January 14, 2006
7 miles, -14° F
Submitted by Amanda Byrd, Race Director

Seven very brave skijorers and their trusty canines headed to Wickersham Dome early on Saturday Morning for the start of the Alaska Skijor and Pulk Association Lees Cabin Race. The temperatures were in the -20’s in town, and out at the trailhead it was not much warmer, around -14F.  The aim of the race was to see who could get the best time racing 7 miles out to the cabin which had been warmed the previous night by ASPA volunteers Peggy Raybeck and Lisa Stuby.

The trails were in a nice condition in terms of snow, though the moguls on the trail made travel a little harder.  Birthday boy Andy Seitz, with Cheeks and Ed, and Jim Herriges running with Lena and Ole, headed out as the first two competitors in two minute intervals.  Along the trail they passed multiple times and ended up arriving at the cabin with just a 1 second between them, as Jim had made up the 2 minute difference.  Herriges arrived in 25:51 and Seitz in 27:50.

Susan Seitz, racing with Mabel and Yeller, not wanting to be left behind, bumped her husband Andy into third place and snuck into second place with a time of  27:14, followed by Steven Sheehy and Ahi and Blu (35:56), Kimberlee Beckman with Terri and Queenie (36:08), Iris Wood with Swimmer and Pluto (36:10).  David French rounded out the field with his golden retriever, Boone, in a time of 43:28.

Andy Seitz is leaving on Sunday night to compete in the Pirena Stage Race through the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain .  Seitz with travel with his dogs Ed, Cheeks and Yeller to represent the USA in the stage race held over 14 days with 10 days of racing.   The distances will range from 6km through to 48km.

A BIG thanks to Peggy Raybeck and Lisa Stuby for helping to make this event possible, as well as the seven very tough competitors.