Local snow cross racer shares her plans to return to the sport after a 20-year hiatus

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

As a teenager, local resident Jamie Lee Higginson used to race her snowmobile in Snow Cross events around the province.

She gave it up after getting married and raising a family; however, sometimes when you really enjoy something, it sticks with you.

Jamie Lee recently decided to get back into the sport and has been tearing up the circuits this year. She races on both flat tracks as well as ski resorts around the province in the pro women's division.

At the end of the ski season, there is still a lot of snow on the hills, but due to the warmer weather, the snow is not suitable for skiing – but it is great for racing sleds.

“When I was a teenager, I used to race Snow Cross,” Jamie Lee explained. “I started racing when I was 15. I raced professionally for four years, then I retired because I got married and had my kids. My last year racing was 2006.”

Twenty years later, Jamie still had the competitive urge and spoke to her husband about getting back into the sport. He fully supported her return to Snow Cross. 

Returning to the sport, Jamie Lee found it had changed with updates to the sleds, new technology, and even how races are timed and monitored.

“A lot has changed in 20 years, it's not just the vehicles, but the track,” Jamie Lee said. “We didn't have social media back then. Now things are live across all platforms, and there are a lot of advertisers, sponsors, and opportunities. When I bought my Snow Cross gear back then, I had to buy junior boys' clothing. Now the industry does have a lot of stuff tailored to women.”

Despite being out of the sport for 20 years, Jamie Lee said the mindset of getting back into racing is ‘just like getting back on a bicycle.'

She has the full support of her family, including her husband, son, and daughter, who all get involved in the races. 

“We are our own little team, we call it Higginson Motor Sports,” Jamie Lee added.

The Canadian Snow Cross Racing Association holds events around Ontario. It is a fun sport to watch as racers speed around the course. Racers accumulate points during the season.

A typical race day includes two heats followed by a final race.

Jamie Lee races a Ski-doo snowmobile with a 600cc engine. Each sled is equipped with a transponder during a race to accurately time each lap and speed.

The Snow Cross season in Ontario continues into April.

Jamie Lee has two more events this season in Kitchener and Sault Ste. Marie, before the circuit ends this year.