Heather Latter
The coveted trophy from the International Tug-of-War, dubbed “Pulling for Peace,” returned to Fort Frances on Saturday after the local community team beat the squad from International Falls.
“It was awesome. We got them right off the hop,” enthused Mike Gurski, who had hand-picked the members of our community team.
“I got involved in picking the team this year because once I heard the Minnesota Vikings were coming, and the Americans being very passionate people and taking things quite serious, I knew we had to put a team together in order to even up the score,” he reasoned, noting he recruited locals within the district that he knew where strong.
Two “pulls” took place on Saturday—a celebrity pull for fun and then the community one with the trophy on the line.
The exhibition celebrity pull featured 20 invited guests on each side.
Fort Frances’ team included Mayor Roy Avis and council, former footballers Jack “The Hammer” Cameron and Bill “The Undertaker” Low, as well as local MPP, Howard “The Hitman” Hampton.
Former NHL’ers Mike “Red Dog” Allison and Dave “Big Red” Allison rounded out the squad.
International Falls, meanwhile, had recruited six Minnesota Vikings’ alumni, with “The Motivator” Matt Blair being named as captain for Team U.S.A. in the exhibition pull.
“The celebrity pull was, in my opinion, a warm-up act,” remarked Fort Frances Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft. “The big thing was the community pull.
“On [the American] side, the celebrity pull had a little more
significance to it because they had out-of-town celebrities on their team.
“But they were very well aware that the community pull was for the trophy and that’s where our efforts went to, so we had a big, strong team,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft added.
Nonetheless, Team Canada also won the celebrity pull, although there was some talk that Team U.S.A. had not been ready to start.
“I talked to Rod Otterness, their CAO, and Mayor [Shawn] Mason because I felt badly if we, in fact, pulled when they weren’t ready,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft said.
“But they said it was their fault they weren’t ready—that they were just a little slow getting off the mark.
“But once they got to the rope, it was a long strong pull before we had beaten them,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft indicated, though reiterating that whether or not Team Canada won the celebrity pull was irrelevant since it was the community pull that really mattered.
Blair had wanted a redo of the celebrity pull, but since the event already was running behind schedule, it was determined there wasn’t time to do it again.
Instead, some of the U.S. celebrities from out-of-town were allowed to participate in the regular community pull.
The community pull, featuring 50 locals on each side, followed the celebrity one and again it was Team Canada that was victorious.
“These 50 people can say they took part in helping to beat the Minnesota Vikings, which was pretty amazing,” Gurski enthused.
“They have all their excuses over there about how the gravel was loose, and this and that, but in the end, we got them right off the hop and they never gained an inch after that,” he stressed.
“We really wanted to win that trophy back after having lost it last year,” noted Coun. Wiedenhoeft.
International Falls Mayor Shawn Mason brought the trophy over by boat and presented it to Mayor Avis and Gurski in front of the cheering spectators at the Sorting Gap Marina.
Gurski thanked the team members of the community pull for taking time out of their busy schedules to participate.
“A lot of people came from up the lakes, came from the country and out towards Rainy River, to participate in the tug-of-war so I want to thank them,” he remarked.
“People are congratulating me for picking the tug-of-war team, but really it was the 50 people that came out and helped us win.”
Both Gurski and Coun. Wiedenhoeft also thanked the community for their support.
“The crowd was amazing,” said Gurski. “They really helped us out with all the cheering.”
“The event was very well-attended,” echoed Coun. Wiedenhoeft, noting it’s estimated 600 people gathered on each side of the river.
The Canada Day Celebrations Committee also held a barbecue in conjunction with the tug-of-war, raking in more than $600 in donations for next year’s festivities.
International Falls, meanwhile, also hosted a barbecue for its participants and spectators, held in conjunction with the opening and dedication of the James Oberstar Riverfront Complex there.
The inaugural concert at the Irvin N. Anderson Amphitheater followed that evening, featuring the Poor Boys, Arch Allies, and headliner, “Loverboy.”
Team Canada now has won three of the four International Tug-of Wars—and will be looking to repeat as champs again next year.
“We got the trophy back and bragging rights for a year,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft said in a friendly manner.
“It was a really good day,” he added. “They had a great time on their side and we had a great time on our side.”
The fun and friendly International Tug-of-War celebrates nearly two centuries of peaceful borders between Canadians and Americans.
