Knik 200 postponed due to weather

The Knik 200 Joe Redington Sr. Memorial Sled Dog Race scheduled for this weekend has been postponed to January 24-25 due to a lack of snow. Poor trail conditions and brutally cold weather in the Valley combined for a unanimous decision by the race’s board of directors to host the race after, what they hope, is a snowier January.

The news comes after the cancellation of the Knik 100 Bruce Braden Sled Dog Race earlier in December. The race boasted a full roster with a very long waitlist of eager teams. Both mushers and organizers were disappointed with the outcome.

Mushers that were signed up for the Knik 200 seem to be in agreement with the board’s decision. Both dog and musher safety are top of mind, as well as enjoying the race versus fighting through poor conditions.

“I think they’re in support of it. I think they want to race. I think they want to get out and go,” Board Member Ray Redington Jr. said. “I think they're just excited that we didn't cancel it and we're postponing it and trying to do the best we can to have one.”

Board Member and Race Organizer Barb Redington said this may be the worst trail conditions that she’s ever seen. Last year’s race was shortened to 150 miles due to poor trail conditions and this year could see something similar. The decision on whether to go through with the race or cancel it altogether will happen in the next couple of weeks.

“We hopefully wait and see what happens,” Barb said.

Postponing the Knik 200 will now overlap with the Kuskokwim 300 that runs out of Bethel and occur a week and a half after the Copper Basin 300. Despite the changes, there seems to be a fairly full field of mushers that will be competing in the Knik 200 this year. For now, registration remains open for any mushers that want to race. Mushers that wish to withdraw have until January 17th to make the decision.

Both mushers and the organizers remain hopeful of better weather to come.

“I think everybody's doing the best they can trying to get ready. I think everybody wants to race,” Ray said. “We just hope people can get out and enjoy the trails.”