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Bullwinkle Team
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
Every February in Camden, Maine, groups of two-, three-, and four-person teams dress in costume and race down a frozen track to compete for the fastest time and a toboggan trophy. In 2009, the American Festivals Project tagged along to the U.S. National Toboggan Championships to document the fun.
Here, Team Bullwinkle prepares to take a run down the chute.
Read more about the U.S. National Toboggan Championships on the American Festivals Project blog.
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Wonder Sled
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Members of Team Wonder Sled apply wax to the bottom of their four-person toboggan before their first run of the day. Waxing is legal but racers have to follow other rules: Only wooden sleds of traditional shape and construction are eligible, and sleds can't weigh more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms).
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Downhill Dangerous Dames
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Members of the Downhill Dangerous Dames watch a practice run the day before the competition begins.
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Tailgating
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
Tailgating is a big part of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships. Many teams bring their family and friends—and an impressive amount of food for the two-day event. Some even bring little sleds to give future racers a taste of what’s to come.
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"Chute Happens"
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
All racers have a long, snowy walk to the top of the hill to get in line for an official run. Costumes aren’t required to race but almost every team has a theme and a team name.
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Fern Dogs
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Festooned with roses, the Fern Dogs prepare for the dramatic drop that begins the toboggan run. Racers must wrap their legs around the person in front of them to reduce wind drag—and the chance of someone falling out.
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First Run of the Weekend
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
The championships don’t officially begin until Jack Williams, now in his mid-80s, completes the first run of the weekend on a toboggan with the American flag attached. The chute was originally built in 1936, restored in 1954, and then abandoned for 25 years until Williams and a group of volunteers rebuilt it in 1990. The U.S. National Toboggan Championships began that year.
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Fair Food
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
Racers have to be at least 42 inches (106 centimeters) tall to compete. For those just under the cut, there’s still plenty to enjoy—like fried dough.
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Chute Start
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
A three-person team—complete with dummy legs—prepares to launch down the chute.
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Finish Line
Photograph by Andrew Owen, American Festivals Project
When reaching speeds of up to 40 miles an hour (64 kilometers an hour), keeping a sled on the track can be a challenge—one that only gets harder when a spray of ice flies in your face. After the finish line, the 400-foot (122-meter) toboggan chute levels out onto frozen Hosmer Pond.
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Best Costume Win
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Maine's own Team Wonder Sled celebrates after being awarded first prize for Best Costume.
More American Festivals
American Festivals Project Videos
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