The Arctic Winter Games held in Yellowknife, NWT last week had a Muskoka connection through the participation of 13-year-old Zach Smart as a member of the Yukon speed-skating team.

Smart, a former student at Monck Public School, relocated from Bracebridge to Whitehorse YK with his parents Brian Smart and Kendra Black and sisters Abigail and Gillian last fall. He was introduced to the sport on his arrival in October by his aunt, another former Bracebridge resident Cynthia Onions. A combination of hard work and some excellent coaching led to his inclusion on the Yukon team.

With only one previous competition under his belt at Calgary’s Olympic Oval a couple of weeks before, the hard work paid off as Zach mounted the podium with his teammates to receive a bronze Ulu in recognition of their third-place finish behind Alaska and the NWT teams in the Juvenile Male 2000 metres relay. The Ulu is a traditional Inuit knife dating back to as early as 2500 BC and was the symbol of this year’s games. Smart also competed in the 500, 666 and 1,000 metre single events.

In addition to his medal, Smart was also given the Fair Play Award by the referee for his performance before, during and after the relay. This award is given out to athletes who individually demonstrate understanding of the philosophy of the Arctic Winter Games and exemplify the spirit of fair play during the Games.

The Arctic Winter Games is a northern circumpolar sporting and cultural event, with a goal of offering appropriate levels of competition for northern athletes. They feature athletic competition, cultural exhibition and social interchange. They were first staged in 1970 and are held every two years. This year’s competition brought together young athletes from Yukon, Alaska, northern Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nun­avut, Greenland, Quebec-Nunavik, Russia-Magadan/Yamai and Sweden-Sami provinces.

Athletic competitions at the Arctic Games included hockey, curling, both figure and speed skating, badminton, basketball, indoor soccer, cross-country skiing and traditional Dene sports.