The I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club organized an online handicapping contest asking fans to select the correct order of finish of the eleven drivers competing in the 2017 World Driving Championship.
After calculating the results and completing a blind draw between two entrants who both finished with 10 out of a possible 20 points, Adam Mauntah of Ottawa, Ont., was declared the winner.
Adam has been involved in racing for all of his life, tagging along with his brother and father to Greenwood and Woodbine. In the past he has also served as a backup race announcer at Rideau Carleton, Kawartha Downs, Grand River Raceway, Georgian Downs and Flamboro Downs.
Adam was unable to watch the first three legs of the WDC, but that didn’t stop him from road tripping to Trois-Rivières and Charlottetown with his mother to catch the last two legs in person.
“It was a lot of fun for us to see James crowned as the champion in Charlottetown and to sing along with the playing of O Canada. My mother and I stayed on Prince Edward Island the day after the WDC to see the Gold Cup and Saucer, then got up early the next morning to drive back to Trois-Rivières in time for the Prix d'Été.”
After competing in 22 races at five different racetracks in four different provinces across the country, Canadian Harness Racing Driver James MacDonald of Guelph, Ontario, captured the World Driving Champion title, trophy and $25,000 in prize money.
MacDonald made history becoming the first Canadian to claim the prestigious title on home turf, finishing the championship in Prince Edward Island at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park with a total of 211 points.
Runner-up Mika Forss of Finland finished the tournament with a total of 193 points, and Marcus Miller of the U.S. rounded out the top three with 181.5 points.
The final finish order for all eleven-competing drivers is listed below along with Adam’s selections.
2017 World Driving Championship Leaderboard
Rank - Driver (Country) – Points – Adam’s Selections – Adam’s Points
1. James MacDonald (Canada) – 211 - James MacDonald – 2
2. Mika Forss (Finland) – 193 – Shane Graham – 0
3. Marcus Miller (United States) - 181.5 - Mark Purdon – 0
4. Dexter Dunn (ITA/New Zealand) – 166 – Dexter Dunn – 2
5. Björn Goop (Sweden) – 152 – Björn Goop - 2
6. Noel Baldacchino (Malta) – 148 - Noel Baldacchino - 2
7. Eirik Høitomt (Norway) – 136 – Marcus Miller – 0
8. Shane Graham (Australia) – 135 – Rik Depuydt – 0
8. Gerhard Mayr (Austria) – 135 – Gerhard Mayr – 2
10. Mark Purdon (New Zealand) - 124.5 – Eirik Høitomt – 0
11. Rik Depuydt (Belgium) – 107 – Mika Forss – 0