It was a good run while it lasted, but after three years of summer dog mushing, a bone was broken in the Hot Hounds Race Series.

The fall happened metres away from the finish line in the Philippe's Bike Repair two sled dog, two mile competition this past Saturday.

The musher was Valerie Bussieres, who broke her collarbone after riding into a dip on the trail.

Ever the competitor, the summer and winter musher got up and, after untangling her dogs, walked her bike across the finish line. Her time was 10:09, less than three minutes from first place.

"I knew I was close," she said. "I knew something wrong with my shoulder and my lip had blood leaking, but I just kept going."

Bussieres said it wasn't hard to walk the bike in and despite knowing that her collerbone was broken after finishing, she didn't feel a lot of pain until the following day.

She plans on taking it easy for the next month, but said she will come out for the next hot hounds race, scheduled for Aug. 22. Bussieres said it should take at least four weeks for her collarbone to heal up.

She said the fall doesn't discourage her from participating in the summer race series, which wraps up in September.

"I think it's good because during summer you can not train too much because it's hot, so I think it's really good for them (the dogs), but I need to be more careful."

All participants must wear helmets in the race series, which on Saturday had a record-tying 27 teams, including one person from Saskatchewan, who won the canicross event.

"I would like to say that he heard about us and came over from Saskatchewan," joked race organizer Jon Lucas. "I'm sure that wasn't the case, but at least he saw the posters and came out, which was good."

Sponsors for the weekend race were Philippe's Bicycle Repair, Icy Waters Arctic Charr, the Chocolate Claim, Aurora Booties, Yukon Meat and Sausage, First Mate Dog Food and Dazhaw Du Chiropractic Clinic.

Saturday results

First Mate Extreme Dog Food Freight Pull

Lightweights:

1. Janet Keller, Aissa: 200 lbs.

Medium weights:

1. Jon Lucas, Asha: 560lbs.

2. Susie Rogan, Baby Jesus: 480lbs

3. Vern Selman, Chena: 160lbs

4. Darrell Sheepway, Amil: Dupois Rossi: Tipi:160lbs.

Philippe's Bike Repair Races:

One Pet Dog, One mile:

(All bike jour)

1. Wilson, Wendy Morrison: 5:18

2. Ruby, Janet Keller: 8:17

3. Adak, Alexandra Rochat: 9:07

One Sled Dog, One mile:

(All bike jour)

1. Grizzly, Darryl Sheepway: 3:27

2. Ibex, Gaetan Pierrard: 3:43

3. Baby Jesus, Susie Rogan: 3:47

4. Buddha, Stephan Poirien: 4:09

5. Polar, Amil Dupois-Rossi: 4:16

6. Nahanni, Cynthia Corriveau: 4:43

7. Ringo, Janet Keller: 4:55

8. Sammy, Alexandra Rochet: 5:57

9. Chena, Vern Selman: 6:28

One Dog, One Mile Canicross:

1. Velvet, Ben Goddien: 6:02

2. Siggy, Crystel Bartczak: 6:47

3. Juska, Hennifer Pascal: 10:20

Two Sled Dog, Two Mile:

(all bike jour except as noted)

1. Emma and Assman, Jon Lucas: 7:55 (Scooter)

2. Grizzly, Amil Dupuis-Rossi: 8:04

3. Benji and Spell, Crispin Studer: 8:26

4. Fry and Coho, Darryl Sheepway: 8:31

5. Klein and Appleton, Fabian Schmitz: 8:50

6. Nemo and Hydro, Claudia Wickert: 10:00

7. Nina and Popeye, Valerie Bussieres: 10.09

8. Tundra and Sassy, Susie Rogan: 10:18

9. Yan and Ar, Janet Keller: 13:13

10. Esther and Pooh Bear, Stacie Zaychuk: 14:21

11. Dolly and Dusty, Vern Selman: 20:01

DNF. Nahanni, Cynthia Corriveau