The 2014 Copper Basin has once again being won by Allen Moore from SP Kennels from Fairbanks Alaska. He sure had to put up a fight, as “ Quick Nic “ Nicolas Petit gave Allen a run for his money. A mere 7 minutes separated the two top teams. Having raced against Allen myself in the Copper Basin with the same result of coming in 2nd behind him, I know all too well the sight of Allen ski-poling like “ a spider “ and surging strong in the late part of the race. Nic sure was not giving up all the way to the finish line, as he shaved a few minutes of Allen run time during the final miles. Quite the race.
The Copper Basin like most mid and long distance races is a game of patience. Nicolas had a much better starting number than Allen and was able to gain a sizeable lead during the first run. If Allen would have given chase too early, specially on a punchy trail, he would have diminished his chances to catch Nicolas at all. As in the past, Allen was patient enough and than kept on chipping away on Petits lead 10 to 15 minutes at a time during each run.
With only 18 hrs of total rest on the 300 plus miles this years Copper Basin, with the extended loop to Crosswind Lake, long rest breaks were a true luxury. Allen has traditionally taken one of the longest rests in the first checkpoint in Chistochina, and he did so again with 5hrs as opposed to 4 to 4.5 hrs of most other mushers. That kept his speed up, but also meant that during the last 3rd of the race, his breaks would continue to get shorter, all the way to a mere 30 minute quick stop during the second passing in Tolsona, enough to check booties, snack the dogs and than keep on going. Here I link to a short video, I had hoped to embed in the post,
Yukon based Iditrod Musher Gerry Willomitzer who finished 2nd behind Moore last year is 3rd and followed by Ben Harper currently in 4th place. Ben Harper might not be a household name in Iditarod Mushing ( yet ), but the team he is running sure is. Ben is running dogs from Ray Redington. Ben is currently on the way to the finish line as I write this. It sure is nice to see some “ new names “ placing high in such a top event like the Copper Basin.
As each year, the Copper Basin has also claimed quite a few mushers hopes, and that includes many experienced mushers. The tally as of right now sits at 11 of 43 mushers having scratched. Iditarod musher Michelle Philips and her partner Ed Hopkins both drove a long way, but decided to call it quits in Sourdough. Iditarod Rookie of the Year 2004 Hugh Neff´s name also appeared on the scratch list together with his kennel partner Nicole Faille. Hugh had taken a break from Iditarod in 2013 to race in Norway, but he is scheduled to be back at the starting line in Anchorage in March.
Iditarod Musher Brent Sass who led the race part of the way , not by standings, but by being the first team on the trail after Sourdough, and who opted to take his 6 hr mandatory break later in the race, has dropped in the standings and the number of dogs in his team shrank to just 6 dogs. In contrast: Travis Beals from Seward Alaska has a full slate of 12 dogs. Travis is a young musher calling Seward his hometown and sure is putting on a very nice race. The Copper Basin is far from being over. Some mushers have are little more than half way, with just leaving Sourdough or even resting in Sourdough. For the Copper Basin, same as for Iditarod, it is not uncommon that some mushers are not back in time for the Finishing Banquet. And for some mushers on the trail, there is a lot on the line with wanting to finish and thus completing their Iditarod qualifying requirements like Gwen Bogart running a team of Jason Mackey or John King piloting a team of Hans Gatt.
Congratulations to Copper Basin 2014 Champion Allen Moore of SP Kennels. Well done, Once again!
Happy trails Sebastian, picture and video by Helen Hegener and Bonnie Foster
