Nenana musher Bailey Vitello finished first in the inaugural Nome-Golovin 200 Sled Dog Race just before midnight Saturday at 11:35 p.m. The finish came after one day, five hours, and 35 minutes on the trail with a team of 12 dogs.
Vitello held a lead throughout the race, arriving in Nome an hour and 29 minutes ahead of second-place musher Annette Llanes.
“The dogs did awesome,” Vitello said standing under the finish line banner. “And, you know, didn't push anything crazy, but we just kept on pace and did exactly what we came to do.
Vitello's win comes just eight days after placing 17th in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It was his fourth time completing the endurance race.
The Iditarod route crosses the same section of trail as the Nome-Golovin, although Golovin isn’t an official checkpoint of the 1,000 mile race. The windy segment is notorious for high-winds and whiteout conditions, but Vitello said the Nome-Golovin went much more smoothly.
“After the Iditarod, we wanted to see a positive light of the mountains and actually see it without wind, and, you know, we got that,” Vitello said. “You know, a little freezing rain, towards the end. I was like, ‘Well, I guess it wouldn't be a coast front if it wasn't a little challenging.’ "
Vitello finished the race with all 12 dogs he started with, 10 of which raced the Iditarod with him the week before. He said having the race a week after the Iditarod was the perfect buffer for the team, and a good way to end his season.
“I think I ended on a high note,” Vitello said. “And will kill some caribou up in the Brooks Range and go caribou hunt with the team.”
Fairbanks musher Annette Llanes placed second, finishing the race at 1:04 a.m. on March 28 with a time of one day, seven hours, and four minutes.
Sarah Richards of Nome arrived two hours and 19 minutes after Llanes, arriving in Nome at 3:23 a.m. after one day, nine hours and 23 minutes on the trail.
Two Rivers musher Jennifer Nelson and Nome musher Diana Haecker had a sprint to the finish line for fourth place, with Nelson finishing just 21 seconds before Haecker after racing neck and neck since the Topkok checkpoint. Nelson finished in fourth at 4:11 a.m. in one day, 10 hours and 11 minutes. Haecker finished seconds behind with a time of one day, 10 hours, 11 minutes and 21 seconds.
Sixth place went to Nome musher Garrick Fuller, who finished at 6:38 a.m. in one day, 12 hours and 38 minutes.
The race's first red lantern musher, Jessica "Burr" Lemaire, placed seventh, arriving in Nome at 11:18 a.m. after one day, 17 hours and 18 minutes on the trail.
