More than 1,200 riders making up 268 teams took to their bicycles for the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay from Haines Junction to Haines, Alaska, on June 16.
Dubbed the second 25th annual iteration of the race — after last year’s event was cancelled due to snow — riders again faced challenges from the elements.
Intermittent drizzle and heavy headwinds kept cyclists on their toes, often slowed to a crawl on hill climbs. Winds were so heavy that organizers say gusts tipped over a portable toilet along the route.
The race started with solo riders and two-person teams beginning the 240-kilometre trek at 8:20 a.m., followed by four-person teams at 8:45 a.m. and eight-person teams at 9:00 a.m.
Matthias Purdon of Whitehorse was the fastest rider overall, finishing in a time of eight hours, 17 minutes and nine seconds. The two-person team, I Shaved My Legs for This?!, of Ian Parker and Joel Macht were second overall with a time of eight hours, 17 minutes and 15 seconds.
Haines’ own Jenn Walsh was the fastest female in the race, finishing in 10 hours, nine minutes and 19 seconds. Sista Shitshow, the duo of Lizi Wirak and Tracy Wirak from Haines, were the fastest women’s duo with a time of 10 hours, nine minutes and 41 seconds.
The fastest four-person team was Get After It, consisting of Marc Lapointe, Jonathan Hawkins, Boris Hoefs and Laura Scott, who finished in nine hours, 46 minutes and 15 seconds.
In the eight-person category, Ptear-it-up-dactyles finished fastest with a time of 10 hours, four minutes and 50 seconds.
Participants in the race came from far and wide across North America, including teams from the Yukon, Alaska, B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Washington, and Oregon.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com
Race Results
Solo Men
1 Matthias Purdon 8:17:09 Whitehorse, YT
2 David Gonda 8:17:23 Whitehorse, YT
3 Andrew Sellars 8:17:31 Vernon, BC
4 Travis Tomlin 8:42:04 Vancouver, BC
5 Kyle Power 9:13:37 Whitehorse, YT
Solo Women
1 Jenn Walsh 10:09:19 Haines, AK
2 Chancie Knights 10:17:36 Guelph, ON
3 Heather Clarke 11:44:16 Whitehorse, YT
4 Tamara Rose 12:56:41 Fairbanks, AK
5 Cathy Weeg 12:56:46 Fairbanks, AK
Two-person Men
1 I Shaved my Legs for This?! 8:17:15 Whitehorse, YT
2 We Registered on Time 8:17:40 Whitehorse, YT
3 Icycle Sports and St. Catharines Cycling Club 8:32:33 St. Catharines, ON
4 2 by 2 9:32:10 Marsh Lake, YT
5 Fast Food Forward 9:36:02 Whitehorse, YT
Two-person Women
1 Sista Shitshow 10:09:41 Haines, AK
2 Literate and Fit 10:42:34 Whitehorse, YT
3 Legs en l’air 11:42:22 Whitehorse, YT
4 IFLY! 11:48:47 Whitehorse, YT
5 Chip’n’Dale 11:49:31 Whitehorse, YT
Two-person Mixed
1 König Bierwerk 8:42:17 Whitehorse, YT
2 TOUR DA HAINES 10:20:05 Haines, AK
3 Bikes and Tykes 10:20:19 Juneau, AK
4 Skove Sibs 10:28:01 Yellowknife, NT
5 I’m at University Right Now 10:31:16 Whitehorse, YT
Four-person Men
1 YukonXC-2 9:50:45 Whitehorse, YT
2 40 and Rolling 10:06:30 Whitehorse, YT
3 Yukon XC-1 10:14:44 Whitehorse, YT
4Medicine Chest Pill Pedallers 10:35:48 Whitehorse, YT
5 Rusty Spokes 10:35:58 Whitehorse, YT
Four-person Women
1 McFast 10:23:29 Whitehorse, YT
2 You Should’ve Seen Us Before Kids 10:36:21 Whitehorse, YT
3 The Viking and the Three Scottish Princesses 11:05:34 Whitehorse, YT
4 Irregular Cycle Sisters 11:14:23 Whitehorse, YT
5 Chafing the Dream 11:16:24 Whitehorse, YT
Four-person Mixed
1 Get After It 9:46:15 Whitehorse, YT
2 Next Gen 9:47:44 Whitehorse, YT
3 Hot Dawgz 10:16:52 Marsh Lake, YT
4 The Chamois Dancers 10:24:03 Whitehorse, YT
5 No Snow 10:27:35 Whitehorse, YT
Eight-person Men
1 Sandstorm 11:25:24 Whitehorse, YT
2 Whitehorse Firefighters 12:07:16 Whitehorse, YT
Eight-person Women
1 Cruz Control 11:30:14 Whitehorse, YT
2 Bookin’ It 11:51:39 Whitehorse, YT
3 Gladiators MP Whitehorse, YT
4 Femforce 2.0 12:16:29 Whitehorse, YT
5 Titties & Beer 12:24:23 Whitehorse, YT
Eight-person Mixed
1 Ptear-it-up-dactyles 10:04:50 Whitehorse, YT
2 Green Team Machine 10:43:30 Whitehorse, YT
3 Caniwi’s 11:11:48 Whitehorse, YT
4 Ryan and the Bent Rims 11:12:26 Whitehorse, YT
5 Bottom of the Bucket 11:12:44 Whitehorse, YT
