Category — Yukon Quest

The Awards banquet was held on Saturday in Fairbanks where sixteen mushers received their finishing patches for completing the race. The top fifteen also received some prize money based on their finish.

Rob Cooke of Whitehorse, YT received a patch and the Red Lantern for being the final team to finish the race. Rob blamed himself for the result, saying he allowed the team to work too hard in the extreme cold at the start of the race.

In addition to the patch Damon Tedford of Vancouver, BC received the Rookie of the Year Award for being the first rookie to reach the finish.

Four time champion Lance Mackey of Fairbanks Alaska won the Challenge of the North Award and the Sportsmanship Award for bringing his team of two-year-olds into Fairbanks. He was also given an “Almost Red Lantern” by one of his handlers, after noting that the Red Lantern is the only award he had never won.

Brent Sass’s lead dogs, Basin and Sound won Golden Harnesses and steak dinners for their efforts.

Brent took home the winner’s purse, the Veterinarians Choice Award, and the Dawson City Award of four ounces of gold for the first musher to Dawson who finishes the race.

This morning finds Rob Cooke and the Siberians the final team on the trail with Kristin coming in at 12:33AM CST this morning. Rob is about 40 miles out pushing through the crisp, clear zero degree air bringing in the Red Lantern.

And the race ended at 2:13PM CST when Rob Cooke and the Siberians crossed the line in Fairbanks. 26 teams started, but only 16 finished the race [62%]. 364 puppies pulled out of Whitehorse, but only 157 made the entire trip [43%]. The biggest problem was the extreme cold in the first half of the race which was the primary cause of almost every injury among the puppies. Half of those teams that scratched had the entire 14 dog team still healthy and pulling.

The Current Standings at 3:00PM CST (12:00PM AKST):

Finish
1 Brent Sass (2) 2/17 1:52AM CST
2 Allen Moore (1) 2/17 3:06AM CST
3 Ed Hopkins (20) 2/17 11:02PM CST
4 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R 2/18 4:32AM CST
5 Hugh Neff (26) 2/18 6:11AM CST
6 Normand Casavant (3) 2/18 10:25AM CST
7 Jason Campeau (24)^R 2/18 4:43PM CST
8 Torsten Kohnert (14) 2/18 6:42PM CST
9 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R 2/18 9:44PM CST
10 Mike Ellis (22) 2/18 10:40PM CST
11 Dave Dalton (11) 2/19 2:43AM CST
12 Brian Wilmshurst (17) 2/19 5:24AM CST
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R 2/19 3:56PM CST
14 Lance Mackey (8) 2/19 8:23PM CST
15 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R 2/20 12:33AM CST
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ 2/20 2:13PM CST
[Read more →]

Dave and Brian made it in early this morning. Ryne, Lance, and Kristin are sleeping away their 8-hour mandatory stop at Two Rivers. The only ones working are Rob and the Siberians who have made their way over Eagle Summit and are almost to Mile 101 with the Red Lantern.

At noon CST Rob is resting at Mile 101 while Ryne and Lance are on their way to the finish from Two Rivers.

The final four teams are all on the trail at 3PM CST.

Ryne finished at around 4PM.

Rob is at the top of Rosebud and ready to descend at 5PM CST. Lance is about 30 miles from the finish with Kristin about 30 miles behind him.

Rob is at Two Rivers for the mandatory 8-hour stop and Lance has finished his race.

The Official Standings are currently messed up.

The Current Standings at 8:30PM CST (5:30PM AKST):

Finish
1 Brent Sass (2) 2/17 1:52AM CST
2 Allen Moore (1) 2/17 3:06AM CST
3 Ed Hopkins (20) 2/17 11:02PM CST
4 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R 2/18 4:32AM CST
5 Hugh Neff (26) 2/18 6:11AM CST
6 Normand Casavant (3) 2/18 10:25AM CST
7 Jason Campeau (24)^R 2/18 4:43PM CST
8 Torsten Kohnert (14) 2/18 6:42PM CST
9 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R 2/18 9:44PM CST
10 Mike Ellis (22) 2/18 10:40PM CST
11 Dave Dalton (11) 2/19 2:43AM CST
12 Brian Wilmshurst (17) 2/19 5:24AM CST
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R 2/19 3:56PM CST
14 Lance Mackey (8) 2/19 8:23PM CST
Beyond Two Rivers
15 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R
At Two Rivers
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ
[Read more →]

Damon Tedford had a very successful first attempt at the Quest, coming in fourth early this morning and Hugh’s 7 puppies brought him in a couple of hours later.

