Thursday, April 7, 2022
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
2022 Kobuk 440 Race Preview
Teams flew out earlier this week and have taken some training runs out of Kotzebue. The race will start and end in the Western Alaska Hub and will visit the villages of Noorvik, Selawik, Ambler, Shungnak, Kobuk, and Kiana. The purse this year is $60,000.00 to be divided up for the top teams (but the race hasn't given a breakdown). There is mandatory total of 20 hours rest for this race to be taken in the checkpoints. With the start being a mass start (as in all teams leave at the same time) there is no need to do a time differential.
There are fourteen teams ready to hit the trail, so let's take a few minutes and preview those that should challenge for first, and then look at ways to follow the race. And, as always, 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).
Jeff King - King is running a hybrid team of dogs from his Husky Homestead and Nic Petit's team. Jeff was apparently very taken with the speed and athleticsm of Nic's dogs that he asked to take a few on the Kobuk and Nic agreed. It's unclear if Jeff is just going to have fun or if he's running to be competitive. Time will tell, but, if the race has good weather and nicely set trails I expect Jeff to push his team to be as competitive as possible.
Jessie Holmes - Holmes just finished the Iditarod in third place behind Brent Sass and Dallas Seavey, it may be time to consider him a real contender in the sport. Holmes likes to start and finish fast, and that really works well in mid-distance races. It will be interesting to see what his team has left in it from last month's Iditarod, but expect Jessie to stick right up near the front.
Richie Diehl - The 6th place finisher of Iditarod 50 is also the 2020 Kusko Champion. Don't expect Richie to sit back and relax in this race. He is a musher from the West Coast of Alaska (though, further south in Aniak) and so his team should be able to handle the winds, ground storms, and all that the Alaskan coast likes to throw at these teams in the spring.
Ryan Redington - Redington is the 2021 Kobuk champion and is looking to repeat. Last year an insane storm made for an interesting finish with differentials and restarts and lots of mushing math. This year the musher is no doubt hoping for a more straightforward end to his race. And hopefully he will for sure be the first to cross the finishline.
Dark Horse: Hugh Neff - Neff's Iditarod was cut short and I won't rehash that all now. Needless to say it will be interesting to see how Hugh plays this one out. Don't be surprised if he pushes hard and fast the whole way. That's a little safer for mid-distance races than it is for a 900+ mile race. Neff will once again be running dogs out of Jim Lanier's Northern Whites Kennel. I'm guessing he'll want to make a top placement to win money for his kennel rebuild.
There are nine other capable teams running the Kobuk and as we all know, anything is possible in this race. It'll be a fun one this weekend!
How to Watch
Unlike what we just had with Iditarod (if you paid for Insider), the Kobuk like most of the mid-distance races relies more on social media posts and radio updates than they do video. Depending on weather and internet connection there may be live video of the start and finish, but with temps hitting below zero plus windchill bringing temps even lower we could see a frozen feed (pun not truly intended). Still, there are ways to keep up with the race happenings, so let's make sure we have all of the links you need.
Official Website - You can find the rules, links to all ways of following the race, and the history of the Kobuk 440 here. Musher bios are also available. The official website may have links to live feeds, so also keep a look out for that. Click here for the link.
GPS Tracker - We're all attached to this bit of technology. If you wonder where the term "tracky boi" came from, you can thank the Kobuk 440. Their social media team were the first to coin the phrase... the phrase that sets some fans' teeth on edge, but it's becoming more endearing each year. Once again, you can follow the race thanks to TrackLeaders (link is not yet live). Beep-boop-beep.
Radio Broadcast - Race updates throughout the weekend will be broadcast over on KOTZ-AM. They have a livestream. They may broadcast the start, but it's unclear. Click here to listen in.
Social Media - This is where it's at. The most entertaining race has to be the Kobuk 440 for their amazing social media team. The volunteers know how to get and keep your attention. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter where they are most active as well as Instagram. KOTZ-AM also has a Facebook page that should share some race info throughout the weekend.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, April 7
12:30pm - Race Start
Monday, April 11
5pm - Musher Meeting
6pm - Awards Ceremony
Got any predictions? Who are you cheering for? Comment below!
*Edit April 7, 2022 - map link went live this morning. Added link.
