The Brooklyn Council's 2013 Klondike Derby, originally scheduled for Saturday, February 9th but postponed—ironically—due to the snowstorm that occurred on the evening of February 8th, will take place tomorrow, Saturday, February 23rd instead. The annual event includes a variety of winter-themed sports and survival activities such as sled racing. Because the availability of actual snow cannot be guaranteed, the Klondike Derby is held on the beach in Coney Island, where the sand stands in for snow.
An annual scouting event, the Klondike Derby is open to both Cub Scouts (ages 5-11) and Boy Scouts (ages 11-18), with age-appropriate activities for each. Boy Scouts compete in skill challenges and survival contests that demonstrate their knowledge in areas such as knot-tying and first aid that emphasize teamwork. Cubs enjoy competitions such as harpoon-throwing and relay races. The main event is a 150-yard dash with teams of boys pulling sleds, Iditarod-style.
Last year, more than one hundred Cub and Boy Scouts from across Brooklyn participated, according to 2012 event chair Kent Woo. Other popular Scouting traditions in Brooklyn include the annual Pinewood Derby, held at the Kings Plaza Mall and the Go-Kart Derby, held at Floyd Bennett Field.
During the rest of the year, the borough’s Boy Scout and Cub Scout packs pitch in on community service projects including helping with Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts and cleaning up open spaces such as Plumb Beach and Floyd Bennett Field, and participate in the classic Pinewood Derby and Go-Kart Derby each spring.
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