We live-blogged the Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race on Saturday afternoon. Here’s the transcript of our updates, most recent first:
3:02pm: Whew! Thanks for checking out our live-blog coverage (and for listening to us on 96.1 fm or 780 am). We’re wrapping up our up-to-the minute Nome-Golovin updates, but we’ll have information about final race standings before too long (on the air and on the web). Stay tuned!
2:58pm: Danielle reports from headquarters that Howard “Chugie” Farley, Jr. (A Class, bib 53) has finished in Nome. Still waiting for information on B-Class racers Kevin Knowlton (bib 28) and Chester Millett (bib 85), among (many) others.
2:53pm: Racers keep coming through Farley’s Camp and the Nome finish line! Linda talks with recently-finished racers Jade Greene (bib 19) and Jason West (bib 29), both of B Class. Jason West says he “still needs to work the bugs” out of his machine, although he says it still “rides really good.”
2:48pm: John sights Shantah Esparza (bib 82) and Adrian Nassuk (bib 13) at Farley’s; both are B Class.
2:46pm: John sights Cliff Johnson (B Class, bib 80) at Farley’s Camp.
2:40pm: Danielle reports more scratches: in the B Class, John Bahnke III (bib 16) and Joe Fullwood (bib 20); in the A Class, Louis Warnke-Green (bib 50).
2:38pm: Leah’s talking with Mike Morgan. He says he’s happy with his sled’s performance this year and is grateful to his family and supporters.
2:36pm: Four B-Class racers have arrived at the Nome finish line: Mike Morgan (bib 17), Bryce Green (bib 5), Reese Madden (bib 87), and Troy Miller (bib 11), respectively.
2:35pm: Danielle reports that Winter Jones (bib 31) is the first C-Class (fan-cooled) racer through Topkok, on the way back to Nome.
2:34pm: John reports four racers passing through Farley’s Camp, including Mike Morgan (bib 17), Bryce Green (bib 5), and Troy Miller (bib 11), all from B Class. The fourth racer was not identified.
2:33pm: Geoff Hubert (A Class, bib 51) has just finished in Nome; Leah’s interviewing him now. He’s talking about a few mechanical issues with his sled.
2:31pm: Leah and Linda report from the sea ice: A-Class racers Jim West, Jr. (bib 42) and Jarvis Miller (bib 45) have both just crossed the finish line in Nome. Miller gets a hug from a family member.
2:30pm: John, in the spotter vehicle, reports Geoff Hubert (A Class, bib 51) is through Farley’s Camp.
2:26pm: Jim West, Jr. (bib 42) and Jarvis Miller (bib 45), both of A Class, have both just crossed Farley’s Camp; they should finish on the sea ice momentarily.
2:24pm: Linda reports that Chris Collins (A Class, bib 44) has just crossed the finish line in Nome; he’s first to finish in the A Class, although his official time (adjusted with his starting time differential) is not yet available. Another set of headlights is spotted in the distance.
2:23pm: Danielle says that B-Class racers are through Safety (on their way back to Nome), including Reese Madden (bib 87), Bryce Green (bib 5), Troy Miller (bib 11), and Mike Morgan (bib 17).
2:21pm: From John in the spotter vehicle: Chris Collins (A Class, bib 44) just blew through Farley’s Camp. He should finish shortly.
2:20pm: Another scratch: Louis Warnke-Green (bib 50, A Class).
2:19pm: John’s staying on the binoculars, keeping a sharp eye on the trail from the spotter vehicle; scratched racer Buddy Okleasik’s sled is being towed back into Nome.
2:18pm: Danielle’s reporting from headquarters. More A-Class racers are through Safety, including Jim West, Jr. (bib 42), Jarvis Miller (bib 45), and Geoff Hubert (bib 51).
2:13pm: Ric’s playing “Baba O’Riley” while we’re waiting for more Nome-Golovin news. Gotta love The Who.
2:11pm: Danielle’s got more updates from headquarters. Chris Collins (bib 44) is leading A Class. He’s through Safety as of just a few minutes ago; he should be passing through Farley’s Camp (in sight of our spotter vehicle) before too long. B-Class leaders are through Topkok. In C Class (fan-cooled), William Gray (bib 32) is still in the lead.
2:03pm: Danielle reports nother scratch: Gary Nanouk (bib 10, B Class).
1:55pm: More scratches from headquarters: Colton West (bib 6), Kirk Muktoyuk (bib 14), and Mike Oliver (bib 84), all from B Class.
1:52pm: Danielle reports from headquarters that the leaders of the fan-cooled class (C Class) are starting to pass some of the B-Class competitors. William Gray (bib 32) is currently leading C Class (fan-cooled); he’s through White Mountain on the way back to Nome.
1:51pm: Correction on earlier post: Quinn Schaeffer (bib 33, C Class) has not scratched. Still in the race!
1:45pm: Howard “Chugie” Farley, Jr. (bib 53) and Matt Tompter (bib 52), both A-Class, have passed through White Mountain on their way back to Nome.
1:42pm: A-Class racer Frank Flagle (bib 54) has made it into White Mountain on his way back to Nome.
