**Day 7 Update**
(scroll down at the link to see ‘update’ & associated videos: https://www.thealaskalife.com/blog/2017-iron-dog-day-7-coverage/ )
Iron Dog race officials have released a statement as to help clarify the decision making process after Team 8 had been disqualified, and from their perspective, it is fairly cut and dried. Our Iron Dog Oracle was at the finish line in Fairbanks and has reported that “Most of the people that I spoke to at the finish line understand why the decision to DQ Team 8 was made. They don’t like it, but the do agree with it. ” The online community of spectators and individuals following the race do seem divided on the issue, with some calling the ruling a disgrace and on the other end acknowledge that if a rule was broken, and that a disqualification is the penalty, then the ruling must be followed.
What do the racers think? I spoke with Kyle Conner, who has raced in the Pro-Class of the Iron Dog four times and he said that ‘The cool thing about Tanana is that all the racers are in one big room at the checkpoint, so you know everyone is talking about this, and discussing the decision’. A photo on social media has cropped up which is a petition written and signed by all the racers stating their disapproval of the disqualification, which could speak volumes as to future rulebook changes, tweaks, or clarification. A video from Rebecca Charles, below, at the finish line is the interview with Tyson Johnson regarding this petition
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With Team 8 officially out of the running, Team 41 was scheduled to leave Tanana at 8am. In what seems to have been a declaration of rider unity, the two teams left Tanana and rode nearly the entire last portion of the race as a group.
Team 41 and Team 8 raced toward Fairbanks from Tanana until roughly 10 miles from the finish line. The first three sleds went across an ice shelf in the river and the third sled broke through the ice, which was ridden by Tyson Johnson of Team 8. His Ski-Doo slammed into the ice shelf and ripped the right front side of his sled off. Team 41 stopped and helped them get the sled out of the river and back on the trail. With Team 17 gaining on them rapidly, Cory David and Ryan Simons jumped back on their sleds and raced toward the finish to ensure that they didn’t lose their lead position in the race.
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Team 41 crossed the finish line in Fairbanks at 1:56:25pm. Ryan Simons has become the first person to claim the Iron Dog Championship that was not an Alaska resident.
Team 17 finished 1 minute 4 seconds later
Team 8 physically crossed the finish line in third, position, but were still officially disqualified
Team of Huss/Sottosanti have officially rounded out the podium of the 2017 Iron Dog crossing the finish line in Fairbanks at 3:09:02pm
Cory Davis is seen below in a post-race interview. You can clearly tell that Davis is hesitant to discuss the decision for multiple reasons, and gives his take on how they ran the race.
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The feeling at the finish line was that, ultimately, the racers and fans alike are now just glad that the race is over. Team 41 has been declared the winner. KTUU has reported that “Galena resident and longtime Iron Dog fan Peter Aloysius tells KTUU that he and his father have gone up and staged fuel for riders for many years, but it was the first time for the two spectators who pushed on the sleds. Aloysius continues, “Tyson and Tyler both noticed and asked them to stop. Which they did. Now the picture doesn’t do it justice for what all happened. A picture is a split second. These guys are professionals at this sport and are where they are by knowing and following the rules. They had no intentions of cheating as this gave them no possible benefit.”
Rebecca Charles released a video shown below of Tyler Aklestad of Team 8 at the finish line. See his response to the disqualification and what he hopes comes after the race has ended.
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Tyson Johnson also gives further explanation of what had happened and gives expanded clarification surrounding the photo in question
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The feeling of the racers and many of the spectators discussing the situation are firmly in the camp that there was some predisposed feeling that Team 8 was not running a clean race. Tyson Johnson gives us a bit more information on the history with the current race marshal and the feelings of what they may do if something doesn’t happen o change the outcome of the 2017 Iron Dog.
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