Archive YAU 2004
What a race.
The second YAU is over. It has been a great race. Like last year the Yukon
has been a perfect host. Everybody involved in the race, guides, volunteers,
organisational staff, sponsors and supporters have worked very hard to make the
world’s toughest human powered race a success. And according to the feedback
I have received this goal was achieved.
Not everything went the way it was supposed to. Our updates on the website
were slow. For some days the English part of the website was even down. To all
those at home who wanted to be up to date this must have been quite disappointing.
My apologies. We have learned a lot and one of the improvements for 2005 will
be a team member dedicated to updates and media relations only. This should allow
us to have at least one update per day.
To comment on everyone’s performance would be too much for this report. Everyone
who had the heart to go for this challenge is a hero in my eyes. Because it takes
a lot to leave the safety of one’s home and to come to this great wild country
to run, bike or xc-ski. No matter what the distance may be. So, I want to thank
all the athletes who took on the challenge and participated in the YAU 2004.
Some stories need to be told, tough:
Ray Zahab, the Michelin Man, won the 100 miles in 28h 23 minutes. That is an
awesome time. The unbelievable thing is that at the finish line Ray looked as
if he just came back from getting some groceries.
There are Steve Bowron and Andrew Barnett who could not finish last year’s
300 mile race due to injury. Both came back and both finished it this time. Andrew
even came in as the first athlete on foot being more than 1 day faster than the
winners of 2004. However, it must be said that Andrew also made a mistake. He
is very tough this guy but sometimes this can also back fire. Andrew did not
have the right gloves for the extreme cold. Since he went to his physical limit
in order to win, his fingers were starting to suffer and got badly frost bitten.
He was lucky and I hope it was a lesson for all future YAU participants.
We also had an "angle" out on the course as Nicola Bowron put it. Lynda Campbell
from Whitehorse decided to help two fellow athletes rather than racing at her
own pace. She cheered them up when they were ready to give up and brought them
all the way to the 100 mile finish. When she was there she went right back out
again to help another racer to get to Braeburn. Amazing.
Yes, and talking about Nicola Bowron. Like last year Nicola came all the way
from Europe to volunteer for the race. She practically ran the race. It is difficult
find people you can rely on 100%. Nicola is such a person. Not only that. She
has also a great sense of humour and a way of handling things that is simply
unique. The YAU would not be half as much fun without her. Now that Steve, her
husband, finished the 300 mile distance she might not be back in 2005. Please
keep your fingers crossed that I find a way to get her to come along again next
year.
Like last year many funny things have happened. Although this often depends
on the perspective. Achim at first was not very amused when he found out that
he had gone back 4 hours towards a checkpoint he just came from. How did that
happen? Well, he slept next to the trail and another athlete camped next to him.
When he woke up he looked at where the other racer slept and figured he has to
go in the opposite direction to stay ahead of him. Mistake … Hours later he ran
into Wilco. Imagine that situation. "You are going the wrong way!" Answer: "No,
you are going the wrong way." … It’s a good thing, Wilco had a compass. What
impressed me was that Achim accepted his mistake and did not let it get to him.
He was incredibly motivated all the time and finished the race in just over 7
days.
Another amazing athlete is Andy Sterns from Fairbanks. Andy once had a very
bad accident and doctors told him he might not be able to walk again. As Rocky
put it "… they were right. He now runs the world’s toughest races …" and proves
to everyone that giving up is not his kind of thing. Andy is the first athlete
to have finished the entire 300 miles on his xc-skis.
Rocky? Well, what should I say. He came back and won the 300 miles again, causing
me sleepless nights by being way ahead of everybody else. We all admire him and
some call him "the animal". I believe that he mainly races against himself and
he likes it. But should Rocky come back next year I hope somebody can try to
challenge him.
I was also very impressed with the performance of Joachim Rintsch, another
racer in the 300 mile foot category. Talk about a steady pace. But what I really
liked about Joachim’s way of racing was his mood. Not once has he lost his temper
(at least when I was around). He was simply having a good time. Even when he
could not find the trail heading towards Pelly Farms and lost a lot of time he
stayed calm.
To wrap it up I want to say thank you once more to everyone: all the athletes,
Shelley Gellatly, Mike and Jessica Simon, Ingrid and Rolf Schmitt, Don Banks,
Shirley Thompson and the entire Eventrate team, the best guides one could ask
for, i.e. Gary, Craig and Murray, our hosts at the checkpoints, all the volunteers,
our sponsors and supporters Norcan, McPherson Rentals, Coast Mountain Sports,
Yukon Tourism, City of Whitehorse, Yukon Quest, Air Candada, TIA, WTAY, High
Country Inn, the Heat Company, back alley gallery, all contributors to the athlete’s
welcome packages, Gerina AG for a great website, Werner Walcher and the journalists/photographers
Armin Schirmaier, Stephan Kappes, Chrissy Müller, Danny Strasser, Joseph Scheppach,
Bob Mackin and Udo Möller.
Merchandise
I still have some TNF El Cap Race Shirst (CAD 70,-) and Marmot Finisher Vests
(CAD 160,-). Anyone interested please let me know. If you want to buy both it
is CAD 200,-
Lost and Found
Anyone who is missing gear please let me know. I have some stuff that should
belong to athletes.
YAU photo gallery
There are now many photographs online. And more to come.
YAU 2005
We have learned quite a bit again this year. So, we will implement a few changes
and improvements again for next year. The next newsletter will be out as soon
as we know when the YAU 2005 will take place. This depends entirely on the Yukon
Quest - which by the way was won for the third time in a row by Hans Gatt. For
the next edition of the YAU we will start one day after the Quest. This will
give us a plenty of time to enjoy the start of the world’s toughest sled dog
race.
And remember: Don't melt yellow snow!
Race Statistics.
45 athletes from 12 different nations participated in this year's YAU - 5 athletes
in the marathon, 17 athletes in the 100 mile and 23 athletes in the 300 mile
distance.
Marathon ranking:
Winner: Udo Möller, Hannover, Germany - 4h 16 min
2nd: Tammy Reis, Ross River, Canada - 5h 20 min
3rd: Joyce Kashman, Whitehorse, Canada - 5h 28 min
All starters for the marathon reached the finish line. All marathon participants
were runners.
