Mat-Su Outdoors Briefs

Snowmachine

race at Houston

Lodge Sunday

AMMC/WRL Vintage Race No. 4 of 5 is Feb. 13 at Houston Lodge. Prize money has been added to the open class payout. Racers can save $5 off their fee by donating three cans of food to the Wasilla Food Bank. Sign-up begins at 10 a.m., a racers meeting is at 11:50 a.m. and the races begin at noon. Competition classes include 120cc stock and modified. And larger classes will have split heats. Racers will have to win their way into the main event. No blood and guts, not banging, no heavy rubbing will be tolerated.

Annual hunting

banquet scheduled

The 14th annual Hunting Heritage Banquet is at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel at 4:30 p.m., Saturday. The National Wild Turkey Federation, Alaska Tundra Toms chapter is sponsoring the event. Activities include a buffet, live and silent auctions, general and special raffles, gun raffles and door prizes. For more information, call Dean at 947-5920 or Jim at 344-3914.

Iditarod marathon begins Feb. 27

The 10th annual Iditarod Trail Invitational Race begins at 2 p.m., Feb. 27 at Knik Lake off Knik Goose Bay Road. Some 50 competitors from nine countries will compete in the world’s longest winter ultra-marathon where 39 bike riders, three skiers and nine runners will compete along the 350-mile trail to McGrath, and a few of those will continue on the longer 1,100-mile course to Nome. In 10 years, only 33 people have made it to Nome by human power.

Great outdoors calls for Valley women

An “Outdoors Women” workshop is March 11-13 at Victory Bible Camp near Palmer. The program introduces women to hunting, fishing and related outdoors activities. More than 48 hands-on sessions are scheduled, including firearms safety, bear safety, shotgun clinics, field dressing of fish and game, ice fishing, spin fishing, fly tying, dog mushing, snowmachining, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, GPS operation, fish smoking, rod building, outdoors photography and winter survival. Cost is $250 for applications postmarked before Feb. 15; $300 after. For more information, call 267-2218.

Mount Marathon applications accepted

Applications for the 84th running of the Mount Marathon race in Seward during the July Fourth holiday will be accepted through March 31. Race veterans and 2010 finishers have priority, with the remaining slots filled through a lottery system. Lottery results will be announced mid-April. Applications are online at seward.com. Cost is $45 for adults and $25 for juniors. For more information, call 224-8051.