Native games
WEIO opens
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics open Wednesday at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
The annual event features competition in Native sports like the knuckle hop, blanket toss and ear pull. Dance teams from throughout the state put on demonstrations, artists sell their crafts and competitions are held in traditional subsistence activities like skinning a seal.
Action begins at 11 a.m. with the toe kick. Opening ceremonies and the lighting of the seal oil torch happen at 6 p.m.
The games wrap up Saturday.
Adventure racing
Winners break 2-hour mark in challenge
The team of Chelsea Frehulfer, Kelly Donnelly and Jen Jolliff broke the two-hour barrier Saturday to win the Women Rock Adventure Challenge at Kepler Park.
Teams navigated a 12-mile course by foot, mountain bike and paddle. The winners completed the course in 1 hour, 49 minutes, 46 seconds and were more than 30 minutes ahead of the second-place team of Angela Conroy and Sandy Ford.
Alaska Adventure Racing
Women Rock Adventure Challenge
1) Chelsea Frehulfer, Kelly Donnelly, Jen Jolliff 1:49.462; 2) Angela Conroy, Sandy Ford 1:49.46; 3) Megan Piersma, Alicia Reiergrohslein, Emily Henderson 2:27.15; 4) Christy McGrew, Melissa Ingram 2:29.07; 5) Tasha DiMarzio, Hannah Feltes 2:30.22; 6) Stephanie Devenny, Desneige Hallbert 2:44.01; 7) Kate Henderson, Bree Hitchcock, Emily Hudyma 2:45.20; 8) Jodi Dura, Stephanie Kobylarz, Renee Christensen 2:45.26; 9) Ashley Siks, Jenny Jemmison, Emma Brand, Pamela Kauveiyakul 2:48.31; 10) Stephanie Brown, Dori Slama 2:48.38; 11) Wendy Heck, Heather Gassaway 2:50.01; 12) Nancy Hibbert, Sarah Collette 2:55.11; 13) Maggie Valentine Grahm, Beth Sharp, Pauline Ruddy 2:59.22; 14) Kim Richardson, Lynette Brickwell, Jennifer Lindsay 2:59.53; 15) Paige Nelson, Stacia Fosi 3:06.49; 16) Christina Hancey, Bonnie Dolgonos 3:29.30; 17) Megan Woods, Shannon Day 3:36.55; 18) Whitney Andersen, Hannah Schlosstein 4:04:14.
Hockey
Ottawa signs Lawson
Former UAA goaltender Nathan Lawson has agreed to a new one-year, two-way deal with the Ottawa Senators that sends him to the third NHL organization of his career.
Lawson, 28, will likely be playing for the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators. Lawson previously was under contract to Montreal and the New York Islanders.
Last season for Hamilton of the AHL, Lawson went 19-17--4 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and five shutouts. He has played in 10 NHL games, all for the Islanders, and is entering his sixth pro season. Lawson played three seasons with the Seawolves before being signed by the Islanders.
Prep basketball
Girls win in Spokane
The Alaska Lady Hoops 17 and under elite basketball team won the Fire & Fall Back basketball tournament in Spokane, Wash., last weekend.
The team includes players from all over the state and is in the middle of a month-long trip to showcase tournaments in Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Phoenix, and San Diego.
Fishing
Alabaman wins derby
Fourteen-year-old Theron Lee of Winfield, Ala., won the Kids Pink Salmon Derby in Valdez last weekend with a 7.92-pound fish. Second place went to North Pole's Kailey Fowlkes, who hooked a 7.53-pounder.
Two new leaders made the overall leaderboard for the halibut derby, and both were caught Friday the 13th. Gary Swoffer of Fairbanks reeled in a 162.3 pound halibut to take over second place and Scott Mericer of Fairbanks took over third place with a 140.7-pounder.
Bonnie Woods of Valdez remains the leader with the 179.2-pound flatfish she caught June 16.
Anchorage Daily News