100 Mile Race ranking:
Winner: Ray Zahab, Chelsea, Canada - 28h 23 min
2nd: Andrew Elder, London, England - 32h 09 min
3rd: Rob McWilliam, Whitehorse, Canada - 34h 35 min
The fastest woman is Michelle Christensen Toews, Whitehorse, Canada with
36h 19 min and an overall rank of 4th place. Michelle was followed by Tünde Fülop,
Whitehorse, Canada(38h 55 min) and Patty Clune, Toronto, Canada (42h 38min).
All participants for this distance were runners.
300 Mile Race ranking:
Winner: Rocky Reifenstuhl (MTB), Fairbanks, USA - 102h 25 min
2nd: Andrew Barnett (Foot), Coleford, Wales and Laszlo Kovacz, B.gyarmat, Hungary (XC-Ski)
- 146h 10 min
3rd: Shelley Gellatly (Foot), Whitehorse, Canada and Juan Carlos Sagastume
(Foot), Guatemala City, Guatemala - 159h 40 min
Shelley Gellatly was the only women finishing the 300 mile distance.
Of the 23 starters of this distance only 12 managed to finish the race. Andy
Sterns, Fairbanks, USA was the last athlete to finish the 300 miles (191h
40 min). He is now the first and only athlete to have completed the race
entirely on xc-skis. Due to problems with temperatures and wax, Laszlo Kovacs
did a high percentage of the distance on foot rather than with his xc-skis.
| February 23rd, 2004
- 11:54 local time (Toronto) |
Yesterday the second YAU ended in remote Pelly
Crossing.
One day before Hans Gatt, the first Yukon Quest musher reached Pelly Crossing,
the second edition of the YAU ended. All athletes who were still on the trail
reached the finish line before the deadline.
Before I get into more detail, I once more want to appologise for the slow
updates. Next year we will try to have somebody dedicated to updates only. That
way there will be more frequent information on the website.
For the athletes, this was a great race. We had everything one could possibly
ask for: Phantastic northern lights, warm and extremely cold temperatures, a
great group of athletes, the most interesting checkpoints, perfect volunteers
and guides and many interesting stories to tell.
Andy Sterns was the last athlete coming in and the first athlete to finish
the 300 miles having gone the entire distance on xc-skis. That was an unbelievable
task and we all admire Andy for mastering it!
Steve, Wilco, Maurizio, Luke and Joachim finished the race, too. They were
all very exhausted but also happy of course to have done something not many people
will ever be able to accomplish. Temperatures went down to -35 degrees Celsius
towards the end and most of them had to fight hard not to fall asleep while walking.
Not everyone succeeded in this struggle. Some kept running into snow banks due
to exhaustion. But they all made it.
Andrew our first finisher on foot for the 300 miles has got badly frost bitten
fingers. However, it is not as bad as we thought. It looks like he will get to
keep all his finger tips.
Back in Whitehorse we had a big party with all athletes, volunteers, guides
and members of the organisational teams who could make it. Some athletes are
still in Whitehorse and most are on their way home now. Safe trip everyone!
I will write a bit more about this year's YAU when I am back in Munich. Also,
we are missing some of the CP times. These will be completed ASAP.
| February 21st, 2004
- 14:51 local time |
Andrew, Laszlo, Shelley, Juan Carlos and Achim
have reached the 300 mile finish.
It is not easy to get internet access in the middle of the Yukon wilderness.
So, please excuse the late update. Everybody is fine and healthy.
Andrew and Laszlo reached the finish line at 14:15 yesterday. Andrew being
the first athlete on foot and Laszlo being the first in the XC-ski category.
Although our star from Hungary has said "he is the skier without skis". Due to
problems with temperatures and the wax, Laszlo did a lot of walking rather than
skiing. Andrew's time as a foot racer is amazing. He was more than 1 day faster
than the guys from last year! It will be a great challenge for future participants
to break this record.
Shelley had teamed up with Juan Carlos for the last stages of the race. When
they were close to Pelly Crossing in the early morning hours we drove towards
them. And all they could think of was the bridge in Pelly Crossing as it is clos
to the finish line. "Where is the bridge?", is all they wanted to know. And they
asked frequently as the last few km seemed to go on forever.
Achim has been on his own for the last part of the race. Well, not quite actually.
When he left Pelly Crossing yesterday, a dog followed him the 30 miles to Pelly
Farms. I could not believe it so I went and met Achim on the trail. And it was
true. There was a dog and Achim alreadz had a name for it. When they reached
Pelly Farms, "Jimmy" decided to stay and let Achim continue on his own when he
left. Achim arrived at the finish as the 4th athlete on foot. He said that this
is the most difficult thing he has ever done and he is really happy and 5kg lighter.
Steve and Wilco have left Pelly Farms this morning. We expect them in later
tonight. Both are doing fine and really look forward to finishing.
Luke is behind them and he should have reached Pelly Farms by now.
Still on their way are Maurizio, Andy and Joachim. All three of them will try
hard to finish within the time limit.
Andreas scratched after Carmacks and so did Oliver and Herbert. However, the
latter two did do one more stage from McCabe to Pelly Crossing.
The weather was very cold last night. In some of the cold spots on the river
we had minus 35 degrees and once more we had some nice Northern Lights.
| February 19th, 2004
- 17:20 local time |
Andrew and Laszlo are on their way to Pelly Farms.
Andrew and Laszlo have left for Pelly Farms. They might be able to reach the
finish line early tomorrow morning. With this lead it will be tough for Shelley
to catch up to them.
Everybody else is doing fine. Luke, Steve and Wilco are currently resting at
McCabe. Juan Carlos and Achim have already left.
Andy and Maurizio are still on their way to McCabe.
For some reason Juan Carlos missed the turn-off of the trail leading away from
the road after he left McCabe. Therefore, he has travelled on the road for about
10 miles. With traffic not being very frequent here that is not such a big problem.
