Aliy is IN and OUT of Koyukuk in 4 minutes....Efficiency is Everything

Aliy rolled in and out of Koyukuk in just 4 minutes....reports say her Team of 16 SP Kennel Athletes looked fantastic!!  Sebastian Schnuelle got some excellent pictures of her coming in...what a beautiful sight!  It's amazing she has all 16 Team Mates still....3 of which are 8 years old....actually nearing 9 years old come June!  These 3 in particular (Chica, Nacho and "queen" Quito) make up the core of her Team and their offspring is the future of the Kennel.  They may not have the speed at this age, but they have endurance and intelligence.....2 important traits to have in a Sled Dog!  As mentioned previously, Aliy has yet to take her 8 hour rest which must be at a checkpoint.  Either Nulato or Kaltag are the choices.  It's 22 miles to Nulato and another 47 miles to Kaltag.  Mitch Seavey and Aaron Burmiester will have to do the same and are presently about 5 miles from reaching Koyukuk.  Dallas, like Jeff King, has already finished all of his mandatory rests and is presently about 20 miles from reaching Koyukuk.  Strategies will unfold here as Mushers make decisions on how hard to push and how long to rest.  The race to the coast is ON!  It is often the strategy to get to Kaltag with a strong and healthy Team, then...let the race begin!  Look for some "afterburners" to be lit on Teams like John Baker and the 2 Seaveys....they are known for their speed towards the last third of the race!