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The Final Five – 240 miles apart and running towards Fairbanks

February 22, 2007
Editor and/or Contributors

With over a dozen dog teams now finished the 2007 Yukon Quest, many musher and race fans are looking forward to Friday night’s Meet the Mushers and Saturday’s Finish and Award’s Banquet.But for the teams still out on the trail, life hasn’t changed much since they began their journey from Whitehorse to Fairbanks almost 2 weeks ago!Benedikt Beisch is resting during his final, mandatory stop at Chena Hot Springs. He and his team can take off from Chena just before 11:30 pm Thursday, for the approximate 12 to 14 hour run on the final leg of their 2007 Yukon Quest.Two former Red Lantern winners are travelling together near the back of the pack. Regina Wycoff (2006 Red Lantern and Challenge of the North Award winner) and Minnesota musher, Tom Benson, (2004 Red Lantern winner) both left the Mile 101 Dog Drop at 11:30 am Thursday, having arrived at Mile 101 within 5 minutes of each other around 5:30 am.Two other mushers trail Regina and Tom, so they should not be adding to their Red Lantern collection this year.Kyla Boivin departed from the Central Checkpoint about 2:30 pm Thursday, to begin her team’s climb over Eagle and Rosebud Summits before starting to serve her 8-hour mandatory layover at Chena Hot Springs.North Pole musher, Bob McAlpin, has been well back of the rest of the race and travelling alone with his still complete 14-dog team for several days now. Bob and his dogs left Circle City, some 240 miles from Fairbanks, just after 4:00 pm Thursday. His team has been making steady progress along the trail, but is just moving slowly and resting generously as Bob continues on his rookie Yukon Quest run.We hope that Bob and his dogs will arrive in Fairbanks in time to attend Saturday’s Finish and Awards Banquet, and that everyone will come out to welcome all of the Final Five teams in the 2007 Yukon Quest!