Rob Cooke’s Siberians with the Red Lantern are in Central.

Mike Ellis and his Siberians complete the top 10 finishers. He always has the most beautiful team in a race.

The Current Standings at 11:50PM CST (8:50PM AKST):

Finish
1 Brent Sass (2) 2/17 1:52AM CST
2 Allen Moore (1) 2/17 3:06AM CST
3 Ed Hopkins (20) 2/17 11:02PM CST
4 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R 2/18 4:32AM CST
5 Hugh Neff (26) 2/18 6:11AM CST
6 Normand Casavant (3) 2/18 10:25AM CST
7 Jason Campeau (24)^R 2/18 4:43PM CST
8 Torsten Kohnert (14) 2/18 6:42PM CST
9 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R 2/18 9:44PM CST
10 Mike Ellis (22) 2/18 10:40PM CST
Beyond Two Rivers
11 Dave Dalton (11)
12 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
At Two Rivers
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R
Beyond Mile 101
14 Lance Mackey (8)
15 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R
At Central
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ
[Read more →]

In the end is wasn’t close with Brent gaining an hour on Allen in the run to the finish at Fairbanks at 1:52AM CST with Allen coming in at 3:06AM.

Ed Hopkins made it in at 11:02PM CST.

Rob Cooke and the Red Lantern are now in Circle.

The Current Standings at 11:30PM CST (8:30PM AKST):

Finish
1 Brent Sass (2)
2 Allen Moore (1)
3 Ed Hopkins (20)
Beyond Two Rivers
4 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
5 Hugh Neff (26)
6 Normand Casavant (3)
Beyond Mile 101
7 Jason Campeau (24)^R
8 Torsten Kohnert (14)
9 Mike Ellis (22)
At Mile 101
10 Dave Dalton (11)
11 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R
12 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
At Central
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R
Beyond Circle
14 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R
15 Lance Mackey (8)
At Circle
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ
[Read more →]

Allen waited and made his move at Mile 101. It is going to be a sprint to the finish. Allen is bedding down at Two Rivers with Brent just outside.

Rob Cooke and the Red Lantern are resting at Trout Creek.

Update: The bad news for the finish is that Fairbanks is already at 21°F at 6AM AKST. The puppies are going to have to trade their jackets for sweat bands for the final 70+ miles. The teams have gone from the freezer to the oven in this race. (There has been an 80°F temperature differential from the start to the end, without considering wind chill.)

Update: Ed Hopkins seems to be stalled near the top of Eagle Summit only a few miles from Mile 101. Meanwhile Rob is about 50 miles out of Slavens.

Update: 11:15PM CST Allen and Brent are about 20 miles from the finish, while Rob Cooke is less than 10 miles from Slaven’s Roadhouse.

The Current Standings at 10:40PM CST (7:40PM AKST):

Beyond Two Rivers
1 Allen Moore (1)
2 Brent Sass (2)
Beyond Mile 101
3 Ed Hopkins (20)
At Mile 101
4 Hugh Neff (26)
Beyond Central
5 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
Beyond Circle
6 Normand Casavant (3)
7 Jason Campeau (24)^R
8 Torsten Kohnert (14)
9 Dave Dalton (11)
10 Mike Ellis (22)
11 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
12 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R
At Circle
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R
Beyond Eagle
14 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R
15 Lance Mackey (8)
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ
[Read more →]

Allen is closing on Brent on the way to Central. Allen tends to stick to his race plan for resting and running which seems to be working for his team. It is also easier for a team to chase than lead.

