Organizers of the Klondike Road Relay will take until the end of the month to decide exactly what the Sept. 9 to 10 relay race will look like.
In a March 16 social media post, two plans — Plan A and Plan B — were outlined for the race with a deadline of March 30 for Sport Yukon, which oversees the event, to make a decision.
Pre-COVID-19, the race saw teams of runners and walkers make their way from Skagway to Whitehorse in a relay of 10 legs via the South Klondike Highway and Alaska Highway.
A virtual edition of the race was held in 2020, with a modified “Kinda” Klondike Road Relay in 2021 that saw a more limited number of racers taking on legs 6 -10 on the Canadian side of the border.
Plan A for 2022 would see the race start in Skagway between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 9.
If that isn’t able to happen, Plan B will see start times from the Canadian border between midnight and 5 a.m. Sept. 10.
In both cases, the race would finish in Whitehorse at Rotary Park with the Party in the Park getting underway at 6 a.m. Sept. 10.
Plans are also in the works for a pilot program that will give runners the option of running a half-leg distance in the Carcross to Whitehorse portion of the race rather than a full leg.
“We hope to increase your confidence to try a full leg for the 40th anniversary,” Sport Yukon stated in a newsletter.
This will mark the “39.5th” edition of the race.
As Sport Yukon outlined: “The 2022 race will be dubbed #39.5. Why? We are saving the 40th anniversary celebration so we can be sure we can celebrate with our American friends — it needs to be big after all!”
For the 2022 race to go ahead, Sport Yukon said it will need 700 spots reserved by June 5. If those spots aren’t reserved, the race will be off until 2023 for the 40th anniversary event. Refunds, minus a 10 per cent administration fee, will be provided to those who sign up for the 2022 race if it doesn’t go ahead.
Prior to 2020, the relay typically saw more than 2,000 participants, support people and checkpoint volunteers taking part.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com