1:38pm: Update on C-Class (fan-cooled) racers: Winter Jones (bib 31), Lee Staheli (bib 34), Jerry Patton (bib 38) and more are through White Mountain, still on the way out to Golovin.
1:36pm: Chris Collins (bib 44), Jim West, Jr. (bib 42), Jarvis Miller (bib 45), and Robert Richards, Jr. (bib 49) are still leading the A Class. Waiting on information on Orlin Booshu, Jr. (bib 46), Louis Warnke-Green (bib 50), and Matt Tompter (bib 52). One B-Class racer is into White Mountain, on the way back: Bryce Green (bib 5); he’s in the lead of B Class.
1:35pm: Marlene Saccheus (bib 116, in the women’s class) has officially scratched. The rest of the women’s-class racers have finished. Still waiting on information about how time differentials might affect final race standings.
1:29pm: A-Class racers Jarvis Miller (bib 45) and Robert Richards, Jr. (bib 49) are through White Mountain. Danielle says that all B-Class racers are through Topkok.
1:28pm: Danielle reports that George Apatiki (B Class, bib 83) has scratched.
1:27pm: Chris Collins (bib 44) is in the lead of the A Class and is on the way back to Nome. Jim West, Jr. (bib 42) is following; he’s passed through White Mountain.
1:22pm: All women’s-class racers except one have finished. Leah’s talking with Aggie Katongan (bib 117).
1:18pm: More women’s-class arrivals: Cynthia Outwater (bib 40) and Katie O’Connor (bib 115). No information yet on how time differentials might affect final standings for the women’s class.
1:11pm: Dora Hughes has arrived first in the women’s class, followed immediately afterwards by Samantha Harris-Richards (bib 119). We’re waiting on information about time differentials (based on starting positions) to confirm final standings for them.
1:06pm: Dora Hughes (bib 97, women’s class) is already through Farley’s Camp, heading back to Nome. (Women’s class racers run a shorter trail: from Nome to Safety and back.)
1:03pm: Jarvis Miller (bib 45) and Robert Richards, Jr. (bib 49) are into White Mountain (both from A Class). More B Class racers into Timber: Troy Miller (bib 11) and Gary Nanouk (bib 10).
12:57pm: Jim West, Jr. (bib 42), Chris Collins (bib 44) and Robert Richards, Jr. (bib 49) are through to Timber (all A Class). Also, Joseph Fagundes (bib 23, B Class) has scratched.
12:56pm: We’ve received reports that Reese Madden (B Class, bib 87) has the incorrect number on his windshield (37, rather than 87). It had caused some confusion at HQ!
12:55pm: Complete scratch list up to now: Allen Jessup, Jr., Robert Hingsbergen, Buddy Okleasik, Eric Nassuk, Amos Cruise, George Kost, and Chris Nassuk.
12:53pm: More racers through Topkok, including Gerald Hughes (bib 18), Jade Greene (bib 19), and Colton West (bib 6), all from B Class.
12:48pm: Danielle’s reporting from headquarters. There are more racers through Topkok, including Robert Hingsbergen (bib #4, B Class). Racers to Safety include Winter Jones (bib 31), Quinn Schaeffer (bib 33), Lee Staheli (bib 34), Wally Carter (bib 35), all in C Class (fan-cooled). A few more scratches: Buddy Okleasik (bib 9) and Eric Nassuk (bib 27), both in B Class.
12:35pm: All racers have left the starting line. Danielle is reporting from Nome-Golovin headquarters. She says the first racer has passed through Topkok: Jim West, Jr.
12:26pm: We have some photos from John at Farley’s Camp (sent via cellphone)! No confirmation on the specific racer – they often pass very quickly! – but it seems to be a B Class racer (note the orange bib):
12:21pm: Jory Peterson (the only racer from Golovin: B Class, bib 30) just started the race.
12:18pm: John’s reporting from the spotter vehicle (parked near Farley’s Camp, on the outskirts of Nome); John says the first racers have just passed through Farley’s.
12:10pm: The racers keep departing (too many to list here in their entirety!). Linda notes the high excitement at the race start, says each racer has his/her own style.
12:08pm: The B Class has just started to leave (0-600cc); look for them in orange bibs. Linda reports there are helicopters flying over the race start (on the sea ice, in front of Nome’s N Street on the east end of town).
12:06pm: There’s a last-minute addition to the race – Frank Flagle of Nome (bib 54), riding an Arctic Cat machine. He just departed.
12:02pm: The race has begun! We’re listening to Leah and Linda live from the starting line; they say the racers seem to be departing in 30-second intervals. Already out (all A Class racers, green bibs): Fred Otten (bib 41), Jim West Jr. (bib 42), Chris Collins (bib 44), Orlin Booshu, Jr. (bib 46), George Kost (bib 47), Chris Nassuk (bib 48), Louis Warnke-Green (bib 50), and Geoff Hubert (bib 51).
11:48am: The coffee is brewing at KNOM Studios, and our reporters (Linda Maack, Leah Radde, John Francis and Danielle Sylvester) have just headed out to take their positions for the race. Ric Schmidt will be holding down the board in Studio A. You’ll hear all of their voices when our coverage begins at 12noon!
10:56am: Nome’s filled with the sounds of snowmachines, buzzing about town. The race is in an hour!
