Challenge Alaska handcycle/wheelchair race heads to Talkeetna

The World’s toughest handcycle and wheelchair race is currently underway along the Parks Highway.  It’s headed for Talkeetna Thursday afternoon.

The Sadler’s Alaska Challenge started in 1984.  Last year the race bypassed Talkeetna in favor of a Valdez route.

Overall placing so far is Travis Peruski of Michigan at the head of the pack, Brant Schalk of Fairbanks in second, Matthew Robinson of New Mexico and Michael O’Neill of Anchorage.

This year only 8 racers are part of the competition.  Johanna Brown, Assistant Director at Challenge Alaska, says it’s the smallest race they’ve had since the inception of the race.  She says this year there couldn’t be a women’s race because there needs to be at least 3 entrants per field. Several people are on the Para Olympics team, which means they are not allowed to enter this race.  Brown adds that once some racers do the race once, they have had their challenge and elect to go on to other races.

Some of the attrition is due to tragic loss.  Long-time favorite racer Mark Hufford, of Eagle River, passed away in January of this year.  He was a 7-time challenger in the race.  Part of the Eagle River trail will be named in his honor.

The race is continuing along the Parks Highway today to the state park.  On Thursday, it starts at Denali View North and heads into downtown Talkeetna perhaps as early as noon. The Talkeetna leg of the race is 51 miles.  Racers can reach an average speed of 17 miles an hour.   With only 8 racers it won’t be a big fanfare like it has been in the past, but the Challenge Alaska team is encouraging residents to cheer on the racers as if it were a large race.

Friday, the racers take part in a challenge from Sutton to Independence Mine.  They won’t be racing out of Talkeetna or along the Parks Highway.   The race ends in Anchorage on Saturday.