.JPG)
MARGARITAVILLE WELCOMES MUSHER NEWTON HOME - JAMAICA TOURIST ISSUE 15
Margaritaville’s own Jimmy Buffett, Chris Blackwell, Danny Melville and Minister of Youth, Sport & Culture, The Hon. Olivia Grange were among the well wishers who welcomed Newton Marshall home after his successful completion of the 1,150 mile Alaskan ‘Iditarod’, the longest dogsled race in the world. The presence of the young Jamaican ‘musher’ on the world’s dogsled scene has put the tropical island on the map in a challenging winter sport, into which no black man has ever ventured before. The Jamaica Dogsled Team sponsors joined Newton at the island’s premier party hotspot; Margaritaville in Ocho Rios, to celebrate his accomplishment.
Famous for its 52 flavors of colorful Margaritas and ‘Cheeseburgers in Paradise’, Margaritaville is known for the hottest day and nighttime parties in Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. As major sponsors of the Jamaica Dogsled Team, it was natural for Margaritaville to welcome musher Newton Marshall home after finishing the ‘Iditarod’, the longest dogsled race in the world. The 1,150 mile race takes mushers and dogs from Anchorage in south central Alaska to Nome on the western coast on the Bering Sea and usually begins on the first Saturday in March.
28 year old Newton is the first Jamaican and Caribbean musher to enter the demanding race. Although a rookie in the ‘Iditarod’, Newton is not new to dogsledding. In 2009, he completed the ‘Yukon Quest’ finishing in thirteenth place winning the coveted ‘Challenge of the North Award’ for best exemplifying the spirit of the famous race. After training for the ‘Yukon Quest’ with three-time champion Hans Gatt, Newton chose four-time ‘Iditarod’ champion Lance Mackey as his mentor for the 2010 ‘Iditarod’ challenge. While completing the race is an achievement in itself, the humble natured Newton was awarded the title of ‘favorite musher’, sledding through the finish line in 47th place after 12 days, 4 hours, 27 minutes, and 28 seconds.
According to Newton, the biting cold made him occasionally wish he was back home in Jamaica. In honor of his winter clime accomplishment, guests were greeted by Eskimo girls and brought through an igloo-like tunnel with falling snowflakes before entering Margaritaville’s tropical party scene, where the serving of colorful Margaritas quickly brought patrons back to the sunny climes of Jamaica.
With the hot spots great music, crystal clear pool with waterslide, white sand beach with unbeatable view, caring and attentive staff, party goers enjoyed drinks, great food and socializing in this great atmosphere. Undoubtedly, the grand welcome home party at sunny M’Ville Ocho Rios brought the sunshine back to Newton’s heart.
Among the celebrities and well-wishers welcoming Newton home were Chris Blackwell, whose company ‘Palm Pictures’ brought the Jamaica Dogsled Team to the big screen with the movie ‘Sun Dogs’, dogsled team founder and Chukka Caribbean CEO, Danny Melville, Margaritaville’s own Jimmy Buffett, local Margaritaville owner Ian Dear and Jamaican Minister of Youth, Sport & Culture, The Hon. Olivia Grange. Newton’s dogsled trainer Lance Mackey and his wife Tonya were also in attendance.
Jamaican Dogsled Team members “Devon” Desmond Alexander Anderson, Damion Robb and Jermaine Joel Burford joined the party to help celebrate Newton’s feat, sending big ‘thank yous’ to all the team’s sponsors including Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Alpine Aviation, Yukon Harley-Davidson, Northern Lights Optometry Group, WestJet Vacations, Annamaet Pet Foods and the Jamaica Tourist Board.
A couple of weeks after the event, Newton and Lance signed up for the ‘2011 IPSSSDR’ dogsled race in Wyoming. Newton will leave for fall training in Alaska on September 1, 2010 and spend 7 months in Alaska preparing for the ‘2011 Iditarod’.
Mush Newton mush!
For information about the Chukka Dogsled Team, future races and the Jamaica Dogsled Experience, visit www.jamaicadogsled.com and www.chukkacaribbean.com/dogsled.
