Canadian harness racing driver James MacDonald of Guelph, clinched the 2017 World Driving Championship (WDC), and its $25,000 top prize Aug. 18 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park, Prince Edward Island.
A capacity crowd witnessed the triumph of MacDonald, the first-ever Canadian to claim the international title on home turf.
“It’s just been a real honour to drive with these guys. They’re some of the best drivers from all over the world,” said MacDonald a.
“When I found out that I was going, I was just elated to be on the same racetrack. I never, ever, in a million years, would have dreamed of winning, so it’s a pleasant surprise, and I can’t say enough good about all the drivers. They’re all new friends.”
MacDonald entered the fifth and final day of competition with a 26-point lead over Finland’s Mika Forss. Without a win in the first three races to clinch the overall points lead, MacDonald sealed his claim to the WDC title in the night’s final of four races by earning four points for an eighth-place finish with Instant Shadow.
The Canadian reinsman amassed a total of 211 WDC tournament points, ultimately besting overall runner-up Forss, who completed his drives with an accumulated 193 points for second. Marcus Miller, from the United States, tallied 181.5 points to round out the top three.
The 31-year-old Prince Edward Island native returned to his home province as the only one of the 11 WDC contestants to have won at least one race at each track leading up to the final leg of the tournament. MacDonald won two of five heats at Century Downs in Alberta on Aug. 12, teaming up with Lucky Lucka and Barossa Blue Genes, before prevailing with Mystery Bet on Aug. 14 at his current home base of Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario.
He went on to double up again at Georgian Downs on Aug. 15, reaching the winner’s enclosure with Shemars Lulu and Walk The Plank, before earning his sixth WDC win at Québec’s Hippodrome 3R on Aug. 16 aboard Federal Strike.
Hosted by Standardbred Canada, the World Driving Championship is held every two years in conjunction with the World Trotting Conference.
