AFTERNOON UPDATE: Iron Dog racers begin sprint to the finish

Team 5, Zack Weisz and Brett Lapham as they prepare to leave Nome at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Photo: Iron Dog Facebook Group

(NOME, Alaska, Feb. 17, 12:15 p.m.) – As the last eight Iron Dog teams were being released from Nome on Wednesday for the race back to Big Lake, the front of the pack had already reached Koyuk and were entering the Kotzebue Loop. 

“Everybody got out of Nome fine, they got out and hit the trail and they are actually making really good time,” said Race Marshal Brian Webb. 

Teams 5 and 6 are still running neck and neck, blowing through checkpoints in a matter of minutes and heading north to Buckland. Team 5, Zack Weisz and Brett Lapham were currently about 5 minutes ahead of Brad George and Robby Schachle, Team 6. Team 14, Casey Boylan and Bryan Leslie had bumped ahead of Team 10, Chris Olds and Mike Morgan to round out the Top 4. As of noon, they were the only four teams checked out of Koyuk, but the race is developing rapidly.

 Mike Vasser, Iron Dog’s interim executive director, said the coming days could prove to be a separation point. 

 “What we could see with the back end of the field is that they will be coming into the checkpoints in the dark,” he said on Tuesday evening when noting the spread between start times. The leaders were released from Nome beginning at 8 a.m. today, while the last six teams didn’t leave until after 11 a.m. The current 18th place, and final team, Team 40, rookies Mark Nelson and Daniel Thomas of Utah, departed at 11:51 a.m. Release times and standings are based on overall course time, including the time spent working on their sleds in the garage. Thomas and Nelson spent 21 minutes and 35 minutes in the garage, compared to Team 5, which was in and out in 3 minutes, 38 seconds.  

 The Kotzebue Loop travels roughly 375 miles through Koyuk, Buckland, Selawik, Kiana, Noorvik, Kotzebue and back through Buckland and Koyuk, before backtracking to Big Lake. The racers have motivation to travel this route quickly, as Nana Management Systems is offering a $3,000 contingency prize for the fastest team around loop.

 “They will stay in Kotzebue tonight and we will release them early tomorrow morning,” Webb said. “Then they will head to Galena and they have the option to push through to McGrath.”

 Most of the checkpoints along the race route this year are “express checkpoints” to maintain social distancing, he added. 

 Media Contact:Mike Vasser, InterimExecutive Director,Iron Dog Inc.,(907) 563-4414 • director@irondog.org