While the Teams make their way down the Yukon River, they are learning about changes to the race due to the Corona Virus....not only have they canceled all festivities in Nome, but now the checkpoint of Shaktoolik is no longer going to be a checkpoint. The Mushers will be able to pick up cooker fuel (HEET), drop bags and straw about 2 miles out in "Old Shaktoolik", and there will be no race officials there.....why? Corona Virus....the village of Shaktoolik does not want all the media, mushers and hoopla in their village this year. You cant really blame them....these villages have health facilities only...no hospitals....so their health facilitates could very well be inundated with just a few cases....so they are taking this very seriously. Other checkpoints that remain are not allowing the Mushers to use their facilities, like schools and Rec halls to sleep in, which is a bummer for the Mushers.
And then there is the impending storm....yes....wicked winds and about a foot a snow is predicted...its already snowing on the coast and its moving east into the Yukon River area. This is a game changer....wind and snow can really mix things up. Many Mushers have continued their trek down the River and will opt to take their mandatory 8 hour rest at the last checkpoint in Kaltag….Teams who have stopped at Ruby for their 8 hour rest may have just allowed the storm to get closer to them instead of taking advantage of a trail without a ton of new snow on it. We will soon find out how the storm will impact progress of the Teams.
A look at the Tracker has Brent Sass resting on the trail midway to Nulato at mile 558
Jessie Royer is running at mile 557
Richie Diehl is running at mile 552
Wade Marrs is running at mile 549 (has taken his 8 hour rest)
Pete Kaiser is running at mile 547
Thomas Waerner running at mile 546 (has taken his 8 hour rest)
The rest of the top Mushers are resting in Galena....possibly taking their 8 hour mandatory rest, or just a shorter rest before heading down the trail to Nulato.
Fan favorites Nic Petit is running at mile 520, and my girl Aliy is at mile 517.
Tim Pappas (running Martin Busers A Team) is running at 495
Sean Underwood (emergency step in for Jeff King) is running at mile 461
John Schandelmeir who was an emergency step in for his wife Zoya Denure is running at mile 454
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