What’s in a Scratch?
To borrow a sentiment from the 2024 Fat Pursuit, sometimes a scratch doesn’t tell the whole story. More than 30 athletes have scratched this year, not an exceptional number for the ITI. A scratch doesn’t tell you about the athletes who fought their way to exhaustion, through winds that could knock a person over, blowing snow, thigh-deep drifts, and trails that were completely blown in.
Scratch doesn’t describe one anonymous skier giving a big hug to a sobbing runner who just couldn’t push into the wind any longer, all in the midst of screaming wind and snow. Nor does it tell you about the incredibly difficult decision each one of these athletes had to make to give up on their ITI dream for this year.
The forecast today for McGrath is cloudy and warm, with snow showers predicted. Warm weather can be a relief, but can also make trails soft and travel more difficult. Conditions seem relatively mild and racers perhaps are enjoying a respite from strong winds and cold temperatures.
Skier Sunny Stroeer left Rohn around 8am after about 18 hours of rest. She steadily made her way through Farewell Burn and seems likely to stop at Bear Creek cabin tonight. Sunny is fighting a few surprises including a cracked tooth crown. Racers have to get special permission for something like going to the dentist, which hopefully Sunny will be able to do in McGrath. Laura Rushfeldt has scratched. Asbjoern Skjoeth Bruun arrived in McGrath this evening, and the remaining skiers on the course are between Rohn and Nikolai.
Faye Norby is the sole remaining women’s foot athlete. Faye arrived at Nikolai around 2am and stayed for a modest 6 hours before pushing on towards McGrath. She continues to travel with partner Jeff Leuwerke. Gavin Hennigan and Brandon Lott are leading the men’s 1000 foot race and are about 20 miles from McGrath. Ryan Fox is leading the foot 350 and is about 33 miles from McGrath. Nome foot racer Herman Watson has scratched due to a stress fracture.
Bikers Missy Schwarz and Kinsey Loan arrived in McGrath Saturday evening and are resting there today, Leah Gruhn arrived this afternoon. Stephanie Schmidt and Mayalla Krause finished during the day today. Amanda Harvey and Jennifer McConnel arrived in Nikolai before noon.
Nome racers are slowly starting to trickle out of McGrath; as of this writing, only five have departed. Tyson Flaherty and Miron Golfman are leading the race to Nome and are only 30 miles from Ruby.
Becca Moore finished her second 350 today; the first was in 2022. Few ITI racers can say they’ve also mushed the Iditarod trail to Nome, and Becca is one of them. Not only has she completed the Iditarod twice, but she’s also finished the Yukon Quest.
Temperatures are predicted to remain above zero for the next few days, with light winds and chance of snow. This bodes well for trail conditions and racers, who we hope will be enjoying trail friends and the camaraderie only a shared ITI experience can bring.
Author Amber Crawford
Photo credit Carole Holley
Photo caption: Carole Holley and Amber Crawford shortly after departing Puntilla Lake, heading into unknown weather conditions on Rainy Pass.