Thirteen teams left in Iron Dog race to Big La
Team 16, Todd Minnick and Daniel Thibault, arrived in Ruby Thursday night. On Friday, they scratched after encountering mechanical problems.
Three scratches have been declared since racing resumed from Nome on Thursday morning. Team 35, Michael Oliver and Jerrod Vaughn, scratched soon after leaving Nome, reportedly due to sickness, followed by Team 19, David Spain and Travis Temple, after passing through Unalakleet. Today, Team 16, Todd Minnick and Daniel Thibault, who were having a strong race, called it quits after Ruby due to major equipment failure.
So far, Iron Dog 2020 has proven to be particularly brutal, with a winter storm hitting racers on the outbound course and the results of that storm – impassable trail in sections between Poorman and Ophir and Rohn and Puntilla – creating major work for trail volunteers, who worked overnight to set a passable path to Big Lake.
As of 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 16 teams have scratched, with only 13 teams remaining. Racers will finish at Big Lake Saturday morning, estimated to arrive any time around noon. For more information see Iron Dog’s schedule of events.
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