RAYMOND – With dangerous ice conditions reported throughout much of the state, organizers decided Tuesday to cancel this weekend’s statewide version of the Maine Chevy Derby.

“We discussed it at length, got input from weigh stations around the state, wardens and fishermen. We weighed everything and made the decision to cancel it,” derby organizer Tom Noonan said. Of the 25 weigh stations, 19 were reporting dangerous ice conditions, he said.

The cancellation of the statewide derby, as well as that of the Sebago Lake derby, which was cut short Feb. 20 after a number of people went through the ice, means some local charities will not be receiving as high a donation as in past years.

In 2009, the derby raised more than $100,000 for such charities as Camp Sunshine, the Maine Children’s Cancer Program and Good Shepherd Food Bank. Noonan said this year’s event will still raise more than the $15,000 raised in 2006, another poor-weather winter, but not by much.

Since prizes have already been donated by many area businesses, people can still enter to win a myriad of door prizes and raffles including a new Chevy pick-up truck, provided by Maine Chevy Dealers Association. (Ticket sales continue online at icefishingderby.com until Saturday morning.) Noonan said close to $45,000 in prizes will be announced Tuesday, March 9 at Point Sebago Resort. Winners will be notified.

Noonan also said those requesting a refund can do so online until Tuesday, when prizes are announced.

“Right now, calls to buy tickets are outnumbering refunds by a huge ratio,” Noonan said. “So that’s a good thing.”

Members deliberated for about an hour Tuesday before arriving at the conclusion to play it safe given the ice conditions as well as the recent incidents on Sebago Lake, where ATVs and snowmobiles went into the water due to rapidly deteriorating ice. A Gray man died attempting to retrieve his sunken ATV from Jordan Bay the Monday after the Sebago Lake derby.

The statewide version of the Maine Chevy Derby is just that, an ice-fishing derby where anglers can fish any body of water in the state for big prizes. Anglers then bring their catch to one of 25 weigh stations situated around the state. There are separate winners in both the statewide and Sebago Lake derbies, though entrants in the Sebago Lake derby are automatically entered in the statewide derby. Those entered in both derbies also qualify for a random drawing for the derby’s big prize: a new Chevy Silverado pick-up truck.

And while ice conditions in northern Maine are suitable, the dozen or so members of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club, which debuted the popular derby 10 years ago, didn’t feel comfortable moving ahead with plans.

“Some places have good ice out in the middle of the lake, but open water at the shoreline,” Noonan said. “Other lakes have several inches of ice but are losing it fast. Some lakes have 30 inches of good ice. It ran the whole gamut. Maine’s a big state. The smaller ponds up north are fine with several feet of ice.”

All’s not lost, however. The Sebago Lake and statewide derby will be back next year if ice is good, which it usually is in late February and early March.

“Historically, Feb. 19 is optimal ice on Sebago Lake. That’s why we schedule it for that weekend,” Noonan said. “But this has been a bad year for outdoor events. We got weathered-out. Do we fold our tents and go home this year? Yes. But we’ll be back next year.”