Kleedehn stalls as Eagle Summit shuffles Yukon Quest front-runners
Published Monday, February 23, 2009
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS -- William Kleedehn’s bid to win the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race stalled on Eagle Summit late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
After leading the 1,000-mile sled dog race from Whitehorse to Fairbanks for the previous 400 miles, Kleedehn encountered problems on the steep climb up the 3,685-foot summit north of Fairbanks and had fallen into fifth place on Monday.
Details of what happened on the summit were sketchy but Kleedehn was passed by his four closest pursuers — Hugh Neff, Jon Little, Sebastian Schnuelle and Brent Sass — as he struggled to make it up the mountain, the steepest climb in the Quest.
Neff was the first musher to reach 101 Mile at 9 a.m. with nine dogs, followed 10 minutes later by Little and his nine-dog team. Schnuelle arrived at 9:54 a.m. with 10 dogs. Neff was the first musher to leave 101 Mile at 9 a.m., while Little departed at 9:35 and Schnuelle left at 10 a.m.
Kleedehn followed Sass into 101 Mile at 12:14 p.m., a minute behind Sass, who stayed only two minutes before hitting the trail again for the 82-mile run to the final checkpoint at Twin Bears Campground in Two Rivers. Kleedehn was still at the rest stop as of 1 p.m.
Kleedehn, the popular and long-time Quester from the Yukon with a prosthetic leg, appeared to be on his way to his first Quest victory in 12 races when mushers left Central Sunday night.
According to a report sent in by News-Miner Quest reporter Matias Saari, a female dog in Kleedehn’s team that was in heat caused his dogs to balk going up the summit and Sass helped him up the mountain Monday morning.
Based on their run times from Central, both Neff and Little had problems getting over Eagle Summit, too. It took both Neff and Little just over 13 hours to make the 33-mile run from Central to 101 Mile. It normally takes mushers about five hours to cover that distance.
Neff was the first musher to leave Central on Sunday night at 7:55, followed by Kleedehn at 8 p.m. and Little at 8:03.
Schnuelle, meanwhile apparently made it over the summit without a problem. He made the run from Central to 101 Mile in 5 hours, 24 minutes and gained almost eight hours on the leaders to put himself in a position to win the race.
While Neff has the lead on the trail, Little is the leader on the clock because Neff was penalized two hours by race officials for mushing almost six miles down a road into the Central checkpoint rather than following the marked trail next to the road.
Neff will serve the time penalty at the final checkpoint at Twin Bears Campground, 45 miles from the finish in Fairbanks. All mushers are required to rest for a minimum of eight hours at Twin Bears and Neff will stay for 10.
The first musher is expected to reach the finish line in Fairbanks sometime early Tuesday morning.
Community Discussion
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Brent Sass helped several mushers over the top of Eagle Summit back in 2006 when he was doing the YQ 300. He even gave a musher who had lost his team a ride down from the summit during a whiteout blizzard. Last year, Sass gave Yuka Honda a ride for several hours after she lost her team. Now, word is that he cleared Eagle Summit, then hiked back over the top and was Kleedehn's "Lead Dog," helping to drag his team up over the top of the summit.
Way to go, Sass! GO WILD AND FREE!
If that is true about Brent Sass going back from the south side of the summit of Eagle Summit to the north side and helping William Kleedehn over the top, that should get his the sportsmanship trophy for this year's race. That north side of Eagle Summit is about as straight up and down for about 200-300 yrds. as any place I have ever been on a machine. I cannot imagine being on a dogsled with team going EITHER direction on that trail, but it is by far and away the best trail to use. If this story pans out to be true, Brent Sass is one fine competitor and I wish him the best and hope he has a fantastic run to the finish and finishes with happy dogs.
Here's a great picture of Brent dragging Kleedehn's team up over the summit: http://www.yukonquest.com/site/view-yuko...
(Its the third photo in the collection)
GO WILD AND FREE!
They should give Sass some bonus time. What great sportsmanship. It'd be a shame, though, if it costs him the win.
My Son races 2 of Brent's dogs in the Junior Sprint Races. This has been his best effort in five years to be in the top of the two Dog Class going into the Junior North American Championships.
Anything can happen in a sled dog race that's for sure!
Way To Go Brent! My Son could not have picked a better Sports figure to look up to.
Carpe & Poncho send High Paws to the Wild and Free Team!!!
Brent is one of those guys who just makes you smile and say, "Wow. What a really nice guy!" I'll always remember him at the log cabin in Pioneer Park (Alaskaland!) for the sign-ups for the 2008 YQI. I got there around 745am with the bagels and coffee, and there was Brent, kicked back by the front door with a pop in his hand, a smile on his face, and a friendly "'Mornin'!" for everyone who came by. He said he got there early (he'd been there since about 630am) because he wanted to be first in line for the Alaska side. What a class act. What a great guy. Go, Brent! Go! :-)
http://www.yukonquest.com/user-uploads/g...
If this doesn't define the spirit of the North, I don't know what does.
Brent: good job. I wish more sportsmen were as sportsmanlike as you.
Wow! What a great guy Brent is to go back and help William over the summit this late in a race where the competition heating up! I just sent the Yukon Quest (Fairbanks office) a comment thru the Yukon Quest website nominating Brent for the sportsman of the year award... I don't know if it will work but I figured it couldn't hurt... if you agree I would suggest you also do the same!
The Quest should rename the sportsmanship award to "THE BRENT SASS AWARD"
They should also re-classify DQed as "HUGH NEFFED"
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