Deep snow slows Pro Class racers, but the race continues

Team 12 leaves the start chute on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. The team scratched later in the evening. Megan Rolinger photo

As Race Day No. 2 gets underway today, three teams have fallen victim to the rigors of the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. Twenty-two Pro Class teams are still in the running, but Kotzebue Teams 33 (George Lambert and Michael Hensley) and Team 12 (Chris Collins and Doug Wicken), and Team 21 are out.

Race marshal Tyson Johnson said that word from the trail is that Team 12 had a crash, and although not injured, their sled was inoperable.

“They will go back and retrieve the sled in a few days,” Johnson said.

Team 21, Duncan Brewer and Cole Crandall from Kenai also had mechanical difficulties, which brought their race to an end.

Team 21 from Kenai was one of three first-day scratches after a mechanical ended their Iron Dog dreams. Megan Rolinger photo

“It appears this year the largest challenge is the amount of snow that is being traversed out on the racecourse and slowing the pace somewhat,” said Iron Dog Executive Director Mike Vasser. The Ambassador and Expedition class teams were the first through on Friday, he said, breaking trail in new snow.

“This much snow tends to make the course very rough because it doesn’t get time to set up before the rest of the teams come charging through it,” he said. “These conditions also begin putting stress and strain on the snowmachines as well as the competitors.”

Meanwhile, the race goes on. The Pro Class field began leaving McGrath at 7:59 a.m. this morning, and the Expedition Class riders, a few checkpoints ahead, will continue to make their way toward Nome.

On Saturday, the Expedition Class was spread between Ruby and Galena as they began leaving checkpoints.

“On Friday, we broke trail from Ophir to Poorman,” said Ambassador Team 77’s Roger Brown, who is leading a six-person team to Nome. “It was really deep from Ophir to the Innoko River then about 1 to 2 feet on the trail from Carlson’s Crossing to Poorman.”

Conditions are full-on winter, Marshal Johnson said.

“There’s a lot of snow, and the holes are really deep, so it’s really rough,” Johnson said. “Zack Weisz (part of Expedition Team 80) said it was rough before the Yukon leading into McGrath.”

Johnson said he expects it will be more rough riding today.

Ambassador Team 77 encountered heavy snow through the day on Friday, Feb. 17. Today’s Pro Class frontrunners began leaving McGrath at 8:29 a.m.

“I’m sure it’s going to be really rough with them, going from Ophir to Poorman with all this snow,” Johnson said. “It’s generally a rough section anyway, about 100 miles of trees and swamps and there’s really no open fast running sections.”

Johnson said racers likely won’t have any fast running unless they can get speed on a short section of the Innoko River out of Ophir and when they get on the road into Ruby. 

“You’ll see slower speeds with the Pro Class this year,” Johnson said. “They will be in the 30- to 50-mph range until they get closer to Ruby.”