Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad win 2022 Iron Dog

WASILLA— Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad of Team 7 won the 2021 Iron Dog. The Mat-Su Valley team crossed the finish line with a total run time of 53 hours, 27 minutes, and 21 seconds Saturday, Feb. 26.

“They’re just top prof all the way through,” Iron Dog Executive Director Bob Menne said.

Aklestad said this is the third time he’s taken a victory from the Iron Dog. He said succeeding in the world’s longest and toughest snowmachine race requires dedication on all fronts.

“It takes a lot of preparation and executing your plan,” Aklestad said.

Aklestad and Olstad have been Iron Dog race partners numerous times. Aklestad said that communication and a strong passion to win are key components to an effective partnership.

“It becomes second nature. I think Nick and I have a really good program going. We’re consistent in both of our drives. It makes a world of difference; and he’s a talented rider,” Aklestad said.

Aklestad has spent half his life competing in the Iron Dog.

“I think it’s that competitive drive. I’ll keep doing it while I know I can win,” Aklestad said.

Aklestad said that overcoming the various challenges across Alaska’s harsh and unforgiving wilderness has helped him grow as a person. He said that he’s also made invaluable connections with other racers and people involved in the race over the years.

“You’ve been through a life lesson. You just never give up. It takes a heck of a commitment,” Acklestad said.

According to Menne, the fact that Aklestad and Olstad didn’t crash or waste any time on the trail repairing their equipment heavily played into their success.

“That’s how you win a race,”

Menne said that proper preparation mixed with an unwavering commitment to the task at hand makes any competitor stand out from the rest of the pack.

“You have a clean run and you’re going to end up toward the top,” Menne said.

The overall trail conditions were particularly challenging during the 2022 Iron Dog due to the warm weather affecting the whole course. Menne said that all the racers had to steadily plow through the difficult and physically demanding terrain from start to finish with no real breaks from the intensity.

“They’ve all told us this is the hardest Iron Dog they’ve had to deal with. It was a very rough race,” Menne said.

The 2022 Iron Dog was the first race to utilize the Menard Sports Center for a ceremonial start and finish. Racers celebrated their various achievements during the awards banquet inside the large community center.

“These guys are incredible athletes. The Iron Dog is a way bigger deal than it ever gets credit for,” event emcee, Paul Thacker said.

Friends and family enthusiastically greeted Iron Dog teams as they crossed the ceremonial finish line at the Menard Center after clocking in their official end time in Big Lake. Several racers took their children around the property on their snowmachines to celebrate their successful return from a long and arduous journey.

Joseph Hale and David Wagner of Team 11 arrived to a massive welcoming party that even included former governor Sarah Palin.

Menne said the Iron Dog is all about friends, family, and teamwork. He said that only by finishing the Iron Dog can you truly call yourself a veteran. He said it takes some people years to achieve while others never complete the race.

“That just shows how important it is to a lot of people. That was nice to see,” Menne said. “It’s a big accomplishment. You cross the finish and you see the emotion come out of people. You can’t do the Iron Dog alone.”

Menne said that he was very pleased with the overall success of the 2022 Iron Dog. He said they established several new sponsors and plan to keep growing the race over time.

“Everything went really well,” Menne said. “We’re looking forward to next year already.”

For more information about the 2022 Iron Dog race, visit irondog.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com