Knik 200 Joe Redington Sr. Memorial Race

2014 started cold up north in the Greatland. Mushers were braving temperatures of 20 below F and colder while on their training runs.  With the start of the new year also came the start of the first 200 Miler, the Knik 200. Or better known as honoring the father of the Iditarod: Joe Redington Sr. Memorial Race. http://knik200sleddograce.com/

Of course there are active Redington Mushers in the lineup. Robert Redington and last years 5th place Iditarod Fisher Ray Redington Jr.  As usual Ray was found in the Top 10 position during the Knik, and currently as I write this he is headed for home which happens to be very close to the Finish line in Knik.

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Many more Iditarod Veterans, as well as some Iditarod hopefuls were in the Knik 200 Lineup. The impressive number of 51 teams assembled on Knik Lake, 41 of them for the 200 Mile run and 10 of them for the Knik 100. Both races had a waiting list. Notably Iditarod Champion Jeff King opted for running the Knik 100, the shorter version, where he claimed victory with a total time of 10hrs and 29 minutes, ahead of his so to speak neighbor Jayne Hempstead a local Cantwell Veterinarian, followed by Jane Adkins. Jeff though seemed to be a bit in a league of his own, with being more than 1.5 hrs faster than the 2nd and 3rd place teams.

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Now the cold temperatures which persisted at the start of the new year most definitely did not stick around for the Knik 200. Matter of fact, the Knik saw some of the same conditions encountered during last years Iditarod. Temperatures well above normal with around and even above freezing. Some light rain at times. Luckily mostly snow once the teams were closer to Eagle Quest lodge.  Mushers appreciate not having to put booties on 56 feet at 40 below. Dogs appreciate not having to run with dog coats and dog trucks will actually start ( most of them ) at the end of the race. I vividly remember coming back to my own truck frozen stiff in 30 below weather. 30 above makes life much easier.

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In any of these qualifying races the experience spectrum of the mushers entered varies greatly with the first 2 teams signed up no 1 Joar Leifseth Ulsom and no 2 Robert Forto clearly show.  Joar continues the Norwegian tradition of finishing well , as he finished 2nd behind 2014 Knik 200 Champion Rohn Buser. Rohn left as the first musher from the starting line and kept that position until the finish line. He thus also keeps up the strong showing of the Happy Trails Kennel. Not only has his father Martin won 4 Iditarods. Rohn is also a Kusko 300 Champion.  Busers like to go fast. And fast did Martin indeed to at the beginning of the 2013 Iditarod, with executing the remarkable strategy of running all the way to Rohn, with just shorter snack breaks, and than taking his 24 hr layover there. I had a hard time of keeping up with Martin on the snowmachine and not only did he run long, he had the fastest runtimes.

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In the long run that strategy did not serve him well as he started dropping in standings on the run along the Yukon River towards Kaltag. But, that does not mean that his strategy as such will not work. Last years Iditarod weather really could not have been much worse with temperatures going well into the 40th above… during the daytime, and Martin was forced to run into exactly these after leaving the Rohn checkpoint. It sure will be exiting to see, what Martin has in store for Iditarod 2014. But clearly he will not be the only musher trying to come up with something new and unorthodox.

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As I always like to look as numbers, my old saying: Numbers do not lie! It is interesting to look at the “ speed rank “ stats of the Knik. Joar had the fastest run from Yentna to back to Eagle Quest and Ken Anderson from Fox Alaska the second fastest. Finishing strong is a difficult feat. A fine line between giving the dogs a bit more rest and not let them run quite as hard as they might choose on their own, yet not falling back too far, that during the catch up run at the end, the other teams have moved to far ahead.  Ellen Donohue , Jeff Kings partner in crime rounded out the Top 3 of the 2014 Knik 200. She had also kept the 3rd fastest runtime from Eagle Quest to the Finish.

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Jake Berkowitz 4th, Ray Redington 5th, Ken Anderson 6th, Nic Petit 7th, Hugh Neff 8th, Paul Gebhardt 9th,  Travis Beals 10th.  It is not surprising to see many top 10 Iditarod contenders in these Top 10 Knik 200 standings. The race is long from being over, for those of you who like to follow along> http://knik200sleddograce.com/. Its time for me to hit the trail and enjoy some of the warm temperatures with an overnight camping trip. Next weekend sees the first 300 Miler of the season the Copper Basin 300. Quite a few teams have signed up for both races, as the best training for racing is racing.

 

Happy trails everybody

Sebastian, all photos by Bonnie Foster, many thanks!