Icy fog didn’t deter kids as young as 5-years-old from competing in Sunday’s Nome Youth Race. Over 40 kids raced around two loops carved into Nome’s Small Boat Harbor as over a hundred spectators looked on.
Colton West served as race marshal for the first time this year, although he’s been involved in building the course for the last 5 years.
“We've got like, 60 hours into this track, and we’ve just been having a great time building it,” West said.
Also new this year was the Bering Sea Lions Club serving as host. The local non-profit organizes a number of snowmachine races, including the Nome-Golovin. But West said the club wasn’t alone in putting on the event.
“Nome Volunteer Fire Department, the ambulance crew. You know, we had troopers come down to help us. We have all the family members coming in and pulling it together,” West said.
He said what makes the Youth Race special is how it bridges generations of snowmachine racers.
“The purpose of it is just to keep our youth racing. You know, it's one of those things where if we don't have racers, our future of Nome-Golovin and Cannonball isn't gonna be around.”
This year’s overall fastest was Exer Fullwood, who raced in the 200 stock class. The 8-year-old already has 4 years of experience racing.
“I wanted to compete in this race because I just always have fun racing,” Exer said while fighting back a wide smile.
His father, Joseph Fullwood, said races like the Nome Youth Race teach kids skills they’ll draw on later in life.
“Keep your sled together, give these kids the confidence they need to travel home to the villages later in life,” Fullwood said.
The top finisher in the 120 class was Kinley Krift, while Blair Sherman took home the trophy in the 200 modified class.
In the future, West said he hopes to add more youth races to the calendar. He said he was inspired by the high turnout, with some kids riding in from Kotzebue 180 miles to the north for the race.
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