Hugh Neff has a tough call as he came in to Circle with 7 puppies pulling and 1 riding. The two big climbs, Eagle and Rosebud, are coming.

Rob Cooke and the Red Lantern are about 30 miles from Eagle.

Allen joined Brent at Central and Rob Cooke arrived at Eagle.

The Current Standings at 11:20PM CST (8:20PM AKST):

At Mile 101
1 Brent Sass (2)
Beyond Central
2 Allen Moore (1)
Beyond Circle
3 Ed Hopkins (20)
4 Hugh Neff (26)
At Circle
5 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
Beyond Eagle
6 Normand Casavant (3)
7 Torsten Kohnert (14)
8 Dave Dalton (11)
9 Mike Ellis (22)
10 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
11 Jason Campeau (24)^R
12 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R
13 Ryne Olson (16)^R
14 Kristin Knight Pace (12)^R
15 Lance Mackey (8)
At Eagle
16 Rob Cooke (21)Φ
[Read more →]

This morning Brent is in Circle which is 50 miles South of the Arctic Circle, not on the Circle as the founders believed. He reported that the river ice is really jumbled as a result of the warm temperatures in January followed by the recent hard freeze expansion. He has finished three-fourths of the race.

Magnus Feren Kaltenborn (23)^R scratched at Dawson. Joar Ulsom has returned to Eagle, but hasn’t made a decision yet. Lance is moving very slowly and taking long breaks which may just be the result of having a team of two-year-olds.

Joar has scratched. Rob Cooke is the only team left in the Yukon. He is resting at the 40-Mile Hospitality Stop.

Cody Strathe has returned to Eagle to think things over. In addition to the early frigid temperatures the jumble ice is apparently a major problem and there have been encounters with moose and caribou which view a team of sled dogs as a wolf pack.

Cody decided to scratch for ‘the good of the team’ and Rob Cooke is in Alaska.

The Current Standings at 10:00PM CST (8:00PM PST 7:00PM AKST):

Beyond Circle
1 Brent Sass (2)
At Circle
2 Allen Moore (1)
Beyond Eagle
3 Hugh Neff (26)
4 Ed Hopkins (20)
5 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
6 Normand Casavant (3)
7 Torsten Kohnert (14)
8 Dave Dalton (11)
9 Mike Ellis (22)
10 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
11 Jason Campeau (24)^R
At Eagle
12 Ryne Olson (16)^R
13 Nicholas Vanier (5)^R
[Read more →]

Brent and Allen convinced the Border Patrol that they weren’t entering the US to pick tomatoes and have left Eagle after the mandatory stop.

At the back of the race Magnus finally made it to Dawson this morning with the Red Lantern.

The Current Standings at 9:00PM CST (7:00PM PST 6:00PM AKST):

Beyond Eagle
1 Brent Sass (2)
2 Allen Moore (1)
3 Hugh Neff (26)
4 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (18)
5 Ed Hopkins (20)
Beyond Dawson
6 Cody Strathe (4)
7 Normand Casavant (3)
8 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
9 Torsten Kohnert (14)
10 Mike Ellis (22)
11 Brian Wilmshurst (17)
12 Dave Dalton (11)
13 Lance Mackey (8)
14 Ryne Olson (16)^R
15 Jason Campeau (24)^R
[Read more →]

This morning Brent is in Alaska and Allen is still in the Yukon about 20 miles behind according to the satellite tracking. The back of the pack is between Scroggie Creek and Dawson.

Update: Rolland Trowbridge (13)^R hit the panic button on his tracker and the Canadian Rangers were sent to locate the team. While musher and dogs are relatively healthy, they didn’t feel able to continue. The team will be escorted to Dawson.

Update: Iditarod veteran Ray Redington Jr (19)^R decided to scratch at Dawson. This wasn’t a surprise as he came into Dawson with only 8 dogs left on the team and 500 miles to go.

