The Yukon Quest 2000

The Yukon Quest 2000 started February 12, and ended February 23. The 1000 mile marathon was won this year by Aliy Zirkle. She won the race in 10 days 22 hrs and 59 minutes the second fastest time on the Fairbanks to Whitehorse, leg out sprinting thomas Tetz over the last 69 miles. Aliy is the first woman to win the Yukon Quest. She was 15 minutes off Lavon Barve's eastbound championship charge in 1994 and about seven hours off Frank Turner's overall record when she finished at 9:59 a.m. Alaska time with nine dogs. The effort left the 30 year old Two Rivers resident exhausted and overwhelmed by the attention. Over the last 450 miles of the race, they had to run mighty hard just to get a look at the blond blue eyed 6 foot musher. She used a cunning strategy in the first 200 mile push out of the race's midway point at Dawson City to put herself in position to win.

I took these pictures on the Chena River as the musher's and dog teams went by. We didn't have to go far to see them. This year the race started in Fairbanks and the river goes right by our house on the way out of town.

Race Standings
1. George Carroll, Fairbanks, Ak *

3. Peter Butteri, Tok, Ak
4. Bruno Baureis, Gakona, Ak*
5. Hugh Neff, Fairbanks, Ak*
6. Rusty Hagan, North Pole, Ak
7. Jerry Louden, Two Rivers, Ak
8. Abbie West, Copper Center, Ak*
9. Larry Carroll, Willow, Ak
10. Peter Ledwidge, Dawson City, YT
11. Jack Berry, Homer, Ak
12. Cim Smyth, Big Lake, Ak*
13. Dave Dalton, Wasilla, Ak
14. Eric Nicolier, Fairbanks, Ak*
15. Phil Russell, Fairbanks, Ak*
16. Tony Blandford, Fairbanks, Ak
17. Frank Turner, Whitehorse, YT
18. Thomas Tetz, Tagish, YT
19. Dieter Dolif, Two Rivers, Ak*
20. Ararad Khatchikian, Denali Park, Ak*
21. Bruce Milne, Two Rivers, Ak*
22. William Kleedehn, Carcross, YT
23. Dave Olesen, Yellowknife, NWT
24. Andrew Lesh, Fairbanks, Ak
25. Thomas Wiget, Whitehorse, YT
26. Aliy Zirkie, Two Rivers, Ak
27. Fred Jordan, Tanana, Ak
28. Darren Rorabaugh, Fairbanks, Ak
29. Deborah Bicknell, AukeBay, Ak*
* Denotes Rookie

#18 Thomas Tetz, Tagish, YT

#21 Bruce Milne, Two Rivers, Ak*

#23 Dave Olesen, Yellowknife, NWY

#24 Andrew Lesh, Fairbanks, Ak

#25 Thomas Wiget, Whitehorse, YT

#26 Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers, Ak *WINNER*

#27 Fred Jordan, Tanana, Ak

#28 Darren Rorabaugh, Fairbanks, Ak

#29 Deborah Bicknell, AukeBay, Ak*

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