The Willow 300 has some unique qualities to their race, there is no Bib Draw - the order of registration & payment determines the bib number of each team. The Willow 300 is one of two Iditarod Qualifiers in Alaska to start with a Mass Start where all teams leave the starting line at the same time - no need to do math for time differentials. For teams not confident in a mass start, they have the option of waiting until the chaos clears and they will take off shortly afterward. There is no real advantage or disadvantage doing the start either way - it's all a matter of preference.
37 teams are set to leave Willow Lake at 10am on Thursday. For some of the big name teams this is another way to evaluate their A-listers to see who will make the final cut for Iditarod, others will use this as a training run for the more inexperienced pups. There are quite a few familiar faces in this weekend's line up, fan favorites, and a healthy list of names working to finish qualifying for the thousand mile races. So who are some of our front runners? Let's break it down.
Jeff Deeter - The frontman for Black Spruce Kennel wasn't originally signed up for the race, and his wife KattiJo was... however after watching their team run in the Copper Basin Jeff decided he wanted a crack at running the dogs before he takes them down the Iditarod Trail. Jeff is one of the young guys that was really made waves in the last few years in the sport, and could prove to be one of the top teams in this year's Willow 300.
Lance Mackey - Lance may have won the Red Lantern at this year's Kusko 300, but don't expect that to be the plan in Willow. While Lance may choose to take it easy again in this run, it's also foolish to count him out. It will be fun to see the four-time Quest and Iditarod champion in the mix.
Linwood Fiedler - With the roster that we have, I expect Fielder to have a solid run. Fielder is a consistent top 30 Iditarod finisher, with more top twenties than thirties.
Nic Petit - Not having the inside scoop on Petit's plan for the Kusko meant I guessed he'd be a front runner when that clearly was not his plan. This time, though, the team and musher have had sufficient rest and recoop before this race and I expect Nic to take command early and hold onto it.
Ramey Smyth - The Smyth teams are fast, strong, capable, and know how to win mid-distance races. Expect Ramey to stay with the leader and push strong at the end. Don't be surprised if he pulls off a win.
Cim Smyth - A late entry to the race, Cim Smyth is not expected to be late to the finish. Like Ramey, he knows how to get his team to kick it into high gear in the final push. Smyth is a multiple time champion in the difficult Tustumena 200. Look for him to have a strong race in Willow.
Kristy & Anna Berington - They are really coming together as a kennel with strong results last season. It's unsure what their plan is for the Willow 300, so they're my wildcard for this race. Most of the time the two race together, so that can sometimes hold them back from taking the top placements, but in a race like this I expect them to do very well.
Karin Hendrickson - Another wildcard. I expect her to be in the mix.
How to Watch
Unlike the other races that have established media sources and big sponsorships that garner attention from outside media, the Willow 300 runs mainly by its volunteer staff to keep fans updated. Here are the links you need to know to be able to follow the race.
Official Website
Unlike the other races, the Willow 300 just has a web page as part of the Willow Dog Musher Association's website. It holds links to the official rules, the tracker map, the forms and applications for mushers, and ways to sponsor the race (including purchasing a mile of the trail for $30.)
GPS Tracker
While they may not be "sophisticated" to have their own website and a lot of cool features, this race does have the beloved GPS Trackers by Trackleaders. Click here to see the GPS Tracker map.
Social Media
For the Willow 300, Social Media is the race's life blood. They post mainly to their Facebook Page, but are also active on their Twitter account at race time. They also share a few photos and posts on their Instagram Page.
You'll also want to follow Kale Casey Live on Facebook because he will have a live feed of the Mass Start at 10am (AKST) on Willow Lake. Sled Dog News also plans to go live for parts of the race, so make sure to follow both.
The race kicks off at 10am on Willow Lake, Teams will start showing up about two hours before that. Who are you cheering for? Comment below with your thoughts!
**Edited to correct information on the mass start - the Kobuk 440 also starts with a Mass Start - and to add Cim Smyth to the list.**
I think the Kobuk 440 also has a mass start and is an Iditarod qualifier
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, my mistake! I always "forget" to count Kobuk because it takes place after Iditarod and I don't think about qualifiers then. Thank you for the correction!
DeleteAnd thank you for all the preview posts!
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