Thursday, March 31, 2022
2022 Kobuk 440 Musher Roster
Mushers:
Cim Smyth (Perserverance Springs Farm) - Facebook
D.J. Starr (Dakli Flats Kennel) - Facebook
Deke Naaktgeboren (Nautique Sky Kennel) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Dempsey Woods Sr. (Miss Haley Kennels) - Facebook
Ebbe Winstrup Pedersen (Sivo Racing Kennel) - Facebook
Eddie Burke Jr. (Alaskan Wildstyle Racing) - Facebook / Instagram
Hugh Neff (Northern Whites Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Jeff King (Husky Homestead Kennel) - Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Jessie Holmes (Team Can't Stop) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Jim Bourquin (Orion Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Kevin Hansen (Hansen Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Martin Early (Husky Homestead Kennel) - Kennel Facebook / Instagram
Miriam Osredkar (Racing Beringia Kennel?) - Facebook
Richie Diehl (Real Diehl Racing) - Facebook
Ryan Redington (Redington Mushing) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
*Cim Smyth has withdrawn from the Kobuk (April 5, 2022).
Who are you cheering for? Predictions for who will cross the finish line first? Comment below!
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Final mushers are into Nome
The Final Four have made it to Nome! After what seemed like the most dramatic finish ever for the back of the pack, the Final Four made quick time into the finish. An always bittersweet moment as we celebrate the final teams crossing the finish line and watching the final team extinguish the Widow's Lamp because we know this means no more Iditarod for a whole year. Still, the accomplishment will be celebrated and to top it off ALL TEAMS ARE OFF THE TRAIL in time for the Finisher's Banquet on Sunday!
First in of the Final Four was Eric Kelly at 9:11pm followed a few minutes later at 9:49pm by Kailyn Davis. Then it was over an hours wait before Yuka Honda came charging into the chute. Red Lantern followed soon after as Apayauq Reitan completed her journey once again on the Iditarod Trail.
With the extinguishing of the Lantern signifying all teams were off the trail, the 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially came to a close.
Forty-Nine teams started the race in Anchorage/Willow. Of those were thirteen rookies, and thirty six veterans. There were Americans, a Swede, a South African. The first transgender woman completed the race this year. They battled deep snow, no snow, overflow, and insane winds. Though this race may not have looked like the races of old with its NASCAR like speeds, technology, and-well-sponsor logos everywhere you turn... over all I think ol' Joe Senior would be proud to see his race continue for so long after him (over twenty years without our Joe).
Thirty seven mushers completed Iditarod 50.
Tomorrow night is the Finisher's Banquet where stories will be shared, they'll all say never again... but come summer they'll all place their names in the ring (so to speak) once again to run the Last Great Race On Earth. This one was for Joe, they may call it the Iditarod Trail but it's truly Redington's Run.
Borges, Deeters scratch from Iditarod 50
We finally have confirmation of what many believed would be the case hours ago. Jeff Deeter and rookies KattiJo Deeter and Sebastien Dos Santos Borges have scratched from Iditarod 50. The three received Search and Rescue assistance to get to the shelter cabin last night and that is considered outside assistance. There's no doubt that the mushers all knew what the help would ultimately mean, still it's a sad end to their race.
You can read the Iditarod's press release in full:
"Iditarod mushers Sebastien Dos Santos Borges, KattiJo Deeter and Jeff Deeter scratch between White Mountain and Safety checkpoints
Anchorage, Alaska –– Iditarod mushers Sebastien Dos Santos Borges (bib #44, rookie), KattiJo Deeter (bib #19, rookie) and Jeff Deeter (bib #34, veteran) have scratched from the Iditarod between the checkpoints of White Mountain and Safety.
In the late evening on March 18, 2022, Iditarod Race Marshal Mark Nordman was notified that all three teams had accepted assistance between the checkpoints of White Mountain and Safety. Due to the ground storm and high winds, all three teams received snowmachine assistance by White Mountain search and rescue to the Nome Kennel Club shelter cabin, where they stayed until improved weather conditions allowed for Iditarod volunteers to assist with transporting the mushers and their teams to Nome.
The mushers have been in direct communication with the race marshal while at the shelter cabin and the race teams are reportedly in good health. Upon arrival in Nome, the race teams will be given a full veterinary check."
