‘IT’S GOING TO BE INSANE’ VALDEZ DERBIES EXPECT EVEN MORE PARTICIPATION DURING SUMMER EVENTS BY CHRIS COCOLES
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ven in Covid-affected 2020 and 2021, the shows went on in Valdez, home of summers full of popular halibut and salmon derbies. From having the Valdez Kid’s Pink Salmon Derby be virtual only, to limiting large groups at weigh-in sites for the silver salmon and halibut derbies, to installing hand-washing stations, the last two years were a challenge that the nonprofit organization that runs these multiple events passed with flying colors. “The big thing that we do is that we have (derbies) from mid-May through Labor Day weekend and people can win prizes for that long of a period, and those people get really excited for the events,” says Laurie Prax, Valdez Fish Derbies marketing coordinator and one of seven local volunteer residents who run the derbies. “Everyone thought, ‘Oh no; what’s going to happen?’” “The kid’s derby in that first year (2020), we just put together a form and the kids could upload their photos. And I want to think we had 700 entries. We had an overwhelming interest in that. (That convinced us) that the derbies could go on. And for a lot of people, that was a chance to put a little normal (into their lives). There’s a lot of room out there in the ocean, and (it could work) if we just tried to limit the number of people and limit the crowds at the weigh-in. So we put some of our events online. And it all worked out.” And even as the pandemic remains something to be monitored closely, the 2022 series of derbies and special
Anglers will flock to Valdez again this summer for multiple fishing events, including the Valdez Halibut Derby. The community has weathered Covid restrictions to continue putting on these tournaments. (VALDEZ FISH DERBIES) aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2022
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
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