Still I have asked our guides to transfer him back to the trail and bring him
to a point where he will be able to continue without having to go an extra 10
miles. Juan Carlos is excellent in orienteering. So, it might actually be our
mistake. Some times it is easier to follow the Quest markers and foot prints
rather than looking at the trail on the map. It is not always 100% precise.
Oliver, Herbert and Andreas still have not reached Carmacks. This means they
will definitely not be able to finish in time. Therefore, they will be transfered
north so they can enjoy the scenery some more. Thus they will still have fun
and we don't have to cover such a huge distance between the leading and the last
athletes.
| February 18th, 2004
- 23:38 local time |
Rocky once more wins the 300 mile distance on MTB.
Today at 18:30 Rocky was the first racer to arrive at the finish line in Pelly
Crossing. Overall Rocky felt that this year's YAU was a bit easier, especially
because the first day was really good. I am glad none of the other racers were
here when he said that. There might have been some disagreement. But then again,
everything is relative.
The next athletes expected to finish are Andrew Barnett, Laszlo Kovacs
and Shelley Gellatly.
| February 18th, 2004
- 19:50 local time |
Race against the clock.
Temperatures are at around minus 15 degrees Celsius here in Carmacks at the
moment. It might get colder during the night. Overall, the weather has been really
good for the race.
Still it will be difficult for some of the German athletes to finish the 300
mile distance. Since they are all doing fine, they will continue anyway and see
how far they will get.
Andrew and Laszlo are going strong. I saw them on their way to Pelly Crossing
where Martin Like is waiting for them. Their only comment when I talked to them
was "you better have some beer at that checkpoint tomorrow". So, I would
say they are doing fine.
Whilst I am writing these lines, Rocky has probably already reached the finish
line. He is pretty amazing. Sven Riedesel from Germany who tried to challenge
him, never had a chance to get even close. But experience in these kind of conditions
gives Rocky more than one competitive edge.
Luke is doing well and so are Steven, Shelley Juan Carlos and Wilco. All are
in between checkpoints now.
| February 18th, 2004
- Update from Martin Like |
Report Nr. 2 from Martin Like.
A lot has happened in the last 24 hours since I last reported. Just before
2.00pm yesterday (Tuesday 17th) Laszlo and Andrew arrived together at Carmacks,
having paired up over the last 30 miles or so from Ken Lake. Laszlo was his usual
cheery self with his first request being for a beer, whilst Andrew's request
was perhaps more in line of an athlete in this kind of race - he wanted a shower
and I can vouch from 10 feet away that he was right. Both were quite content
with how things were going and from my observations were both racing well within
themselves. The only minor problem for Laszlo was a technical problem with his
ski/wax and the cold conditions, but as I know nothing about skiing, I hadn’t
a clue what he was on about, particularly bearing in mind that the conversation
was done in his best Hungarian/English, which is preferable to my English/Hungarian.
Andrew is so focused on completing this race that the blister under his left
foot which is about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide was of no consequence - he is
certainly one determined cookie. After hot food and showers both athletes were
tucked away in the corner of room for 3 hours sleep. Both left Carmacks for McCabe
within 5 minutes of each other just before 8.00pm.
With Andrew storming out in front in the running division, the chasing pack
of 2 arrived in Carmacks. Local racer, Shelley Gellatly, arrived here at 9.47pm
with Juan Carlos Sagastume arriving in the early hours of Wednesday at 1.35am.
Shelley was in amazingly good spirits, but not surprisingly very very tired.
Following the same pattern of wash, food and sleep Shelley was back on the trail
by 5.35am this morning. Juan stayed a little longer than originally planned but
left shortly after 8.00am chasing Shelley down the Yukon River.
The trail to McCabe that all the above athletes are now on, starts with 1½
miles along the Yukon River and a small tributary that leads onto a minor forest
road. They follow this steadily rising road for the next 14 miles before entering
woodland trails that ultimately lead to the next checkpoint. It is through these
woods that the section gets interesting. The trail is many places is very narrow
with numerous short sharp descents and ascents. On two occasions the athletes
will drop down onto the River for short sections of about a mile each through
some wonderfully picturesque jumble ice. The beauty of this section will be lost
on the competitors - last year when I crossed this section the last thing on
my mind was how wonderful it was - my thought were more along the lines of "what
the f#@k is going on here"
STOP PRESS # 1 - My mate Steve Bowren has just arrived in Carmacks (10.35am
Wednesday 18th). Looking the spitting image of Bobby Davro, Steve is in wonderful
shape and full of wonderful stories about the last two stages from Braeburn -
including an encounter with 2 moose and some awesome overflow hazards.
STOP PRESS # 2 - Wilco and Achim are about 3 miles out of Carmacks - so should
be in within the next hour or so. Luke Cunliffe left Ken Lake at 8.00pm last
night so is expected in sometime later this afternoon. There are further 5 other
racers behind Luke spreading back to far as between Ken Lake and Braeburn. It
is likely that some of these later racers may not be able to finish the race
within the prescribed 8 day limit.
Have to stop writing now - as the boss wants the computer. Will probably be
going up the trail shortly so it may not be possible to post another report for
a little while.
Laszlo and Andrew should arrive at McCabe some time this morning.
| February 18th, 2004
- Third Update |
Shelley and Juan Carlos have left Carmacks.
Shelley left Carmacks at 05:35 this morning. Juan Carlos followed her at 08:04.
I promised him to tell Guatemala that he is doing fine and not to worry.
Laszlo and Andrew should arrive at McCabe some time this morning.
Everybody else, except Rocky, should be on their way from Fred Lake to Carmacks
now. We have not had any news, yet.
| February 18th, 2004
- Second Update |
Juan Carlos just arrived at Carmacks.
At 01:35 local time Juan Carlos arrived in Carmacks as the third athlete on
foot. I told him that Guatemala is worried about him because I have not posted
enough updates. He was smiling and said he is fine.
A walk on the wild side.
It was tempting to think on February 14th that the YAU is just like any other
ultra. With temperatures at around 0 degrees Celsius that does not
come as a surprise. But it took only one day to make everyone realise what having
a race in the arctic means.
At CP 1 everybody was doing fine. Temperatures still were not cold. Compared
to last year the trail was very good. Not to forget the unbelievably nice view
from Sir North Country Ranch.
