Birch Hill 2006
Story by Pat DeRuyter and Jim Herriges
Saturday, March 4, 2006
10° degrees F

Thirty skijorers enjoyed the warm day and wonderful trails in the 6th Annual Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association ’s Birch Hill Race.  The teams in the 9K and 13K events were competing for IFSS World Cup points.

In the Women’s 13K 2-dog event, Kriya Dunlap with Brahma and Zeus had the fastest time of the day at 26:40.  Second Place went to Cindy Salmon with Chinook and Sockeye at 29:46.  Amanda Byrd with Borat and Wanda came in third at 32:40.

In the Men’s 13K 2-dog event, Jim Herriges with Lily and Ole won with a time of 27:12.  Andy Seitz with Yeller and Ed were second at 27:36.  Greg Jurek with Tar and Thor came in third at 28:14.

The 13K event featured a mass start and Kriya Dunlap with Brahma and Zeus took the lead heading out of the stadium and Jim Herriges with Ole and Lily fell in behind them. Dunlap and Herriges, trading leads, gained a bit of a gap from the rest of the pack. However, Greg Jurek with Tar and Thor pulled close to them at about halfway through the race.  With neither team pulling real strongly while running next to each other, Herriges stopped his team briefly to give the stronger leading team of Dunlap’s a chance to run without distractions.  Her team indeed picked up speed and he was unable to catch back up, finishing 32 seconds behind Dunlap, but holding off the chasing teams of Jurek and Andy Seitz.  Seitz, who had a dog hold back at the start to avoid the commotion of the mass start, ended up passing several teams including Jurek’s to finish second in the men’s class.

In the Women’s 9K 1-dog event, Sue Seitz and Cheeks distanced themselves from the field with a time of 23:54.  Emily Berndardt with Sally came in second at 29:25 and Gail Davidson and Tobi finished third at 31:12.

In the Men’s 9K 1-dog event, Brian Charlton and Aspen posted the fastest 9K time of the day, beating Sus Seitz by one second at 23:53.  In a close race for second , Ted Wu with Ty edged Dan Carlson and Sky by five seconds finishing at 24:03 and 24:08, respectively.

In the 6K 1-dog class, first time competitor Gary Wright with Chester came in first with a time of 19:24.  Second went to Sara Tabbert and Rothko at 21:23.  Lisa Baraff and Hope were third at 21:59.

In the 6K 2-dog class, Peggy Raybeck with Carmen and Masey came in first with a time of 14:42.  Sara Elzey with Ayla and Cert edged Andy Warwick with Zip and Licorice for second with times of 15:17 and 15:23 respectively.

The 3 by 3K relay provided the challenge of requiring the competitors to stop part way through the course and perform a task.  The first competitors were required to put a bandana on their dog at the first stop and take it off the dog and give it to a volunteer at the second stop.  The second competitor stopped and put a dog bootie on his dog.  The third competitor was required to wear a hat he/she picked up at the first stop and put the team bandana on his/her dog at the second stop. 

The fastest first team member split was turned in by Mike Malvick and Mesa at 8:50.  Greg Jurek and Tar were second at 9:02 followed by David French and Smokey at 9:15.

The fastest second team member split was turned in by Andy Seitz and Yeller with a blistering 7:46.  Second was Sven Grage and Raffi at 9:31 and third was Andy Warwick  and Zip at 9:53.

The fastest anchor leg split was turned in by Brian Charlton and Aspen at 7:59.  Sue Seitz and Mabel were second at 8:25:  Ted Wu and Sky were third at 8:37.

In the team standings, the Goldstream Express team of Amanda Byrd (Andy), Andy Seitz (Yeller) and Sue Seitz (Mabel) had the winning time of 25:45.  Second place went to the Birch Hill Bandits team of Greg Jurek (Tar), Dan Carlson (Sky) and Ted Wu (Ty) with at time of 27:44.  Third place went to the Tough Call team of Mike Malvick, Gail Davidson and Cindy Salmon with a time of 28:19.

Thanks for the wonderful trails and facilities provided by the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks and the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Rec Department, Pat DeRuyter, Laura Thompson, Carol Davis, Lisa Stuby and Clarice Dukeminier for registration, starting, timing and relay help, Jim Herriges for race planning, set up and take down, and all the wonderful dog handlers, set up and clean up crew.

Place

Skijorer

Dogs

Time (min:sec)

6K 2-dogs  
1

Peggy Raybeck

Carmen, Masey

14:42

2

Sara Elzey

Ayla, Chert

15:17

3

Andy Warwick

Zip, Licorice

15:23

4

Don Kiely

Chance, Crowe

23:27

 

Carol Kleckner

Robin, Jazz

DQ

6K 2-dogs

1

Gary Wright

Chester

19:24

2

Sara Tabbert

Rothko

21:23

3

Lisa Baraff

Hope

21:59

4

Claudia Ihl

Ginger

28:01

5

Jim Altherr

Sophie

29:12

9K 1-dog Mens
1

Brian Charlton

Aspen

23:53

2

Ted Wu

Ty

24:03

3

Dan Carlson

Sky

24:08

4

Sven Grage

Reed

25:05

5

David French

Boone

31:08

9K 1-dog Womens  

1

Sue Seitz

Cheeks

23:54

2

Emily Berndardt

Sally

29:25

3

Gail Davidson

Tobi

31:12

4

Sarah Thornton

Raven

32:16

13K 2-dogs Mens  

1

Jim Herriges

Lily, Ole

27:12

2

Andy Seitz

Yeller, Ed

27:36

3

Greg Jurek

Tar, Thor

28:14

4

Matt Bray

Sullivan, Gilbert

35:20

5

Mike Malvick

Corky, Ingrid

37:08

6

Eric Breitenberger

Suka, Brio

38:12

13K 2-dogs Womens  

1

Kriya Dunlap

Brahma , Zeus

26:40

2

Cindy Salmon

Chinook, Sockeye

29:46

3

Amanda Byrd

Borat, Wanda

32:40

4

Carrie Mcenteer

Dreamer, Shy Guy

38.44

5

Brandy Berkbigler

Avril, Miley

40:17

3x 3K Relay

Place

Team Name

Skijorer

Dog

Split time
(min:sec)

Total Time
(min:sec)

1

Goldstream Express

Amanda Byrd

Andy

 9:34

25:45

Andy Seitz

Yeller

  7:46

Sue Seitz

Mabel

 8:25

2

Birch Hill Bandits

Greg Jurek

Tar

  9:02

27:44

Dan Carlson

Sky

10:05

Ted Wu

Ty

8:37

3

Tough Call

Mike Malvick

Mesa

 8:50

28:19 

Gail Davidson

Tobi

10:34

Cindy Salmon

Tex

8:55

4

Esteroids

Emily Bernhardt

Sally

11:23

29:15 

Andy Warwick

Zip

 9:53

Brian Charlton

Aspen

7:59

5

German Express

Laura Thompson

Reed

9:38

30:40

Sven Grage

Raffi

9:31

Florian Stasch

Razelle

11:31

6

One Brain Among Us

Carol Kleckner

Chanel

9:30

30:41

Don Kiely

Galena

12:20

Sara Elzey

Loon

8:51

7

Dead Weight

David French

Smokey

9:15

32:24

Claudia Ihl

Ginger

13:58

Peggy Raybeck

Charlie Brown

9:21

8

Turbo

Jim Altherr

Sophie

16:07

37:02

Sara Tabbert

Rothko

11:42

Jim Herriges

Ole

9:13