Winter carnival hailed as ‘overwhelming success’

The Little Amik Winter Carnival has come and gone–but what a carnival it was.
Heather Herbert, executive director of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, said this year’s edition was an “overwhelming success,” noting many events were filled to capacity.
Even new events, like as the cribbage, chess, and Nintendo tournaments, were filled to the brim with participants. In fact, organizers had to turn people away from the minnow races Sunday.
Herbert said plans already are in the works to increase the number of minnow race entrants from 50 to 100 next year.
“We’re more than pleased with the turnout from events,” she said, noting the unusually mild weather also may have had a hand in bringing people out.
Unfortunately, the warm weather added an extra element of difficulty in the jam can curling bonspiel, prompting organizer Guy Donaldson to credit the skill of those who reached the finals.
“They competed in pretty adverse conditions,” he said. “It was a fairly slushy finish.”
Herbert said a carnival wrap-up meeting will be held in the next couple of weeks to see what sort of changes have to be made next year. But she didn’t expect to hear many complaints.
“There’s nothing that sticks out in my mind as a problem,” she said. “Everything went smoothly.”
Results
Minnow races
o1.–Jillian Langtry (Fort Frances), $25;
o2.–Ian Grant (Emo), $15;
o3.–Danielle Rousseau (Fort Frances), $10.
Cribbage tournament
o1.–Wayne Anderson ($300 gift certificate for any store in Rainy River District);
o2.–Eleanor Kuchma ($200 gift certificate);
o3.–Jack Bolen ($100 gift certificate); and
o4.–Norm Wood, $50.
Jam can curling
o‘A’-side–Doug Olson/Brad Wagner over Joanne Hyatt/Dorothy Bergstrom;
o‘B’-side–Florence Ogden/Silvia Gunderson over Cheryl Behan/Maureen Calder.
Chess tournament
oNine and under–1. Chad Faragher 2. Ghislaine Godin 3. Kevin Gruttner;
o10-12–1. Chris Faragher 2. Josh Tovey 3. Mark Buist; and
o13 and over–1. Brad Maxwell 2. Justin Sanders 3. Anthony Leek.