UAF West Ridge Race

By Brian Charlton, Race Director
Race Writeup: Kathleen Boyle

Sunday, February 28, 2016

The 2016 edition of the ASPA West Ridge Skijor Race was held under warm, partly cloudy skies. Race director and founder, Brian Charlton, welcomed nineteen teams to this years race. Racers who had participated in previous years were glad to be back as weather conditions forced the race to be canceled the last couple of years. This is the only time of the year that dogs are allowed on the UAF trails in winter and is one of ASPA’s most popular and fun races. Racers had three distances (9 mile, 4.5 mile, and 1 mile) and multiple classes (one, two, and three dog) to chose from.

In the 9-mile, 2 dog class, Aren Gunderson and his dogs Scoober and Hammer finished first in 0:39:51, followed by Mike Ruckhaus, with Sasha and Sniff, in 0:44:42.

In the 9 mile, 1 dog class, Lauren Frisch and her dog Daisy Tada! finished in 0:55:24.

In the 4.5 mile, 3 dog class, Sara Elzey and her dogs Sabrina, Kate, and Daria completed in 0:18:29.

In the 4.5 mile, 2 dog class, Sunnifa Deer, Clyde, and Moose finished first in 0:20:59. Placing second was Amanda Byrd, with Lira and Dylan, in 0:22:36. Nina Ruckhaus with Piggy and Weasel finished in third place in 0:23:23.

The 4.5 mile, 1 dog class was the largest class of the day with 10 teams. Placing first was Bruce Miller and Lilly in 0:22:29. Sara Tabbert and Dora were a close second in 0:22:47. Not far behind were Nellie Ballou and Otter placing third in 0:23:18.

Don Larson and his dog Kachemak swept the 1 mile, 1 dog class in 0:05:26. Kachemak showed high spirits at the race start, entertaining spectators with his readiness to have his turn at the trails. Brian just couldn’t count down fast enough for him.

Erin Trochim and her dogs, Onion and Roach, created their own class running the course 3x for a distance of approximately 13.5 miles in 1:03:11.

The 4.5 mile and 9 mile courses included the Big Whizzy trail. Teams managed the twists and turns and ups and downs of the trail with no major mishaps to share at the end of the race. In fact, most commented on how fun that section of the course was.

The trails were in beautiful shape thanks to the excellent grooming of the UAF trail groomers.