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Erin Altemus
Last weekend was a big day for the Sawtooth Mountain Racing kennel.
Husband and wife Matthew Schmidt and Erin Altemus each won their races. Erin Altemus’s dog sled team took first place in the Gunflint Mail Run’s 8-dog team, and Matt won the 12-dog team event, the longer of the two races; this was Matt’s second win in a row.
Matt’s team finished the 80-mile race in 6:31.08., more than half an hour ahead of Alaska’s Ryan Reddington Callin’ Trail Kennel team. Only six teams finished the 80-mile competition that included a four-hour layover at Trail Center, which also served as the start and finish for both races.
Frank Holmberg of Holmberg Racing Sled Dogs placed third (7:27:11); Ero Wallin of Two Harbors Silver Creek Sled Dogs was fourth (7:32:53); Jen Freking of Manitou Crossin Kennel was fifth (8:12:43) and David Hicks of Deep Roots Kennel placed sixth (9:48:32).
Seven teams scratched from the 80-mile event.
Why so few finishers?
During the second loop, a large water hole opened at the bottom of a hill for mushers in both events. Some mushers like Erin Atemus chanced it and pulled their team through the water. Erin helped a couple of other teams traverse the water before moving on. Matthew’s team made it through the water in good shape. Unfortunately, all of the dog teams had to come back through the water on their return loop to the finish line. Fourteen mushers pulled out rather than take a chance going through the water with their dogs. A race official was on site to warn mushers about the potential danger.
Following the Gunflint Mail Run race officials posted this on their Facebook page, “We had some challenging times trying to decide what to do when an ice bridge broke on the trail leaving anywhere from a foot to several feet of deep running water. Mushers were “piling up” at the water and a decision had to be made in a hurry. With a lot of musher input, the judges decided to continue the race through the water. It is a wilderness race after all.”
Two-time defending 8-dog champion Joanna Oberg was in first place after the first loop in the shorter race. She was the first musher to leave Trail Center after her dog team had taken the mandatory rest. Back on the trail with about an eight-minute lead, a race official stopped her before she reached the water. He warned her that a hole had opened up, and her dogs might have to swim through it. Rather than risk her dogs Joanna, returned to the starting line.
12-dog race
(Note: In 2023, the course was shortened for the 12-dog race due to trail conditions.)
1st Matt Schmidt (bib#12)
– Sawtooth Racing – 6:31:08
2nd Ryan Redington (bib#7)
– Callin’ Trail Kennel – 7:02:43
3rd Frank Holmberg (bib#11)
– Holmberg Racing Sleddogs
– 7:27:11
4th Ero Wallin (bib#3)
– Silver Creek Sled Dogs
– 7:32:53
5th Jen Freking (bib#2)
– Manitou Crossing Kennel
– 8:12:43
6th David Hicks (bib#6)
– Deep Root Kennel – 9:48:32
Scratch:
Nick Vigilante (bib#9)
– Schroeder Mushing
Mary Manning (bib#8)
– Doodledog Kennel
Colleen Wallin (bib#5)
– Silver Creek Sled Dogs
Gunnar Johnson (bib#1)
– Callin’ Trail Kennel
Erin Aili (bib#4)
– Miles Ahead Racing
Talia Martens (bib#10)
– Martens Mushing
Tom Bauer (bib#13) –
Otter River Sled Dog
8-dog race
1st Erin Altemus (bib#21)
– Sawtooth Racing – 6:07:17
2nd Ashley Thaemert (bib#22)
– Lost Lake Racing – 6:12:16
3rd Davin Bellingar (bib#28)
– Steve Peterson Racing Kennel
– 6:14:28
4th Heather Brandon (bib#24)
– Meander Mountain Huskies
– 6:14:37
5th Morgan Martens (bib#19)
– Martens Mushing – 6:22:32
6th Ryan Miller (bib#18)
– Lost Lake Racing – 6:23:04
7th Drew Heskin (bib#23)
– MushAlaska – 6:25:15
8th Derek Nechuta (bib#29)
– Gypsy Moondogs – 6:28:10
9th Maddoux Erickson
(bib#26) – Schroeder Mushing
– 6:37:00
10th Blake Freking (bib#14)
– Manitou Crossing Kennel
– 6:42:20
Scratch:
Joanna Oberg (bib#15)
– Run Silent Racing
James Tackeberry (bib#16)
– (Janesville, WI)
Cindy Gallea (bib#17)
– Snowcrest Kennel
Brian Bergen (bib#20)
– Gone to the Dogs
Julia Cross (bib#25)
– Gone to the Dogs
Kirk Weber (bib#27)
– Snowcrest Kennel
Sky Harris (bib#30)
– Mushing Club at Michigan
Tech
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