Given recent changes to COVID-19 guidelines, Sport Yukon was able to announce some changes to its “Kinda” Klondike Road Relay 2021 on Aug. 12.
During the Road Relay planning process, organizers planned the race for a Yukon-only registration. Now, the race is able to welcome any Canadian or American runners who are able “to fulfill government border protocols by race time.”
“It’s exciting,” said race coordinator Amanda Deuling. “It’s nice to see we are slowly getting out of this.”
Registration for the Sept. 11 race is open until Aug. 18. The registration date was pushed back from its historic date but that worked in Sport Yukon’s favour, said Deuling.
“We had pushed back registration because we weren’t sure what the COVID-19 situation would look like,” said Deuling. “I’m glad we did.”
The Road Relay in non-pandemic years began and Skagway and ended in Rotary Park. The Kinda Road Relay the race will travel the traditional legs 6-10. This won’t change even if the border reopens.
“We won’t know when the border opens for sure and then we’d need permits and it would just be too much in a two-week span,” said Deuling. “We are looking forward to getting back to Skagway in 2022.”
The Road Relay will be a one-day event and five-person teams will be doing legs 6-10. Walking and youth teams will be completing lets 7-10 – as they’ve done historically.
What has Deuling most excited about this year’s race is the “Theme Team” who is primed and ready to give out prizes for costumes, best team name and “anything else they dream up.”
“We want to see big things and lots of enthusiasm,” said Deuling. “We want to see the excitement brought to the Yukon.”
For those that are unable to make it to the Yukon for the in-person event, there is a virtual option. Registration for the virtual option closes on Aug. 31.
The in-person race has available space for 500 participants. Deuling said they haven’t reached that number yet.
“If we get to 400 that will be exciting,” said Deuling.
Although the announcement had just come out, Deuling said there’s been interest expressed by teams in Haines and Skagway about joining the 2021 “Kinda” Klondike Road Relay.
Contact John Tonin at john.tonin@yukon-news.com