Yukon Quest 2020: last year’s winner first to reach race’s halfway point

‘It’s fun to be here first,’ Sass told reporters early Thursday morning after he reached the Dawson City checkpoint in the Yukon Quest sled dog race. (Steve Silva/CBC)
Alaska musher Brent Sass is still the one to beat in the Yukon Quest sled dog race.

Sass, who won the race last year, was the first to reach the race’s halfway point at Dawson City, early Thursday morning. He arrived a little more than an hour ahead of Yukoner Michelle Phillips.

It’s the second year in a row that Sass led the pack into Dawson.

“It feels good, it’s always fun to be back in Dawson. It’s fun to be here first,” Sass told reporters on Thursday morning. He reached the checkpoint at 5:43 a.m. local time.

Sass said it was a bit of a “slog” getting to Dawson.

“There’s definitely some challenging conditions in certain places, and [the dogs] just put their heads down and got the job done,” he said.

“There were just a lot of sections where we were just straight up breaking trail … the trail was totally blown in.”

The first musher to Dawson is traditionally awarded two ounces of Klondike gold — but first they have to complete the 1,600-kilometre race to Whitehorse.

Mushers are required to spend at least 36 hours in Dawson City before continuing the race to Whitehorse. (Steve Silva/CBC)

Mushers are required to stay in Dawson for 36 hours before continuing on. Sass was asked what he need most during his layover in Dawson — a shot, a shower or sleep?

“Food,” he said. “I need some food.”

Michelle Phillips of Tagish, Yukon, was leading the race for a while in recent days, but fell behind Sass as they got closer to Dawson. She arrived in Dawson a little over an hour after Sass, at 6:54 a.m. local time.

“I’m feeling pretty good. Happy to be here,” she said.

Phillips also described being slowed by windy and snowy conditions before Dawson, but said she has a good group of dogs.

‘I’m gonna have a beer,’ said Yukon musher Michelle Phillips, who arrived in Dawson a little more than an hour after Sass. (Steve Silva/CBC)

She was also asked by reporters how she’d celebrate her arrival in Dawson.

“I’m gonna have a beer,” she said.

As of Thursday morning, there were still 11 more mushers due to arrive in Dawson City. Two other mushers dropped out of the race earlier this week.

With files from Steve Silva

Related stories from around the North:

Canada: Yukon Arctic Ultra: ‘World’s coldest and toughest’ ultra race starts today in northwestern Canada, CBC News

Finland: Ice fishing World Championships latest in Finnish series of odd sports events, Yle News

Norway: Swedish musher wins Finnmarksløpet, The Independent Barents Observer

United States: Alaskan Pete Kaiser wins 2019 Iditarod dog sled race, Alaska Public Media

CBC News

For more news from Canada visit CBC News.

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

Leave a Reply

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.
Netiquette »

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *