The Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay started with a tailwind on June 18 – and hopes that a record might be broken.
But with only eight miles to go to the finish line at Fort Seward, the wind shifted to a headwind, forcing the lead cyclists to miss the record time of 5:55:55 by about three minutes. Two Fairbanks men’s two-person teams shared the winning spot.
“We were hoping to have a little shot at the record,” said Eric Breitenberger of team Bring Back the Draft at the finish line.
But Breitenberger said he and Fred Harbison of team Big Log and Old Dog, who were riding together, encountered a headwind about eight miles out and couldn’t pick up any more time. Breitenberger and Stephan Hajdukovich shared the winning time of 5:58:59 with Harbison and Logan Hanneman.
Stephen Ball of Whitehorse nabbed the top solo men’s spot with a time of 6:08:20 and Trena Irving, also of Whitehorse, had the top solo women’s time with 7:51:30.
Haines riders made impressive showings this year with the duo men’s team of Greg Schlachter and Andy Hedden coming in ninth out of 21 teams. The perennial team Tour De Haines, that this year included Chip Lende, Justin Dorn, Eliza Lende and Heather Lende, finished fifth out of 53 mixed four-person teams.
Daniel Humphrey was the top Haines male solo finisher in 25th place and Jordan Piper finished fifth among solo women racers.
Haines finishers were: Wheeldogs (25th of 38 solo men) 8:29:25 (Daniel Humphrey), Two for the Road (9th of 21 men’s duo teams) 6:59:42 (Greg Schlachter and Andy Hedden), Hippy Chick ‘Paz’ (5th of 9 solo women) 9:02:35 (Jordan Piper), Catchin’ass (6th of 18 women’s eight-person-teams) 8:49:00 (Leslie Ross, Tara Bicknell, Kathleen O’Connor, Ashleigh Reed, Edith von Stauffenberg, Sierra Cramer, Cathy Boor, Alissa Henry), Tour De Haines (5th of 53 mixed four-person teams) 7:10:22 (Chip Lende, Justin Dorn, Eliza Lende, Heather Lende), Hathbaters (10th of 53 mixed four-person teams) 7:34:40 (Mark Battaion, Dave Walker, Siobhan Hathhorn, Kristin Hathhorn), F&F (9th of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 8:07:01 (Kip Kermoian, Patti Kermoian, Nick Olmsted, Iris Kemp, Chris Kemp, Deb Kemp, Chandler Kemp), Border Riders (23rd of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 8:41:40 (Ken Ewald, Judy Ewald, Joe Berry, Bill Darling, Marinka Darling, Jim Stanford), The Shenanigans (26th of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 8:44:43 (Nichole Lasich, Tom Chambers, Chris Denker, Eric Helfrich, Zach Tarleton, Shaun Cornish, Abbey Holmes, Phil Bassignani), TYHAC (29th of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 8:50:54 (Julia Heinz, Julie Anderson, Noble Anderson, Walter Clayton, Brandie Stickler, Adam DuPaul, Russ Bowman, Christa Clayton), Gang Green (31st of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 8:56:37 (Becky Jensen, Bob Kuhn, Michael Byer, Kristine Kennedy, Ron Clarke, Nate Benton, Bud Kuenzli, Mark Kuhn), Ride On (51st of 73 mixed eight-person teams) 9:27:14 (Patty Brown, Jansy Hansen, Ralph Borders, Vincent Hansen, Ray Chapin, Beckie Chapin, Alexandria Chapin, Faith Lorentz).