On the way to CP 2 the first participants started to get into trouble. Shirley
Thompson had problems with mild hypothermia and another experienced ultra runner
was experiencing difficulties. Tom Ripley could not eat and drink the way he
should have. Upon reaching CP 2 things got worse. We had to evacuate not knowing
just how bad things would be. By that time it was dark and it is a 1h 30min ride
on a ski-doo to get from Braeburn to Dog Grave Lake. Murray and myself went
in. Quite an adventure I must say - going fast means risking an accident and
going slow is no good, either. To make a long story short. We got there and Tom
was feeling better. So, we brought him and Chris, a friend who entered the
race with Tom, out. Another 2 hours on the ski-doo.
At that time Shirley had not reached CP 2, yet. We just knew she was really
cold. Gary was on his way to help. We went in the next morning to get Shirley
to Braeburn, the finish of the 100 mile race. She was doing fine but did not
want to continue. Michael Pemberton, who raced with Shirley decided
to scratch, too. Both, Shirley and Michael, joined us as volunteers now
and will help us taking care of the athletes still in the race.
In the meantime Ray Zahab finished the 100 mile race as the winner. His result
is unbelievable and when I saw him at the finish line he looked like he just
came from a walk in the park.
The fastest women to finish the 100 mile race is Michelle Christensen Toews.
She came into Braeburn Feb. 15th, at 23:24.
Everyone who managed to finish the 100 mile distance is an exceptional athlete.
But I would like to mention someone in particular. Lynda Campbell from Whitehorse
has been a real star, as Nicola (the world's greatest race volunteer) has put
it. Lynda could probably have gone a lot faster. But rather than doing that she
decided to help other racers who had trouble and cheered them up. Well done Lynda!!!
Rocky has tried to keep his pace. And even tough he slowed down a little bit,
he is still way in front. I expect him to finish tomorrow afternoon. Sven Riedesel
has tried to challenge him but it does not look like he will be anywhere near
Rocky when he finishes. Yet Sven is doing a great job. It is his first ultra
with an MTB on a winter trail. Even touhg he has to push his bike a lot
he still keeps on going.
Also going very strong are Andrew Barnett and Laszlo Kovacs. I am very happy
for Andrew because he could not finish last year due to injury. This year it
looks like he is going to set a record. Laszlo is in great shape and I would
not be surprised if he returned next year with a bike in his suitcase. Laszlo
and Andrew are now on their way to McCabe Creek.
Like the two guys, Shelley is having another great race. She did great in the
100 mile race last year and she does great in this year's 300 mile race. Shelley
is sleeping here in Carmacks right this minute and expect her to continue before
sunrise.
Wilco who has had problems with an infection decided to keep on going. He did
not want to be evacuated. He rests in a Cabin near Mandana Lake now.
Some athletes had to scratch due to injury and everybody else is doing fine.
Although I must admit that I believe that some are not going fast enough to finish
the 300 mile race. We will see.
Temperatures are expected to drop further as we get closer to Pelly Crossing.
This morning they had - 30 degrees Celsius. At the moment it is cloudy and it
has warmed up to about - 20 degrees.
Once again, my appologies for the slow flow of information and the troubles
with the ranking overview.
| February 17th, 2004
- Second Update |
Martin Like's comments on the race so far.
It is with some regret that I am sat here writing this report, in an ideal
world I should be approaching Ken Lake Lodge as part of the 300 foot race, but
injury has dictated otherwise. It is around this very isolated Lake that 300
mile foot race is currently unfolding.
Robert (the race director) has given me free reign to write this report and
perhaps give another perspective of how this brilliant race is unfolding: Hopefully,
I will be able (allowed) to write further and more detailed reports once
I have had the opportunity to both see and hear how the racers are coping with
their task.
Before I start, I should try to clear up a slight confusion. I mentioned "Ken
Lake" above - this is the same Lake that is refered to elsewhere as Fred
Lake. In a nutshell, it is the checkpoint betwixt Braeburn and Carmacks approximately
140 miles into race - not even the locals know whether it is Fred or Ken and
I have even been told that it is Fred Lake with a cabin called Ken Lake Cabin on
it - that is that one cleared up.
It is around this lake that most of the runners are congregating and from my
experience last year is probably the most testing sections of the race. From
Braeburn to Ken Lake is about 43 miles (this is my opinion and is slightly different
figure to that of the organisers) and comprises a lot of short sharp ascents
and descents through gnarly woodland. This is interspersed with numerous Lakes
of various sizes starting with a very long lake at about 12 miles (Coughlan Lake)
and ultimately ending up on a chain of lakes known surprisingly as Chain
Lakes - Ken Lake is about 2/3 of the way along this chain. From Ken Lake to Carmacks
(where I am waiting at the checkpoint) the trail comprises a further 14 miles
of lakes followed by approximately 24 miles of picturesque forest. The competitors
will have the fun of dealing with an absolute monster of a hill in the latter
stages of the forest section where the usual trail diverts away from the Yukon
to avoid large sections of open water.
When I arrived here last night, Rocky was the only competitor in to Carmacks
having arrived 16.22. He left 04.45 this morning and was totally in control of
the race - in future years it would be great to see a few more MTB riders to
give this animal a bit of competition. Next to arrive here in Carmacks should
be Laszlo (skiing) who is a veteran of this course, having competed in the foot
race last year and having won (1st equal). I will report back later of how is
spirits and health are coping with the task once I have seen him. Following Laszlo
will be the very competitve racers in the foot division - In theory it should
be Andrew Barnett from my native Wales that should arrive first followed by local
racer Shelley Gellatly. Andrew has the advantage knowing the trail up to
Carmacks - he competed in last years race and arrived in Carmacks with
an 11 hour lead but had to withdraw due to injury - I know he is looking to put
this record straight. Shelley has the advantage of being totally at ease with
the climate and terrain of this unforgiving region, having lived in Whitehorse
for sometihng like 15 years and having spent the last 5 months training on the
snow and trails around Whitehorse. From Braeburn (2 checkpoints back) it looks
unlikely that any of the other foot racers would be able to get into a competitive
situation with these two at the front of the pack before Carmacks -
but that could easily change as the races progresses beyond Carmacks to McCabe,
Pelly Crossings and beyond. Of the other foot racers I have spoken to in Braeburn,
Steve Bowron, a very capable athlete was persuaded to go on. He is a fit and
able competitor and if he can just get his mind around the enormity of the task
it is possible to see him pushing up the ladder. As long as he gets to Carmacks,
I am certain he will make it the final 120+ miles to the finish line. Luke Cunliffe
has steadied up from the fast pace he started out at, but looked totally at ease
and I am certain will now maintain a more consistent pace and will finish well.
