Team 7, Aklestad and Oldstad, are 2020 Iron Dog champions
Team 7 at the Fairbanks start. They are the 2020 Iron Dog champions. (James Wicken photo)
Team 7, Tyler Aklestad and Nick Oldstad are your Iron Dog 2020 champions.
The pair, who led the way the entire race, crossed the Big Lake finish line at 1:18:37 p.m. Saturday, after what many are calling the most challenging Iron Dog race ever. This year’s race was revamped to start in Fairbanks and include an additional 375-mile loop that passes through Kotzebue. The additional mileage, along with extreme weather, took its toll on the machines and riders, and as of Saturday afternoon, there were only 11 teams left of an original roster of 29 teams.
Aklestad and Olstad had four previous wins between them — Aklestad in 2016 with Tyson Johnson, and Olstad in 2014 and 2009 with Todd Minnick, and 2005 with Marc McKenna. This is their first time finishing the race together, setting the new record of 50 hours, 8 minutes and 3 seconds on the new course.