Go party at M’Villes islandwide: In Ocho Rios at Island Village: Open daily 9:00 am - 10:00 pm, on club nights (Mon, Wed, Sat) until 4:00 am. Beach Party on Thur. Tel: 675-8976 In Montego Bay on the ‘Hip Strip’: Open daily 11:00 am - 2:00 am. Tel: 952-4777 In Negril on Norman Manley Boulevard: Open daily 9:00 am - 11:00 pm. Tel: 957-9180 / 957-4467 www.margaritavillecaribbean.com.
Famous for its 52 flavors of colorful Margaritas and ‘Cheeseburgers in Paradise’, Margaritaville is known for the hottest day and nighttime parties in Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. As major sponsors of the Jamaica Dogsled Team, it was natural for Margaritaville to welcome musher Newton Marshall home after finishing the ‘Iditarod’, the longest dogsled race in the world. The 1,150 mile race takes mushers and dogs from Anchorage in south central Alaska to Nome on the western coast on the Bering Sea and usually begins on the first Saturday in March.
28 year old Newton is the first Jamaican and Caribbean musher to enter the demanding race. Although a rookie in the ‘Iditarod’, Newton is not new to dogsledding. In 2009, he completed the ‘Yukon Quest’ finishing in thirteenth place winning the coveted ‘Challenge of the North Award’ for best exemplifying the spirit of the famous race. After training for the ‘Yukon Quest’ with three-time champion Hans Gatt, Newton chose four-time ‘Iditarod’ champion Lance Mackey as his mentor for the 2010 ‘Iditarod’ challenge. While completing the race is an achievement in itself, the humble natured Newton was awarded the title of ‘favorite musher’, sledding through the finish line in 47th place after 12 days, 4 hours, 27 minutes, and 28 seconds.
According to Newton, the biting cold made him occasionally wish he was back home in Jamaica. In honor of his winter clime accomplishment, guests were greeted by Eskimo girls and brought through an igloo-like tunnel with falling snowflakes before entering Margaritaville’s tropical party scene, where the serving of colorful Margaritas quickly brought patrons back to the sunny climes of Jamaica.
With the hot spots great music, crystal clear pool with waterslide, white sand beach with unbeatable view, caring and attentive staff, party goers enjoyed drinks, great food and socializing in this great atmosphere. Undoubtedly, the grand welcome home party at sunny M’Ville Ocho Rios brought the sunshine back to Newton’s heart.
Among the celebrities and well-wishers welcoming Newton home were Chris Blackwell, whose company ‘Palm Pictures’ brought the Jamaica Dogsled Team to the big screen with the movie ‘Sun Dogs’, dogsled team founder and Chukka Caribbean CEO, Danny Melville, Margaritaville’s own Jimmy Buffett, local Margaritaville owner Ian Dear and Jamaican Minister of Youth, Sport & Culture, The Hon. Olivia Grange. Newton’s dogsled trainer Lance Mackey and his wife Tonya were also in attendance.
Jamaican Dogsled Team members “Devon” Desmond Alexander Anderson, Damion Robb and Jermaine Joel Burford joined the party to help celebrate Newton’s feat, sending big ‘thank yous’ to all the team’s sponsors including Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Alpine Aviation, Yukon Harley-Davidson, Northern Lights Optometry Group, WestJet Vacations, Annamaet Pet Foods and the Jamaica Tourist Board.
A couple of weeks after the event, Newton and Lance signed up for the ‘2011 IPSSSDR’ dogsled race in Wyoming. Newton will leave for fall training in Alaska on September 1, 2010 and spend 7 months in Alaska preparing for the ‘2011 Iditarod’.
Mush Newton mush!
For information about the Chukka Dogsled Team, future races and the Jamaica Dogsled Experience, visit www.jamaicadogsled.com and www.chukkacaribbean.com/dogsled.
Go party at M’Villes islandwide: In Ocho Rios at Island Village: Open daily 9:00 am - 10:00 pm, on club nights (Mon, Wed, Sat) until 4:00 am. Beach Party on Thur. Tel: 675-8976 In Montego Bay on the ‘Hip Strip’: Open daily 11:00 am - 2:00 am. Tel: 952-4777 In Negril on Norman Manley Boulevard: Open daily 9:00 am - 11:00 pm. Tel: 957-9180 / 957-4467 www.margaritavillecaribbean.com.
.JPG)
.JPG)