Maurizio from Italy, what a star. He is propping up the rear of the pack of those
I think will finish before the cut off time (there were still 5 racers not through
Breaburn last night when I left - and I think unless they were in and out of
Braeburn before midnight, then I don't think it is possible to get to Pelly Crossing
before Sunday at midday unless they pick up their speed considerably).
Now that I am a man of leisure, I will take quite a bit more interest in those
competing and will report back with further more detailed reports. In particular
I would like report back on how the other biker and skier are doing and how the
steadier runners are managing. Whoever is daft enough to even consider entering
this race has my total respect - so regardless of there position they are real
heroes in my eyes.
This is a stupidly hard race to compete in and as far as I am concerned the
race can alter considerably in a very shorts space of time. The weather is getting
colder, which will suit some and will certainly help to alleviate some of the
overflow problems endured so far.
Finally, as Robert has disappeared for the most of the rest of the day, I am
going to abuse this update section to wish my daughter a Happy Birthday for tomorrow
and to apologise to my family and friends at home for not finishing this
race. My presently throbbing feet are a reminder that I have made the right decision.
Best regards
Martin Like
Everybody is doing fine.
You are probably wondering why on earth there have not been more news updates.
And Welsh competitor, Martin Like, just told me that the English part of our
website was even down for a while.
It has been due to several evacuations and Rocky's high speed travelling along
the course that I have been unable to update frequently. And neither have I been
able to check if the website is running. My appologies to everyone if you were
starting to worry about the health and safety of any of our athletes. The
safety of the race is the most important thing for me. That is why the flow of
news has not been very good. I was out on the trail and on the road a lot more
than I expected.
We had to evacuate Shirley Thompson, Michael Pemberton, Chris Ralph and Tom
Ripley out of Dog Grave Lake. Shirley had mild hypothermia and Tom was struggling
with breathing problems. Michael and Chris never had any problems but decided
to scratch because they did not want to continue without their companions. Both
Tom and Shirley are fine. "I am coming back every year now but just as a volunteer",
is what Shirley told me once we were in Braeburn.
I have to hit the road again now to go from Carmacks to McCabe and possibly
Pelly Crossing. Then I will drive to Whitehorse and will have time to give you
more detailed information about the status of the race later tonight (local time).
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
The race is on!
Today at 12:05 the second edition of the Yukon Arctic Ultra started. The weather
was rather mild at around 0 degrees Celsius.
Rocky has been giving us a headache. He is so fast, that we find it hard to
keep up with him. Only 2 hours and 21 minutes later he arrived at Sir North Country
Ranch. About 30 minutes after Rocky, Laszlo and Andy arrived on xc-skis. Then,
at 15:52 Sven Riedesel from Germany arrived as the second racer on MTB.
And we have our first finishers, too. Udo Moeller from Hannover, Germany, was
the first athlete to finish the new marathon distance. He arrived at the finish
after 4 hours and 16 minutes. Considering the icy surface and the snow, this
is a great time!
The fastest woman to finish the marathon was local Tammy Reis. She finished
after 5 hours and 20 minutes. Congratulations Tammy!
Everybody has safely arrived at CP1. The biggest surprise was the steep hill
just before the checkpoint area. More than just one athlete was ready to throw
his walking poles at me. But luckily the view from the top of the hill is so
nice that eventually everyone was willing to forgive me this climb towards the
end.
A number of athletes have headed out on the trail again. But most are still
resting outside. There is now a difficult section ahead of them. We have been
informed that there is overflow on the trail. This will be a tough challenge.
Also, temperatures and terrain in general will get more challenging. It will
get colder and there are many more hills to climb.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Training Course a very interesting experience!
For this year's participants of the YAU the official training course
was a very interesting experience. Many questions were asked, e.g. "What do I
do if I am lost at night, chased by a grizzley, fall through thin ice and I am
alone?" Well, ... that's a tough one. But thanks to our local experts and experienced
racers who shared their knowledge, all questions were answered.
And after all that theory it was time for some practice. The participants went
out on a trail from 9:00-1:00 PM. Minus 10 degrees Celsius were a good temperature
to test equipment. Everyone had to start a fire and light their stoves in order
to be prepared for the challenge ahead.
However, the best part was an unbelievable display of Northern Lights - the
nicest ones the area has experienced this winter so far. It was difficult to
keep looking at the trail with this magic going on in the sky.
Almost all racers are here now.
From all over the world racers are once again coming to participate in the
YAU. Almost everyone is here by now. Last minute shopping and preparations keep
the athletes busy. One of the most discussed topics of course is the weather
which we expect to be rather warm at the beginning. It should not get much colder
than minus 10 degrees during our first night on the trail.
The pre-race meeting starts at 5:00 PM tomorrow. Then the final count down
is on.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
I will be leaving for Whitehorse on Feb. 7th. From Feb. 8th onwards I will
try to check my emails on a regular basis. From Feb. 8th – 13th I will stay at
the High Country Inn. The phone number for the High Country Inn is 867-667-4471.
The fax is 867-667-6457. During the race I will be out on the trail and at the
checkpoints. It will be possible to reach me via sat phone. The number will be
posted in this news section on the race website as soon as I have it.
Temperatures
At the moment temperatures in Whitehorse are rather mild again. It’s only 0
degrees Celsius right this minute. What this means for us is that conditions
are not really predictable. It could easily be -45 again when we start the race.
Or it could stay like this. Both options are difficult for the athletes. Mild
weather means soft snow. That way the race is hard on the feet and dangerous
due to thin ice and overflow. We will see.
