Mere days after setting the record for the largest snowmobile parade in United States History and falling just shy of the World Record, Director May Jo DuVall of Sault Events, Inc. gave every indication that Thursday’s inaugural event was a starting point for the community.
“We were 51 short,” said DuVall providing an analysis that revealed there were a number of people who pre-registered that failed to show on the day of the parade.
With an eye toward topping the 1,047 machines which paraded in Alberta, Canada to establish the current world record, DuVall seemed confident that it would fall in 2019.
“We’re going for 1,200,” she said.
DuVall said that in planning for the snowmobile parade there were a number of limiting factors. While the weekend might have been — on paper — a good time to hold this event, numbers would have been reduced on Saturday due to the race and fatigue likely would have limited participation on Sunday. Likewise, Friday was deemed a poor option as it was the final day of preparation for those competing in the race.
The 2 p.m. start-time on Thursday, she added, was selected to ensure there was enough daylight to record video footage of the complete parade from start to finish — one of the key requirements in establishing an official world record.
Buoyed by optimism after coming so close DuVall added that plans are already in the works for 2019.
“We are going to meet next week,” she said indicating that she was looking to tweak a few things to put Sault Ste. Marie on top of the record books.
More information will become available as Sault Events, Inc. solidifies plans for 2019.