The White Mountain IX are to be congratulated not for surviving a harrowing storm run but for their patience and wisdom in sitting down during the storm. Once the winds and blizzard conditions abated, the IX were more than ready to cover the distance to Nome. Theirs were the speediest runs from White Mountain to Safety of the entire race. Was is because the dogs were so well rested, was it perfect conditions in the calm after the storm or were the dogs as excited as they were on the first night of the race heading from Willow to Yentna and Skwentna?
Whatever the reason, With 8 dogs in harness, Kevin Hansen went from White Mountain to Nome in 5 hours and 16 minutes with an average speed of 10.44 mph. Red Lantern guy Richie Beattie with 8 dogs in harness covered the distance in 6 hours and 3 minutes at a speed of 9.09 mph.
Kevin Hansen of Kotzebue, with eight dogs in harness, was the first musher of the WMIX to stand under the burled arch. He made his rookie run in 12 days, 3 hours and 37 minutes. He’s now a member of the Iditarod Official Finisher’s Club (IOFC) and will receive the coveted belt buckle. After arriving in WM on 3/18, Kevin spent 42 hours and 25 minutes on the beach of the Fish River waiting for the storm to blow itself out. In his arch interview Kevin said he was getting ready to leave after his 8 hour rest but thought his team could use a little more rest. At the same time the wind was building so he didn’t go. During the 42 hours he was getting really antsy. He fed the dogs a ton, walked them and worked with them. Hansen said the blow hole was pretty bad and we skated around on the wind swept icy trail but with all the power we had after resting for so long, we made it. Kevin reached Nome in 21st place. His time Safety to Nome was 2 hours and 46 minutes.
Sadie Lindquist behind a team of Mitch Seavey puppies, reached the arch in 12 days, 4 hours and 4 minutes with 9 dogs in harness. Sadie arrived in WM on 3/19 and spent 31 hours and 13 minutes before departing for Nome. She covered the distance to Safety in 5 hours and 50 minutes at an average speed of 9.43 mph. Under the arch, Sadie said she was really proud of the dogs, those who made it to Nome and those who went home early. They are all under two years old. She called the run tough but the adventure was awesome. The people were all so welcoming and the checkpoints were wonderful. Sadie reached Nome in 22nd place. Will she do it again? She responded, give me a couple of days to think on that. Her mushing career started with the unglamorous position of poop scooper aka handler for Mitch Seavey in Seward. Today, she completed her rookie run and earned the coveted finisher’s belt buckle.
Joey Sabin completed his rookie run in 23rd place with 12 dogs in harness. After spending 30 hours and 26 minutes in WM, Sabin made Nome in 12 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes. Behind a large well rested team, Joey made the run from WM to Safety in 5 hours and 54 minutes with an average speed of 9.32 miles an hour. His run time from Safety to Nome was 2 hours and 56 minutes. At the arch Joey said his favorite spot along the trail was the Blueberry Hills. Joey said Topkok wasn’t bad, we had had a lot of power. Rookie Joey Sabin is now a veteran of Iditarod. Sled dogs and running the Iditarod have been on his mind for a very long time. He became aware of Iditarod because his 1st and 4th grade teachers used Iditarod as a theme in the classroom. To read the story of how Sabin came to Iditarod through reading books and class projects go to Coming full Circle: From Dreams to Reality for Joey Sabin.
Celebrate the accomplishments of these three mushers of the WMIX. You’ll note that the fastest times from Safety to Nome are coming out of these very rested and powerful teams. However, the Fastest Time Safety to Nome goes to a musher in the top twenty. The conditions for the top twenty included a lot of wind from Safety into Nome. There were very few sub 3 hour runs but Jesse Terry in 14th place clocked a run of 2 hours and 56 minutes.