Updates during the race
From Feb. 11th onwards there will be regular updates on arcticultra.de. We
will also try to post pictures.
Messages for athletes
If you want to send a message to a participating athlete, please send it by
email to info@thegreatoutdoors.de.
We will try to get those messages to the athletes. But we can’t promise that
the messages will reach their destination on the same day.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
There have been a few updates that just went to
participating athletes. Since the information that went out in these updates
might also be interesting for future athletes, friends, family, visitors and
press we will now also post it in this sectin.
January 28th, 2004
This morning I received an update from Gary re. conditions on the trail:
"… I went for a couple long cold rides. Whitehorse to Braeburn is in excellent
shape lots of snow and well groomed trail, athletes will not notice as many roots
and scrub as last year. Close to Braeburn there was a truck on the trail that
left big ruts, hopefully snow and traffic will smooth them out.
As well rode from Braebrun to Carmacks, incredible amounts of snow, much from
snowfall and more being blown in. River still looks a bit sketchy, we may have
to run the steeps accents and descents like last year. This cold weather may
help out.
I have not gone past Carmacks nor have I heard anything. Quest trail builders
will be officially getting started on the 7th and should have more news for us…"
When Gary wrote those lines it was – 46 degrees Celsius in Whitehorse. I have
mentioned in many newsletters that we may encounter extremely low temperatures.
And it looks like I was right. Prepare yourself for these temperatures! If I
find anybody with gear at the mandatory camp-out that is not sufficient, I will
pull him/her out of the race without one second of hesitation! And there will
be no money refund. But concerning this issue your safety should be more important
to you than money anyway.
Currently there is a lot of talking on the weather and gear on our forum on www.eventrate.com/private.
If you haven’t visited this forum you should do so. Shelley and others give a
lot of good advice.
Please send me your arrival times in Whitehorse and the times when you will
be leaving again. We will greet you upon arrival and we will take along some
blankets just in case ...
January 29th, 2004
Gear check
With my last update I got some of you worried about having the right gear in
order to pass the "test". And having the right gear is something you should be
concerned about with the temperatures you might encounter. We will check your
sleeping set-up (tent if you have one, bivy bag, Therm a Rest or other, sleeping
bag) and we will let you light your stove. So, if
- your tent take 45 minutes to be put up
- you don’t have a bivy bag if you are sleeping without a tent
- your sleeping bag is not good enough for these temperatures
you might be in trouble. Re. sleeping bag you will have to proof to us that
it will allow you to survive in minus 40 and colder, i.e. if you have a minus
20 sleeping bag you will have to explain what you do to improve the insulation
to the required level. To avoid discussions it is of course easiest if you have
a sleeping bag that just in itself is sufficient.
All other gear is your responsibility, e.g. spare clothes, waterproof matches,
head lamp, spare batteries, food, enough liquid, etc. will not be checked!
I advise you to think of the worst situation possible, e.g. you get lost, break
through thin ice and there is a snow storm with minus 40 and wind chill. If you
have the gear, setup and the knowledge to survive this kind of a situation you
are ready for the race.
Satellite phones
For additional safety, it makes sense to take along a sat phone. Erik’s Audiotronic
have offered to rent out sat phones to YAU participants at CAD 200,- for the
duration of Feb. 13th-23rd. That is CAD 50,- off the regular rental. Phone calls
will be charged at CAD 3,- per Minute. Of course this deal is also available
for participants of the 100 mile race. The price will be reduced accordingly.
I do recommend taking along a sat phone in the kind of conditions we will experience.
If you are interested in renting one, please get in touch with Stephen Williamson
from Erik’s Audiotronic as soon as possible. Contact details:
Phone (867) 668-6543
Fax (867) 668-5692
E-mail: sales@eriksyukon.com
Pulk Sleds
From now we will offer to build and sell or rent pulk sleds to YAU athletes.
It’s a bit late for this now. I know. But we have never thought about it before.
Shelley will be building those sleds. That’s ideal because she has got the experience
and the sleds will be there for you when you get to Whitehorse. The only disadvantage
is that you won’t get to train with the sled. It’s up to you. If you still need
a pulk sled and have not made any arrangements with us, yet, please let us know
asap. To buy one is CAD 100 and to rent one it is CAD 20 per day for the 100
mile and CAD 15 per day for the 300 mile race. The only thing you still have
to take care of yourself is the belt.
January 31st, 2004
It’s only minus 29 degrees Celsius in Whitehorse at the moment. Seems to be
a major heat wave going on …
With this update I sent out a gear list that Shelley has put together.
I asked the participants to use it to double check their own gear list.
Should any gear be missing, there still is an opportunity to check with
Coast Mountain Sports. With a good exchange rate it is even possible to
save some money with last minute shopping in Whitehorse.
If anybody wants to have a look at Shelley's list I will send it out by email
if requested.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Start of the YAU 2004
Due to safety reasons we have scheduled the start of the YAU 2004 for 12:00
noon rather than starting in the early afternoon. That way most of the athletes
should be arriving at SIR North Country Ranch before it is getting dark. Nonetheless,
marathon runners have to take headlamps with them!
The location of the start will change, too. This time it will be the Whitehorse
Visitor Reception Centre. There, we have plenty of room inside if you need to
warm up. Also, we have washrooms which might be useful, as Mike put it "in the
excitement of the last minutes before the start". It is not far away from where
we started last time. You will get the exact description of where to go to at
the pre-race meeting.
Pre-race Meeting
The pre-race meeting will start on Feb. 13th, at 5:00 PM at the High Country
Inn in Whitehorse. Please be on time.
Buying gear in Whitehorse
I have received some enquiries regarding the kind of gear that can be bought
in Whitehorse. Please do not hesitate to contact Corina at Coast Mountain Sports.
Email: cms780admin@klondiker.com
Phone: (867) 667-6786
They offer almost anything that should be on your list of equipment. But it
always makes sense to get in touch before you leave home, just in case they are
running out of stock on anything.
