(Starting order at the end of this document)
Due to over a week of high temperatures in the mid to upper 40s F, the Open North American Championship Sleddog Race will start at the Alaska Dog Mushers' hall outside of Fairbanks instead of on Second Avenue in downtown Fairbanks. The race will also start at 11 am instead of 1 pm.
The length of each heat will be the same--20 miles the first two days and 30 miles the third. The course will provide more shade for the dogs, and will avoid deteriorating ice conditions on Noyes Slough off the Chena River.
This change was not made lightly by the ADMA race marshall and board of directors, but the safety of the dogs must take precedence.
The Daily News-Miner reported today that this is only the second
time since the race start was moved to Second Avenue in the 70s that it has not been able
to start there.
First day starting order (from the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner):
1. Curtis Erhart, Fairbanks
2. Ross Saunderson, Fort St. John, BC
3. Asbjorn Erdal-Aase, Norway
4. Zev Chochinov, Depmster, BC
5. Jim Harvey, Camrose, Alberta
6. Kathy Frost, Fairbanks
7. Heini Winter, Germany
8. Neal Johnson, Roseau, MN
9. Dan Daigle, Salcha
10. Helmut Peer, Austria
11. Art Stoller
12. Amy Streeper, Osage, MN
13. Patricia Baer, Fairbanks
14. Axel Gasser, Two Rivers
15. Egil Ellis, Sweden
16. Stefan Bittl, Germany
17. Mari Wood, Anchorage
18. Jim Nolke, Salcha
19. Gerd Bittl, Germany
20. Suzanne Cremer, Germany
21. Ed Wood, Anchorage
22. Buddy Streeper, Fort Nelson, BC
23. Michi Konno, Japan
24. Bill Kommueller, Willow
Last updated: 03/19/98
Questions or comments: tftfm@uaf.edu