The Current Standings at 11:00PM CST (9:00PM PST 8:00PM AKST):

At Eagle
1 Brent Sass (2)
Beyond Dawson
2 Allen Moore (1)
3 Hugh Neff (26)
4 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (18)
5 Ed Hopkins (20)
6 Cody Strathe (4)
7 Normand Casavant (3)
8 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
At Dawson
9 Torsten Kohnert (14)
10 Mike Ellis (22)
[Read more →]

Brent can’t leave Dawson until after 5PM CST, but he has a 6-hour lead on Allen. Both of them arrived at Dawson without having to drop a dog, and the temperature is back to a more seasonable -15°F, a balmy day in this part of the world.

Brent dropped a dog at Dawson. There is no place to drop a dog between Dawson and Slaven’s Roadhouse because there are no roads near Eagle.

The Current Standings at 11:30PM CST (9:30PM PST):

Beyond Dawson
1 Brent Sass (2)
2 Allen Moore (1)
At Dawson
3 Hugh Neff (26)
4 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (18)
5 Ray Redington Jr (19)^R
6 Ed Hopkins (20)
7 Cody Strathe (4)
8 Normand Casavant (3)
9 Damon Alexander Tedford (7)^R
10 Torsten Kohnert (14)
Beyond Pelly Crossing
11 Lance Mackey (8)
12 Rolland Trowbridge (13)^R
[Read more →]

The Yukon Quest 300 ended at 10:03AM CST when Alexandra Rochat collected the Red Lantern, arriving 4 minutes after Peter Reuter. While the odd year version of the 300 is normally the easy course, the extremely cold temperatures on the trail made this year’s version brutal.

The Final Standings are:

1 Michelle Phillips (54)
2 Aliy Zirkle (55)
3 Alex Serdjukov (68)
4 Martine Le Levier (53)
5 Claudia Wickert (60)
6 Timofei Gynuntegin (51)
7 Kim Franklin (59)
8 Peter Reuter (65)
9 Alexandra Rochat (62) Φ

The tracker is showing Brent has a 20 mile lead over Allen and Hugh at about the 400-mile marker. The current temperature in Dawson is -40° which is the same for Fahrenheit or Centigrade with a warming trend forecast.

Update at 4:14PM CST: The tracker seems to show Jeff King headed back to Pelly Crossing, which would indicate he intends to scratch. He spent a lot of time at the rest stop, and may have concerns about his team and the long run to Dawson.

Update: Jeff did scratch. Jason Campeau (24)^R will have to spend an extra 8 hours in Dawson as a penalty for replacing a busted sled. The Quest has a one sled rule.

The Current Standings at 11:40PM CST (9:40PM PST):

At Dawson
1 Brent Sass (2)
2 Allen Moore (1)
Beyond Pelly Crossing
3 Hugh Neff (26)
4 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (18)
5 Cody Strathe (4)
6 Ray Redington Jr (19)^R
7 Ed Hopkins (20)
8 Lance Mackey (8)
9 Rolland Trowbridge (13)^R
10 Normand Casavant (3)
[Read more →]

Michelle never gave up her lead, having the faster team this year, and arrived about two hours ahead of Aliy.

The extreme cold is having an effect on teams and mushers. I did Arctic survival at -45°F and the world just gets strange. Things, like tires, that normally bounce, shatter. Human hair will break. Things just get strange and the dogs definitely don’t like it.

Two teams are now not being reported on, Olaf Thurau (56) and Gaetan Pierrard (64), with no indication as to what happened to them. I assume they scratched, but no one has officially said so.

The last two teams on the course are moving together back towards Pelly Crossing.

The Current Standings at 9:00PM CST (7:00PM PST):

Finished
1 Michelle Phillips (54)
2 Aliy Zirkle (55)
3 Alex Serdjukov (68)
4 Martine Le Levier (53)
5 Claudia Wickert (60)
6 Timofei Gynuntegin (51)
7 Kim Franklin (59)
Beyond Pelly Crossing
8 Alexandra Rochat (62)
9 Peter Reuter (65)