After the fast finishes of the leaders early this morning, teams continued arriving steadily in Carmacks throughout the day. Sometimes it seemed like the air horn that marked a racer crossing the time line was blaring out every five minutes, as the boats piled up in the staging area. Soon the Coal Mine Campground that hosts the checkpoint was scattered with exhausted racers: some sunburnt, some limping, some still waiting their turn for a shower.
Although the back half of the race was canceled due to the wildfires that continue to burn around Dawson City, the front half was blessed with nearly perfect weather, and it showed in the results. Historically, race marshall Deb Bartlette noted, up to 25 or even 30 percent of the field has tended to withdraw before reaching Carmacks. In the past several years, according to deputy race marshall Chris Prince, that number has ticked down closer to 10 or 12 percent. Today, only two more withdrawals – teams #57 Winging It and #106 Kayla Mintz – were added to yesterday’s three. That means 85 out of the 90 teams that began the race in Whitehorse on Wednesday morning, or 94 percent, were able to finish within the time limits on Thursday evening.
That’s the data. How about the finish-line feelings?
Photo by Mark Kelly Photography
Watching two stand-up paddleboarders who’d supported each other through the long hours of the race, #90 Alex Joseph and #94 Wuzsup, paddling in together near the back of the pack, even going so far as to link arms so that they crossed the finish line at exactly the same moment, was something special.
And it was wonderful to see support crews, volunteers, and still-recovering racers line the riverbank to cheer our Red Lantern in, too. #62 Carter Powis, in a solo kayak, was our final paddler on the river. He arrived with one hour and a few minutes to spare before the time cut-off, and looked calm and collected as his boat slid up alongside the Carmacks dock. “Don’t worry,” he told the volunteers who reached out to help him up, “I’m not going to collapse.”
On Friday morning, racers will enjoy an awards breakfast in Carmacks. We’ll celebrate the podium winners for each class and division, as well as our annual special awards. Stay tuned for over the weekend for more photos and videos, and one more race recap!