also scored in the Nordic Breed class, taking a bronze medal in the Nordic 4-dog Rig class.
Amy Cooper, ever the athlete, took the gold medal in the Women’s Veteran Bikejor for women over 40 years of age. In fact, U.S. women took home all the medals in the Women’s Veteran Bikejor class. Kim Murphy captured the silver medal and Rebecca Knight, the bronze.
The sun was definitely shining in the rig classes. In addition to Marsch’s dramatic win, Angie Carter grabbed the bronze in the Rig 4-dog, and Chris Carter took the silver medal in the Rig 8-dog class.
Competitors and personnel gathered Oct. 31 for a festive Halloween banquet, complete with the clown brigade and lots of good food and drink. Jim Cunningham, the able race marshal, did the emceeing.
“I am so proud of our athletes,” Marsch said. “They came to the 2015 Dryland World Championship prepared and ready to compete against the best in the world. This is the first time in USA Dryland history we took home the most medals. Bristol gave us a good race; good trail, and enabled us to experience the camaraderie that goes with competition.”
Marsch’s plan for success began in early September with his first fall training hookup.
“The beautiful weather this fall was great for harvesting crops and late fall fishing, but it was challenging for training dogs,” Marsch said.
Marsch altered the training regimen, reminding himself to be patient and not push the dogs too early.
“You want them to peak in late October, he noted. “As difficult as it was to take it easy early on, this strategy paid off. My dogs hit their peak right when they were supposed to and in doing so; I brought home a gold medal.”
Marsch made the 18-hour journey to Bristol with is good friend Ernie Hediger, who is also a USFSS board member. Hediger has been an equipment manufacturer and supplier for sled dog sports for over 30 years.
The trip got off to a rocky start. Marsch forgot his passport and left one of his main dogs behind.
In Marsch’s defense, there was a lot going on that morning. They had raced over the weekend in rainy and muddy conditions. They worked frantically to restore the equipment before they departed.
Marsch was also thinking about 50 other athletes involved in the competition.
“I have a routine I use to load my dogs, but on this particular day I didn’t follow it,” Marsch said.
His wife, Kim, brought the passport and the dog to Abbotsford to meet her husband, while Hediger stayed in Wittenberg with the trailer and the rest of the dogs.
“I felt like an idiot with a lot on my mind excuse, but at that exact moment, I knew I was going to have a good performance at the World Championship,” Marsch said.
They stayed at a motel about an hour from the race site in Bristol, a small rural community.
“They are about 20 years behind us in Clark County, definitely a blast from the past,” Marsch said. “The people are so friendly and accommodating. Conversation is still conducted face-to-face, not device-to-device.”
Wednesday was the mandatory veterinarian check and equipment inspection day. Most of the tasks were done in the rain and cold.
The race schedule Thursday and Friday included the Nordic Breed, junior, running and biking classes, plus Canicross, which utilizes a human running behind their dog.
“The European countries dominated these events,” Marsch said. “Their athletes are elite runners and bikers. They could easily compete on a world stage doing just running or biking. Add a dog and you now have a human and dog combination that produces vapor trails, awesome excitement. Their country also finances them. All their expenses are paid for and athletes receive a significant stipend. In the U. S., we hope to find a dog food sponsor if we do well.”
Marsch said he tossed and turned the night before the race, waking up more tired than when he went to bed. The dogs were up and at them, drinking a water mix consisting of leftover dinner and kibble mixed with a quart of water.
“It’s important to keep the dogs hydrated, especially during competition,” Marsch said. “They expend so much energy racing. They leave it all on the track. Water mixed with electrolytes is the best way to recharge their energy packs after a race, but making certain they’re sufficiently hydrated prior to racing helps them perform at their best and recover quicker.”
Marsch ended up at the bottom of the starting order. He had to deal with warmer racing temperatures, a torn racetrack and the reality of having to pass someone.
The weather on the final day was a succession of snow, rain and heat once the sun came out. The surface of the trail was reddish clay/sand.
His sister, Val, her husband, Dave, and his mother, Connie, cheered Marsch on. They traveled from New York to watch Marsch race.
“My sister and I have always been close, so sharing my success with Val was very cool,” Marsch said. “Having my family there took my mind off the competition during the waiting period, called the pre-race jitters, when your stomach feels like it has an ulcer and you have to pee every 15 minutes.”
Marsch got off to a tremendous start. He blasted out of the starting chute for a race that would be over in eight minutes.
As Marsch rounded the last 180-degree corner his lead dog Creamer got stuck in the sand momentarily. He pulled out with a noticeable limp.
“We are about a half-mile from the finish line and he’s hurt,” Marsch said. “I have a signal I use to call my dogs up the last half-mile of every race, so I said ‘Let’s go home.’” Normally you’d feel the extra dive home to the finish line, but Creamer just can’t turn it up. We’re moving, but our pace is slowing substantially. I now start encouraging the dogs to do their best. If we win, we win. If we don’t, I can live with that. They gave me their all. As we rounded the final turn, I saw the finish line 100 yards ahead. I don’t know if we have enough. As the dogs crossed the finish line I lunged forward. The timing is done with a chip I wear on my race bib. I know it would be close.”
Creamer pulled a shoulder muscle. It didn’t turn out to be too serious. He’s actually back in training now.
“I was so proud of the dogs, especially the last half-mile,” Marsch said. “It was hard to believe. Getting up on the podium to accept my gold medal helped the reality of our victory sink in.
“I’m so honored to bring home the gold and to share my success with all my family and friends. If it wasn’t for my wife, Kim, I wouldn’t have made it across the border and I would’ve raced with one less dog.”
Victory didn’t come easy for Marsch. He has been involved in professional dog racing for 30 years, and this is the first Olympic-style gold medal he has won.
“It is a culmination of persistence, dedication and good fortune that I finally did it.” Marsch said.
