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Spectacular crashes, finishes thrill 4,200 at Assiniboia DownsBy Jason BellAFTER coming through some ghastly crashes without so much as a scratch, Jamie Anseeuw still finds it ironic that he didn't walk away from one that seemed so innocent.Nearly four years ago, the Oak Bluff native was racing snowmobiles in Calgary when he lost control of his machine at a relatively low speed, bailed off the back and landed awkwardly on a patch of ice, crushing a portion of his spine. The crash left him a paraplegic,Anseeuw, 44, maintains the seriousness of the accident, which occurred March 27,1999, was little more than a fluke.“It was a bad combination of circumstances. A little 15-mph dump and I end up in a wheelchair/’ Anseeuw said yesterday afternoon from Assiniboia Downs, the site of the World Snowmobile Association’s Canadian Open Snocross Championships. “Normally, you'd get hurt worse falling off a golf cart,“My accident was really out of thenorm. It’s not a bad sport. It’s great,” Yesterday’s full day of racing left little doubt snocross is a sensational spectator sport. Some 4,200 fans were treated to more than 100 races, with some dramatic finishes and spectacular crashes, as the Downs had a bit of a Daytona 500 feel to it, with multicoloured flags waving, a flurry of activity in pit row and no fewer than 90 tractor trailers parked side-by-side in the infield.Another 5,000 to 6,000 fans are expected for the finals today, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.While only two competitors sustained minor injuries on Day 1, drivers know they're in a very risky business.“Danger is an inherent in the sport,” said Anseeuw, a husband and father of three daughters, and the manager of the Blair Morgan Racing Team, one of the top squads in snowmobile racing. ButI think of all (motorsport), snowmobile racing is by far the safest. I think in 30 or 40 years, we’ve had four or five deaths. That’s a season in auto racing.“I believe in this sport so much, and I absolutely needed to stay associated‘It was a badcombination of circumstances. A little 15-mphdump and Iend up in a wheelchair’— Jamie AnseeuwPHOTOS BV MARC GALLANT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSSemi-pro snowmobile riders race yesterday at Assiniboia Downs. Despite being injured almost four years ago, Anseeuw (left) remains involved in the sport he loves.with it after I was injured,” he added. From the moment I got hurt, my goal during rehabilitation was to be ready for the next season. I needed to prove to myself and the industry that I could still be a viable part of it, even though I couldn’t race, or test snowmobiles, anymore. It's in my blood.”Those same word .were echoed by 23-year-old Eric Rouland, who admits he’s lucky to be alive after a horrific crash six years ago in Minnesota.“People ask me why I don’t quit, but I just love it too much,” said Rouland, who “flatlined” in the hospital when he was just 17, He lay unconscious for 12 hours after being run over by another machine. He has no memory of the accident.He didn’t seek medical attention yesterday after a pair of nasty spills before the day was even half over. After losing control and sliding down an embankment, he just barely jumped off his Arctic Cat in time as it slammed into a permanent guard rail on the horse race track. Less than an hour later, he was flipped off his machine, landed hard and was limping noticeably afterwards:“I’ve had about 17 to 20 broken bones, and my knee is held together by screws,” said Rouland, a native of Thief River Falls, Minn. “I can't give it up. It’s what I do. It's who I am. Flying over those jumps... there’s no other rush like it in the world.”Continued Please See SNOCROSS 03
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