Distances and changes to the second checkpoint
In our first year I have been told that the distance between Whitehorse and
the SIR North Country Ranch is approx. 25 miles. Measurements with GPS now indicate
a distance of 20 miles. Of course, there is always a variation of up to 2 miles
depending on how the trail is put in. However, this means that the marathon runners
will definitely go past the first CP and then make a loop on a different trail
back to the Ranch. Or they will go past and at a certain point turn around to
run to the finish. We will tell you at the pre-race meeting what the best solution
is.
In our first year we have had a very long distance between the first and the
second CP. The bad news: the distance will still be long. The good news: it won’t
be quite as long as in 2003. We will change the second CP from Kynocks to Dog
Grave Lake (strange name, I know). That way you have to cover 37 miles from the
SIR North Country Ranch to your next CP.
Distance Markers
I am always amazed about how wrong I am guessing the distance I have covered.
And I believe I am not the only one. But even athletes who know exactly how fast
they have been going will be glad to hear that we will put up a sign 10 miles
ahead of every CP telling you that this is how much further you have to go.
Temperatures
On arcticultra.de you will now find an interesting graph with temperatures
for Carmacks in the "Race
Info" section. It shows maximum, minimum and average temperatures measured
between 1964 and 2001. For this edition of the YAU take a close look at the minimum
temperatures!!! Never underestimate the cold! There is a nice story on this,
written by Jack London, "To Build a Fire (1902)". If you read it you will know
what I mean.
Training Course
Once more I want to make everyone aware of our training course. It will take
place from Feb. 11th-12th in Whitehorse and out on the trails. Since we are expecting
extremely cold weather, I strongly recommend the course to anyone who has not
experienced minus 40 degrees Celsius before. You will find details on the training
course here.
Renting gear
Trevor Braun offers gear to rent. Unfortunately, his email has changed and
I did not know it. You should be able to reach him through huski@northwestel.net.
Or you can give him a call at 867-456-4225.
Photographs
Christiane Müller who is a professional photographer, will be with us in the
Yukon to take pictures. She has offered to take pictures of athletes. A package
containing 4 pictures (start, trail, CP, finish) will cost US-$ 39. The format
of the photos will be 13 x 18. Christiane will try to get the photographs developed
right in Whitehorse to give them to you before you leave. If that is impossible
the photographs will be sent to you by mail. Cost for mailing is not included
in the price. If you are interested, please pre-order the package, so Christiane
knows how much time she will need to get all the photographs done. Her email
is cm@adventure-press.de.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Happy New Year!!!
Well, we are definitely getting closer to Feb. 14th. Right now it
is a modest -13 C in Whitehorse. But I do expect far colder temperatures than
we had last year. And we will definitely have more snow. Mike Simon will soon
go on the trail from Whitehorse to Braeburn. Also, Gary Rusnak, who is in charge
of snowmobile guiding once again, will go all the way to Pelly Crossing and let
me know what the situation out there is like. I will post a trail update as soon
as it is available.
MacPherson Rentals new Supporting Sponsor
MacPherson Rentals have already helped us in 2003 with really good rates on
snowmobile rentals. This year they have agreed on becoming a Supporting Sponsor.
They work very closely with Gary. So, I know they have the best machines and
a great service. Anyone interested in renting a snowmobile should contact Larry
Bragg at phone number +1 867-633 4426.
Massages
Shelley has contacted me re. a massage therapist who would like to offer her
services to racers. Her name is Janet Arntzen. Any athletes, who want to pre-book
a massage with Northwinds Massage Clinic, should contact Janet Arntzen at jarntzen@hotmail.com. Rates
are:
Traditional Massage – ½ hour CAD 40.00, 1 hour CAD 65.00, 1.5 hours CAD 97.00
La Stone massage – 1 hour CAD 80.00, 1.5 hours CAD 125.00
Prices include GST (goods and services tax) which visitors can apply for a
rebate on. Race participants get CAD 10 off.
Janet will be available in Whitehorse before and after the marathon, 100 mile
and 300 mile race. If 2 or more people request a massage for Carmacks she would
make herself available there.
Explore Magazine
Most of you who participated in 2003 have probably already tried to get a copy
of the explore magazine with the feature on the YAU. If not or if you had problems
getting it, please contact the managing editor, David Leach, directly. He offered
to send out a free copy to anyone who participated (dleach@explore-mag.com).
Medical Certificate
I would like to remind you all of rule number 19 re. a medical certificate.
"…This certificate needs to prove that you are competent to take part in an endurance
race in arctic conditions. It needs to be handed in to the race director at the
pre-race meeting on February 13th, 2004 at the latest."
Forum on www.eventrate.com/private
Shelley has posted some very useful advice re. cold weather experience. I suggest
to all those of you who are participating and are not on the forum, yet, to sign
up asap. It’s free of charge!
Welcome back Nicola!
Once again, we will have the support of the world’s greatest volunteer. Nicola
Bowron will help us at the checkpoints again. Last year’s race would have been
a lot less fun without her. So, welcome back Nicola!
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Coast Mountain Sports new sponsor of the YAU 2004
We are proud to announce a co-operation between the Yukon Arctic Ultra and
Coast Mountain Sports, Yukon’s largest outdoor and sports store. Coast Mountain
Sports is from now on the official YAU retailer and also sponsor of the checkpoint
on the Takhini River, the SIR North Country Ranch. We will soon send out a list
of products that will be useful for the race. So, if you have not purchased all
your gear, yet, make sure to check out the Coast Mountain Sports deals for you.
Once the list is out you will also find it on arcticultra.de. Should you
wish to buy anything or in case you have any questions regarding gear, shipment,
etc. please contact:
Corina O'Dochartaigh
Email: cms780admin@klondiker.com
Phone: (867) 667-6786
Corina works at Coast Mountain Sports and looks forward to getting your enquiries.
City of Whitehorse supports the YAU again
The City of Whitehorse will be the host of the pre-race meeting which will
be held at the High Country Inn once again. The City also helps us with the preparations
for our start which will take place next to the Yukon Quest office – just as
if we were starting with the Quest mushers again. Thank you Whitehorse!
Media coverage
Several journalists have expressed their interest in covering the YAU. With
the help of Yukon Tourism and Air Canada we should be able to give them the support
they need in order to make it to the Yukon. Also, several European running magazines
have mentioned us as an upcoming event for next winter. More and more websites
have links to the YAU. So, as far as coverage is concerned things are going quite
well, too.
