2009 Knik 200

The Knik 200-Joe Redington Sr. Memorial Sled Dog Race was founded by Sally Welch of Eagle River, Alaska. The Knik 200 was and continues to be a valuable training race for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It is held each year on the first weekend in January. Race starts at Knik Lake, mile 13, Knik Goose Bay Rd.

The Knik 200 is a limited class race for all Dog Mushers meeting the qualifications as set forth by the Knik 200 Race committee. The Knik 200 covers 200 miles and is an Iditarod sanctioned race.

This years race will have a 40 team limit... and as of 12/29/08 40 teams were signed up!

2008 Gin Gin 200

The 2008 Gin Gin 200 coverage at the Northern Light Media Journal (multiple posts on the race).

Gin Gin 200

2008 Gin Gin race poster

The Gin Gin 200 is a 200 mile race along the snow-packed Denali Highway from Paxon Lodge to MacLaren River Lodge and back. The race site explains the name of the race:

The Gin Gin 200 is named after a remarkable dog who dominated a dog kennel for over 10 years. She was an inspiration both on the trail and in the dog yard. She was a dog with unswerving loyalty and stubbornness. She did not know” quit”. Her ability, drive and attitude should serve as an example to dog drivers everywhere.

Relevant links include general Race Information and Rules, the Mushers entered, and the Race Blog.

Jodi Bailey wins Two Rivers Solstice 100

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported that Chatanika musher Jodi Bailey won the Two Rivers Dog Mushers Solstice 100 from Pleasant Valley Store to Angel Creek Lodge and back this past weekend, edging out Iditarod and Yukon Quest champion Lance Mackey by a mere two minutes. In the 2007 Gin-Gin 200, Bailey won the women’s division with the fastest overall time, finishing 20 minutes ahead of Lance Mackey’s winning time in the men’s division. Next weekend Bailey and Mackey are poised to duel it out yet again at the 2008 Gin-Gin 200 from Paxon Lodge to MacLaren River and return.

Musher's Tales: Sheep Mountain 150 Part 3

Jamaican musher Newton Marshall's blogger Susie Rogan had an interesting update and perspective on the Sheep Mountain 150:

It was like Sundance Film Festival of dog racing with mushers such as Jeff King (4 time Iditarod winner), Ken Anderson, Sebastian Schnuelle, Gerry Willomietzer, DeeDee Jonrowe (second place Iditarod), Aily Zirkle (1st place Yukon Quest), and Hans of course (3 times first place Yukon Quest and champion of many other races), etc. etc. Many were running this as a first race of the season, being careful and checking out their dogs under race conditions. The race could have been a lot more competitive if these people were giving it all they had, but they were preserving their teams for bigger races later in the season.

Also a great note about Newton's race effort:

Newton also could definately have gone a lot faster but instead ran a perfect race and finished with all his dogs in great shape. The race vet approached me and said, "In case I don't get a chance to talk to Hans and Newton, would you pass on to them that Newton looked extremely good out there. Very professional. He had his check point routine down almost perfectly. You could tell he was having to think, but he didn't miss a thing."

Mush, Mon!

Northern Light Media Journal

The Northern Light Media Journal site has been updated for the 2008-2009 racing season, and the new site starts out with a three-part slideshow of the Sheep Mountain 150, featuring many photos of the mushers and their teams in the starting chute which have not appeared on other sites.

Musher's Tales: Sheep Mountain 150 Part 2

Continuing the reports from Sheep Mountain mushers, Colleen (Cole) Robertia's blog has a lengthy entry detailing her adventures on the trail, including losing her brake and getting off the trail, then getting badly bitten by an entangled dog from another team:

Cole finished 13th out of the 50 mushers that started the event, which exceeded our own expectations given the talented field. Our goal was to place between 10 and 20th position, and we had expected to come in around 18th, so 13th place was a great feeling of accomplishment. Overall, the weather and course were pretty favorable. The highs were around minus 5 most of the time, and the mercury dipped to near minus 20 during the night leg of the race, which is almost perfect for the dogs to run in. In addition the full moon was out, so the night leg was well lit, and there must have been some sort of meteor shower that night too, because there were a million shooting stars.

Sebastian Schnuelle's Blue Kennels had five teams entered in the race, and his blog has a handful of Sheep Mountain-related entries:

With Sebastian there is also Ray Edwards and Mark Sleightholme at the Startline of the Sheep Mountain. The Sheep Mountain is a race over 150 miles (240 km) passing awesome landscapes. A beautiful day for the start of the 4th annual Sheep Mountain 150. Sunshine and a light wind helped the record 47 mushers get on down the trail today. Temperatures loomed between 5 above and minus 20°F (-15 to -30°C), depending on where you were standing.

And Jeff King reported from his Husky Homestead near Denali Park:

Just got back from a weekend mushing my rookie run of the Sheep Mountain 150. Boy do Zack and Anjanette Steer know how to put on a dog race! Extremely well organized, great trail, awesome weather, full moon, shooting stars and hot babes table-dancing in the bar. What more could a musher want? Our second year star handler Dave DeCaro also ran a team of 2 year olds in their first ever race ~ and fun was had by all.