On Saturday, March 13th, the K300 Race Committee will host the annual 100 Mile Challenge. Registration is now open to all mushers.
Trail details will be announced on Friday but mushers can expect to follow portions of the established K300 race trail with a halfway checkpoint located in or near Bethel. At the checkpoint all teams will be required to take a 2-hour layover. The race will start on the river in Bethel at 9am. Full Race Rules and Covid-19 protocols are outlined below.
Race Rules:
1. The 100-mile race begins at 9:00 AM in Bethel, Alaska on Saturday March 13, 2021.
2. Racers must begin the race with no more than 8 dogs and complete the race with no fewer than 5 dogs.
3. Racers may drop dogs from their team during the race, but only at the mid-way checkpoint. Dropped dogs may not be put back in the team. The Race Committee will not provide transportation for any dropped dogs. Racers must make arrangements for transportation and care of drop dogs.
4. Racers must sign in with the official checker at the layover checkpoint and declare how many dogs will be dropped.
5. Racers must take a mandatory 2-hour layover at the mid-way checkpoint of the race.
6. General passing rules apply. The race officials may penalize a team if this rule is violated. “No Man’s Land” will be marked by a sign about two miles from the finish line.
7. Racers must follow the marked and/or broken race trail. Leaving the marked and/or broken trail is not allowed.
8. No pacing by snow machine. There may be a snow machine pacing the field in the early part of the trail to show all teams the proper trail, and also perhaps at other points on the trail as needed.
9. Mushers must be a current member of the K300 to participate in this race. Membership may be purchased by sponsoring a K300 mile for $100.
10. All litter must be properly disposed of at checkpoint and may not be left along the trail.
The race purse is $20,000 distributed as follows:
1……………………………....$2,700
2…………………………..…..$2,450
3………………………………$2,250
4………………………………$2,050
5……………………………....$1,850
6………………………….…..$1,700
7……………………………...$1,450
8…………………………..…$1,250
9…………………………..…$1,050
10…………………………...$900
11…………………………...$750
12…………………………...$600
13…………………………...$450
14………………………..….$300
15…………………………...$250
Covid-19 Safety Protocols for 2020-21 Local Races
These policies have been established by the K300 Race Committee in order conduct the 2020-21 race season while limiting the risk of further spreading Covid-19 in YK Delta communities. Compliance is mandatory for all mushers and handlers. The Race Committee may penalize or disqualify any participant who violates these safety policies.
1. REGISTRATION: Please register by Thursday, March 11th using this form.
2. VILLAGE RESTRICTIONS: Each musher is required to comply with whatever specific travel restrictions may be in place in their home communities at the time of the race. If permission is required to leave the village to race, each musher must get that permission. If traveling to Bethel for essential services is not permitted, participants should not go anywhere other than the start/finish line. If travel for the race is not permitted by their home community, the musher will not be able to participate in the race.
3. HANDLERS: Racers are encouraged to participate without any handlers but we urge all to keep their support crew as small as possible. All handlers must be part of the musher’s household or “bubble” and must also have travel permission from their home village, if required.
4. SOCIAL DISTANCING: In order to maintain social distancing, all mushers and handlers are required to stay with their truck or snow machine at all times while at the start/finish line and the midway checkpoint. There can be no contact between teams. There will be no exceptions to this rule and mushers may be penalized for the misconduct of their support crew.
5. SPECTATORS: Spectators are urged to stay with their vehicle or snow machine, wear masks and practice proper social distancing.
6. MUSHER ARRIVAL: Teams should arrive at the start line at least 30 minutes before the start time.
7. PARKING: Teams are required to park in marked, designated places at the start/finish line, which will correspond to bib numbers. Race organizers will provide direction as needed.
8. BIBS: Each parking spot will be provided with a race bib which mushers are required to wear during the race. Numbers will be assigned during phone registration.
9. TRAIL DETAILS: Race rules and trail details will be published at www.k300.org and on the K300 Facebook page a day or two before the race.
10. MONEY: Prize money will be distributed by mail a few days after the race. Membership fees will be deducted from prize money if applicable. There will be no exchange of cash or checks at the start/finish line.
