Mushers break records at Montana Creek Championships

RACING TO VICTORY— German musher Michael Tetzner races his eight-dog team to victory during the Montana Creek Championship sled dog race, held on January 9 and 10, 2010. Photo courtesy of MCDMA

Ideal weather conditions and a perfect trail allowed for multiple record breaking times set at the Montana Creek Championship sled dog race last weekend.The two-day race at the Montana Creek Dog Musher’s track attracted some of the best mushers in the speed mushing world. Thirty-eight mushers and five skijorers competed in the event, hailing from Talkeetna, Willow, Big Lake, Anchorage, Seward, Fairbanks, Salcha, Chistochina and even Germany.

            On Saturday, mushers saw ideal conditions with zero to minus five degree Fahrenheit temperatures, calm winds and sunny skies. The trail was fast and firm, allowing the mushers to travel at top speeds. Fairbanks musher Arleigh Reynolds set a new track record in the 12-mile open class division with a time of 35 minutes and 44 seconds.  In the 8-dog class, Fairbanks musher Amanda Byrd set a new track record for the 8-mile trail when she clocked 22 minutes and 30 seconds. In the 6-dog class, Amy Gjeston raised the bar and set the new record at 16 minutes and 52 seconds.

            The second day of racing on Sunday saw slower racing times. Temperatures warmed up to 15°F and winds kicked up, forcing dog teams to run against the breeze blowing out of the north in some sections of the trail. German Michael Tetzner  clocked similar times in both days and claimed victory over record setters Reynolds and Byrd in both the 8-dog and open class.  In the open class, Knik’s Christian Taveau placed second, followed by Egil Ellis. In the 8-dog class, Tetzner won, followed by Brenda Burge and Fairbanks musher Jennifer Probert.

            The Montana Creek Dog Mushers have scheduled their final race event of the season with the Susitna Valley Championships on January 23 and 24.