Northwest Arctic welcomes Iron Dog 2020
http://www.thearcticsounder.com/article/2007northwest_arctic_welcomes_iron_dog_2020
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She said that’s especially true for the kids, who have spent the morning out in town waiting for more teams to come in. It’s a special moment for them, getting to see racers use standard issue village equipment to do extraordinary things.
“We’ve been gifted with a couple local teams (from the Northwest Arctic and Bering Straits) and I think, as this gains some years under its belt, some of our local boys here in southcentral and Interior are going to get their clocks cleaned by some of those rural folks because they are truly weaned on snow machines,” he said. “Here, it’s a pastime and a hobby, but up there, it’s a way of life. They are raised on snowmachines and simply, the familiarity they have from when they can walk is a true advantage for racing.”
The local pro class teams are Kotzebue’s own #34, comprising veteran racer Christopher Collins and rookie Jesse Crumbley, racing Ski-Doos, and Nome’s team #36, with veteran James Tre West III and rookie Daniel Stang, also racing Ski-Doos. Rec class team #68 included Kotzebue’s James Sears and Nathan Sheets, of Fairbanks.
Woodbury hopes having the Iron Dog travel through more rural communities will encourage more participation and rural entry in the years to come.
“I bet you in a couple of years, we’re going to have 10 teams from that region. I hope so,” said Woodbury. “We need to increase our rural involvement and those guys up there are good. Never underestimate someone who rides (a snowmachine) to school.”
Not only does the route shakeup make for a more exciting course for racers, it’s also a boon for the local communities.
“We sold 400 gallons of gas to the Iron Dog and it’s a positive event for the community to come together for,” said Kiana City Administrator Ely Cyrus.
The first racer into Kiana arrived in the wee hours and was greeted by a few early birds. The second saw a crowd of about 40 people who came out to watch, he said.
It’s been a group effort to get the village ready to have the teams in town.
“The city is donating housing and space at the heavy equipment shop if needed and myself, Larry Westlake Sr. and Brad Reich and Robert Atoruk are coordinating fueling and oiling and keeping track of racers times at the checkpoint,” Cyrus said. “We also had the trails staked into and out of town.”
In Kotzebue, local volunteers headed out onto the trail Sunday morning to check the conditions and make sure it was adequately staked for the larger group of pro teams due to arrive over the next day or so.
In this way and others, the Kotzebue Loop through the Northwest Arctic is part of a larger plan to reinvigorate the race, said Woodbury. It also returns the Iron Dog to its prior standing as the longest snowmachine race in the world.