Borges' facebook page confirmed the scratch, as well, as say that once the musher returns to Nome the focus will go fully towards finding missing dog Leon in Ruby. So far Black Spruce Kennel's social media remain silent on the scratch. I'm sure once the mushers and their teams are safely into Nome and better rested/recovered we'll get more of the story.
This leaves the Final Four out on the trail. Two are nearing the checkpoint of Safety, while the other two are coming up on the shelter cabin. All look to be on schedule to come into Nome before the musher banquet Sunday evening.
Kailyn Davis first to leave White Mountain
Iditarod Rookie Kailyn Davis popped the snowhook at 10:50am Alaska Time on Saturday to head out on the final 77 miles to Nome. The musher and her team of eight dogs will soon enter the treacherous trail in the Topkok Hills. Just yesterday this section of trail claimed three mushers - forcing scratches and a couple trips to the medical clinic. Today the weather has improved - winds aren't quite as strong - and race officials have deemed the trail safe to travel.
During yesterday's drama of scratches and stalls, those mushers already in Nome spoke on trail conditions. Both hardened trail veterans and past Iditarod Champions Mitch Seavey and Martin Buser (both of whom had puppy teams out in the storm - and would end up scratching by day's end) noted that the trail in the Topkok Hills had been the worst they remember seeing. No snow, just thick ice and wind gusts so strong they easily picked up a sled and dog team and threw them about the trail. With no way to pick in on the trail due to the ice the teams were at the mercy of it all.
In an interview/trail update given last night to Insider, Mark Nordman described the trail as the "worst possible conditions" and noted that teams currently in White Mountain would stay in White Mountain until he was assured they would be safe out on the trail. That basically meant until the winds died down (they were to reach 60mph overnight) everyone in the checkpoint was in stay put mode. That was lifted around 9:30am this morning.
It won't be long until she comes to the area that it all went wrong for teams yesterday. We're about to know if the trail truly has improved.
Teams in White Mountain prepare to leave
The final four are currently in the checkpoint of White Mountain packing up and prepping their teams to head back out on the trail. The teams have been held longer than their mandatory 8 as race officials determined when weather and trail conditions had improved enough to safely send teams down the trail. The mushers got the go ahead about an hour ago, and are taking their time making sure everything is set with their dogs and sleds before they head out.
Jeff and KattiJo Deeter and Sebastian Dos Santos Borges remain at the shelter cabin between White Mountain and Safety. The cabin provides shelter from the wind as well as a wood stove and the cabin was well stocked with firewood. After a harrowing 24 hours, you can't blame them wanting to take it easy. Perhaps they are also getting set to head out, just waiting to hear how Riley Dyche's run to Nome went. We won't know until someone contacts the outside world - or until they finish their race and tell their stories.
Speaking of Riley Dyche, he finished Iditarod at 10:30am Alaska time this morning after more than 35 hours after he left White Mountain. Talk about a crazy finish!
Riley Dyche on his way to Nome
The first to stop during yesterday's windstorm looks to be the first one to make it to Nome. Riley Dyche ran in the early morning hours, making it to the checkpoint of Safety just before 8am Alaska time. Dyche is now climbing his final mountain of Iditarod 50 and it will hopefully be a straight shot and easy ride from there on out.
Winds have died down a bit in Nome and Safety, but look to have picked up in White Mountain. Dyche's shelter cabin buddies are all still hunkered at the shelter, and it's anyone's guess when they decide to make their move. The three teams sat for most of Friday in the Topkok Hills in the wind and it could be that they need a little more time to recover from their ordeal. As we know, three teams scratched yesterday in the Topkok Hills. Gerhardt Thiart and Bridgett Watkins scratched due to injury, and Sean Williams tapped out several hours later deciding that with the winds set to pick up to a reported 60mph he did not want to risk injury or worse. All three are reportedly doing well and all of their dogs are happy and healthy in White Mountain (dogs do so much better in this stuff).
The four teams that made their way to White Mountain are still there even after completing their mandatory 8 hour rest. Mark Nordman announced last night that no teams would be allowed to continue until the race determined trail and weather conditions were safe to do so. At this time, winds are keeping everyone settled.
This may be the first time in a long while that the red lantern doesn't come in until after the banquet starts on Sunday.
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