It's a busy weekend for mushing fans. Three major mid-distance races will happen as well as a major stage-stop race. Good luck keeping it all straight (but I'm trying to help with that!) A race many are anxious to see get underway is the Kuskokwim 300. The premiere mid-distance race in Western Alaska, the race runs out of Bethel into coastal villages before returning to Bethel. Teams from all over Alaska have flown in to be part of this race, but what makes the Kusko special is how many local village teams enter and are competitive. When Joe Redington Sr. and his merry crew worked to get the Iditarod off the ground, one of their main goals was to keep mushing a part of the village communities. The argument could be made that the Kusko, and not the Iditarod, is the reason for the healthy mushing community in Western Alaska.
Teams arrived in Bethel Tuesday and Wednesday and settled in with their host families. Due to continued concerns with the Covid-19 pandemic, all participants (including volunteers and race officials, as well as handlers) must be fully vaccinated. Teams will self test and must show proof of a negative result by Thursday afternoon. Banquets, checkpoints, etc are closed to spectators, and even the start and finish spectators are asked to remain distanced from each other.
Last year was very much the same with the covid precautions, and the race went off without any problems. It also did not discourage teams from traveling in, though this year the race limited how many "outside" teams could attend. There are three Kusko Champions on the roster as well as some other very competitive teams. 16 teams are on the roster (as of January 26) so let's take a look at the front runners.
Aaron Burmeister - Aaron nearly ran down Dallas Seavey and team during the 2021 Iditarod, and I still say he would be the 2021 Iditarod Champion had they been on the traditional trail to Nome. They simply ran out of room to catch the young gun. Needless to say, Aaron has a highly competitive dog team and with this supposedly being his final year of competitive racing, expect Burmeister to have a solid finish (though all experience points to him wanting to keep his team strong for Iditarod).
Cim Smyth - Known for fast finishes, Cim's team is always one to watch. Cim is a multiple time champion of the Tustumena 200 as well as a few other mid-distance races. He comes from Iditarod Mushing "royalty" as his father was part of the "Iditarod Trailbreakers" (mushers from the first ten years of Iditarod including the first). Cim is what they call a "dog man". Look for him to have one of the fastest finishes no matter what place he comes in. (I wonder if he still brings his running shoes?)
Fr. Alexander Larson - Father Alexander Larson ran the Kusko last year as a rookie and managed an impressive fifth place in a highly competitive field. I feel bad putting him on the list only because I worry it will jinx him, but the Russian Orthodox priest probably does not believe in such nonsense. Larson has been a constant on the mushing scene as of late in and around Bethel. Expect another solid performance from his team.
Joar Leifseth Ulsom - The 2018 Iditarod Champion may not be a Kusko champion, but that shouldn't stop people from adding him to their fantasy mushing team. Ulsom will also use this race as a sort of training run for the Iditarod, but that shouldn't stop him from challenging for first. Do not be surprised if he manages to pull off the win, though he's in for a fight with such a competitive field.
Matthew Failor - the 2019 Kusko Champion upset the apple cart when he won considering for several years before that it was all Pete Kaiser. Matt is a positive force on the trail and has really come into his own in recent years. His team is becoming one of the teams to always watch to place near the top. It will be interesting to see how his new hip holds out against the famed Kusko winds and weather. (I'm still impressed he ran Iditarod just before going in for hip replacement surgery, like whaaaaat?!)
Pete Kaiser - The Five-Time Kusko Champion (and 2019 Iditarod Champion, but who cares, right?) is one of the hometown heroes of Bethel. These trails are his home base and his team knows how to win. Don't expect Kaiser to be anywhere but near the front. Will he go for six? Time will tell, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did manage that impressive feat.
Richie Diehl - The reigning Kusko champ is another one of the hometown heroes. Close friends with Kaiser, it's a joy when either of the two teams win. While they do share quite a few bloodlines within their kennels (I mean, the breeding programs are gonna be a little smaller out there anyway), the mushers are completely separate in kennels and in racing style. They say defending your title is harder than winning you first, so it's a wait and see what Richie can manage to pull off, but he's another safe bet to do well in this race.
Travis Beals - No list of who's who is complete if you don't add Travis to the list (well, when he's on the roster anyway, otherwise that's just awkward). Beals' team dealt with insane wind and weather during the Knik 200, and looking at the weather report for the Kusko it's looking more like the team will think they're on a picnic in comparison. Travis could be a dark horse in this competition, so keep an eye on those Turning Head Kennel dogs.
How to Follow
Unlike the bigger races like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, there is very little promise of any video coverage. With the temps dropping so low, even the facebook live feeds we've grown accustomed to cannot be guaranteed. Cold air zaps batteries faster than lighting, and who has the time or ability to keep their fingers exposed long enough to even press "start"?! That being said, the Kusko crew do their best to give us a looksee into the start, fireworks, and finish. So, how can race fans follow along when a race doesn't have Iditarod Insider like coverage?
Official Website
The Kusko's website is pretty slick. You can follow all of the races, fundraising and news from their site. It's easy to navigate and they have great musher bios. Be sure to check it out.
GPS Tracker
Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (I blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. You can follow the trackers here, but they won't go live until closer to go time on Friday.
Radio Broadcast
KYUK Radio will broadcast the start which begins at 6:30pm (start listening at 6pm for pre-race info). You can listen to the broadcast online through this link.
Social Media
Updates will most likely be posted on the race's facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. Photo updates should come from Instagram. They typically try to have a facebook live feed. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.
KYUK is also plans to post updates on their facebook page, including facebook interviews with the mushers from the last week or so.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, January 26
Vet Checks
Thursday, January 27
Vet Checks
Covid Tests are due
5pm - Musher Meeting
6pm - Bib Draw (they plan to livestream)
Friday, January 28
6:30pm - 2020 Kuskokwim 300 START
7:15pm - "The Lead Dog Light Show" presented by First National Bank Alaska
Saturday, January 29
2pm - Akiak Dash Mass Start
Monday, January 30
8pm - Musher Banquet (closed to public, planned livestream)
Comment below with any thoughts about who you think are favored to win. If you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).
