Trail Takes Toll On Iron Dog Teams On Route To Nome

Author: Coach Dan Gensel |
Thirteen Iron Dog teams have scratched from the 2020 running of the Iron Dog snowmachine race as the new course for 2020 takes its toll in the self-proclaimed world’s  longest, toughest snowmachine race.  Nearly half of the pro-class field has dropped-out of the Iron Dog with only 16 teams reaching Nome intact from a starting group of 29, two-person teams.

Tyler Aklestad of Palmer and Nick Olstad of Wasilla (team 7) were first to reach Nome on Tuesday afternoon at 16:27:35, completing the run from Fairbanks to Nome in 24 hours, 40 minutes and 23 seconds.  The first leg included a loop of nearly 400 miles which took teams through Kotzebue.  A mandatory layover in Kotzebue and a restart on Tuesday morning with Aklestad and Olstad were the first to leave Kotzebue.

 

Team 19 of Soldotna’s Travis Temple and David Spain of Wasilla reached Nome on Tuesday night clocking-in at 22:32:45, recording a course time of 39 hours, 59 minutes and 1 second.  Temple/ Spain was the thirteenth team to reach Nome.

Nome is the midway point of the race across where racers take a mandatory layover to repair their machines, attend a Wednesday evening banquet and rest up for the final half of race.

The Iron Dog is racing the course in reverse for 2020 with the start in Fairbanks and the finish scheduled for Saturday at Big Lake.

Author: Coach Dan Gensel

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