A Frantic Race on the Sea Ice

Racer on snowmachine (snowmobile), racing along the snow-covered, frozen Bering Sea near the shoreline of Nome.

The wildly popular annual Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race attracts a large slate of competitors from throughout Western Alaska for a furiously fast run from Nome’s sea ice to the neighboring village of Golovin and back.

The 2018 champion, Jarvis Miller of Nome, made the 190-mile round trip in only 2 hours 8 minutes. His average speed was 89 MPH!

The speeds and intensity of Nome-Golovin make for frantic few hours. KNOM broadcasts minute-by-minute details to listeners. Kotzebue radio station KOTZ simulcasts KNOM’s coverage well north of the Arctic Circle.

Your support allows the station to bring widely-sought sports and news coverage to thousands of people on this exciting, fast-paced race day. Thank you!

Image at top: A racer departs the Nome-Golovin start-finish line. Photo: Zoe Grueskin, KNOM.

Karen and Gabe, wearing heavy parkas, smile inside a small shack near the start line of the Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race.

Volunteers Karen Trop and Gabe Colombo, in between on-air reports from race headquarters. Photo: Zoe Grueskin, KNOM.


2 Comments

  1. John on April 5, 2018 at 11:18 am

    There is also a snow machine race in Kotzebue which is just as popular as the Nome-Golovin , it would be nice if KNOM can go up there as broadcast it. They do 2 weekend races , first is Mens race than the next weekend is the Ladies race. Racers from Nome go up each year and compete with them. This weekend April 7th is the Mens race , the 14th is the ladies, race fans that cant go up and watch , would be tuned into KNOM if you can go up and broadcast it live. This years 2018 Nome Golovin champ is going to be there.



  2. John on April 19, 2018 at 8:27 am

    A local lady that resides here in Nome won the open class and overall Gunner 120 race up in Kotzebue , also another Nome-ite won her 600cc class and about a minute and a half or so behind the over all winner.