Sass battles extreme temperatures to win Copper Basin 300

Brent Sass and Lead Dogs at the finish of the
2022 Copper Basin 300. January 10, 2022
Screencapture from feed by Kale Casey Live.

42 teams originally signed up for the 2022 Copper Basin 300, by race week the roster dwindled to 25, by bib draw 21 teams made up the official roster. The weather played a huge factor into the roster changes. Many teams withdrew after a very difficult december full of storms dumping feet of snow - kennels spent all their time digging out, and unable to train properly. Other's withdrew once the forecast came out that the Copper Basin was looking at temps between -40F and -50F. 

The cold did not disappoint - mushers woke up to at least -40F on race day. Two teams ended up withdrawing just hours before the start due to trucks that seized up and refused to start in the extreme cold. Four-time and reigning Copper Basin Champion Nicolas Petit was the first to announce withdrawal because of a frozen dog truck. Rob Cooke's announcement would soon follow.

With the reigning champ out of the way, the race was wide open for another team to take the spot. Most believed Brent Sass to be the favorite. Living off grid in the interior, Brent's team was most capable to handle the weather being thrown at them. Jessie Holmes was another favorite for similar reasons, but the reality tv turned competitive musher ended up scratching midway through the race. Matt Hall, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, and Paige Drobny would prove they weren't willing to just hand Sass the win. The four teams led the race and came in with strong, happy dogs. 

Each team went into the Copper Basin hoping for a solid training run, every musher - scratched or finished - have said that while the cold was at time brutal they couldn't be more proud of their dogs. The Red Lantern went to the Shaytaan Siberian B-Team. While Rob Cooke was sidelined with truck problems, he got his second string to the start and allowed musher Giordano Tarara to continue with his first Copper Basin 300. Tarara did very well, even after having to drop several veteran dogs. He ran much of the race with more dogs running their first 300 mile race than he had veterans. Tarara wrote on his facebook page: "this race has taught me some things:

- That being able to take a shower again whenever you want is really beautiful

- That in a race the miles are fucking longer than the kilometers

- That if you have the strength to not give up, the results always come."

The Copper Basin proved itself to once again be the toughest 300 miles in Alaska. Congratulations to all of the teams who accomplished whatever it was they set out to do. On to the next race!