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Kobuk 440 Started Thursday – Purse Tops $50,000

April 13, 2012
Editor and/or Contributors

Mushers gathered their ganglines and checked them twice yesterday in Kotzebue for the start of the Kobuk 440.The Kobuk features 440 miles over arctic terrain starting in Kotzebue and stopping along the way in Noorvik, Selawik, Ambler, Shungnak, Kiana and Kobuk.Nine mushers are on the roster as of Tuesday for the “Toughest Race North of the Arctic Circle” including Chuck Schaeffer, Ken Anderson, Darrin Lee, Gus Guenther, Scott Smith, Sigrid Ekran, Ed Iten as well Kotzebue’s Maret Heatta and Katherine Keith, who will both be running John Baker teams.And though the low number of entrants is not necessarily ideal for the race, it is great for the mushers who will share an increased purse. Race organizers announced last week that the purse jumped from $30,000 to $50,200. Also, a lower number of mushers makes it easier for organizers to keep of track of, and cater to, the racers and their teams.Read more here: http://www.thearcticsounder.com/article/1215kobuk_440_started_thursday_purse_tops_50000