And you might want to take a look at the current issue of the Canadian explore
magazine (www.explore-mag.com)
It has a great feature article on the YAU in it, written by Bruce Masterman.
Entries
34 athletes have signed up so far. Entries for the marathon are increasing
slowly but surely.
What to do when getting wet out on the trail
Shelley, our race representative for Canada and race advisor has put together
some important information for you. In order to do so she talked to other athletes
and some mushers. It will help you to be prepared in case you get wet on the
trail.
- Carry some fire starter i.e. something to make a quick fire. You can buy
fire starter kits locally at Coast Mountain Sports (or Canadian Tire) or you
can make your own. To make your own you could just use toilet paper and stove
fuel, ripped up paper, etc.
- We all carry lighters AND water proof matches in out kits.
- One of the women, who participated in the Canadian Death Race 2 years ago,
carries a small portable saw with her to help make a quick fire. WE didn’t all
think this was necessary, but if you aren’t experienced at fire making it might
be a good idea.
- Use spruce tree branches and sticks to get the fire going quickly, and then
add larger branches.
- Keep an extra set of clothing in a water proof bag so you can change quickly.
- Keep your sleeping bag and any other important gear in water proof sacks.
- If crossing ice that might be "iffy", a person should undo their waist harness,
just like you do with a back pack when you are crossing a fast flowing river.
You don’t want to fall through and get dragged down by your sled.
- Learn to read the ice for soft patches and signs of open water or over flow.
- Carry a vapor barrier……..you can get into this with your wet clothes if you
have to and into your sleeping bag and still stay relatively warm.
- Keep your headlamp on when crossing weird ice and use your poles to test
the surface for soft spots.
- Realistically, I think that for people who may be inexperienced with the
winter conditions, their best bet would be to keep a sat. phone. The phone should
be in a water proof container and easily accessible if required. That might
mean the difference between life and death.
Also, Mike Simon, our race co-ordinator had an interesting idea. Vehicle Emergency
Flares should be good to start a fire. They burn really hot and for about 20
to 30 minutes. If you take one along in a ziplock bag it might be of great help
in case of an emergency. They sell them at Canadian Tire in Whitehorse for CAD
15 for a pack of three flares.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Please note that I will not make any updates to this website between Sept.
14th-25th.
I will be on vaccation and it will be impossible to get a hold of. Any enquires
that you send during that time will be answered immediately after my return.
I hope for your understanding.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
New forum for the YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA
The YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA forum on Eventrate.com is now up and running. In order
to use it please go to www.eventrate.com/private
and set up a user account. It will take about one day for you to get authorised.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Race roster is filling up
Welcome Tunde, Shelley, Sue, Martin, Angela, Edgar and Michelle! Tunde was
a volunteer in the first YAU and now will try the 100 mile distance. Shelley
is very involved in the race, representing the YAU in North America. She has
accomplished a great time on the 100 mile distance this year and wants to have
a go at the 300 miles in 2004. Sue is our first entrant for the marathon! Martin
- what can I say - he finished the 300 miles this year. Even though I thought
he would never make it due to injury. And in 2004 he will be back to race it.
Angela and Edgar are experienced ultra racers from Germany. We will see how they
like the cold! Michelle just finished her first 1/2 Ironman this summer and plans
to do the Ironman in Frankfurt next year. The YAU 100 mile distance will be good
training.
Good luck to all of you!
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA announces travel packages for
2004 race
Just in time for the August 31st deadline the packages for 2004 have been finalised.
They include flights, accommodation, transfers and the race entry fee.For detailed
information please
check the application section.
Also, there are a number of activities for after the race which athletes can
book in advance. For
more details click here.
Last but not least there will be training course. This time it will be held
right before the race and in the Yukon. This is convenient because it means no
extra travel. And there is enough time to buy missing gear or make changes before
the race. For
some first information please click here.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
Information re. race roster
There is quite some movement on the race roster. You might have noticed the
four African sounding names on there in particular. These guys would have been
good for some record times and they had paid their entry fees already. However,
we take safety very seriously and I made these runners aware of the cold and
the fact that they need to participate in our training course or get training
in extremely cold temperatures some other way. That’s when the management of
Segun, Mukaila, Henry and Nurudeen decided to better not let their athletes compete
in the YAU 2004. And I am sure that was a wise decision.
Unfortunately, William Gow had to withdraw his application, too. He would have
been our first competitor on xc-ski but decided to come in 2005 instead.
New applications came in from Frank Theelen, Chris Ralph and Tom Ripley. Frank
is an experienced Adventure Racer, being the first German to have finished a
Raid Gauloises. And I am particularly proud that Chris and Tom who have finished
the 100 miles of the YAU 2003 will return. Welcome back!
In case you are wondering about package prices, I am still waiting for the
tour operator prices from Air Canada. These I will need to put together packages
which include flights, accommodation and entry fee. Air Canada told me that by
the end of this week the respective information should be available.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA 2003 documentary video ready for
ordering
As of today you are able to order Werner Walcher’s 30 Minute documentary of
the YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA 2003. Werner did a really great job! For those of you
who were there, I am sure you will love it. And those of you who are thinking
about doing the race next year, you will get a really good impression of what
it is like. You may order the tapes directly through Werner. His contact details
are:
Fresh From The Yukon Inc.
PO Box 10287, Whitehorse
Yukon Y1A 7A1
Phone: 867-668-2883
Fax: 867-668-3275
Email: Walcher@yknet.ca
The price for the tape is 24.95 CAN-$, plus shipping and handling. Shipping
and handling (airmail) for the USA is 12.00 CAN-$. For international destinations
it is 17.00 CAN-$ and within Canada it is 14.00 CAN-$.
Also, the CD with the photos of the YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA 2003 is finished. There
are some great photographs on it! If you want a CD please contact me by email
(info@thegreatoutdoors.de) or phone
(+49 (0)89 8898 1630). The price is 15.00 Euros plus shipping, handling and tax.
Best regards
Robert Pollhammer
Race Director
