As reported by the National Weather Service, March 2019 was the warmest on record in Fairbanks::
Temperatures reached 52 deg F at the airport on the day the Sonot Kkaazoot was held. This graph from the Alaska Climate Research Center show just how warm March was:
So there were extreme weather conditions leading to this year’s shortened course.
Photographer Jana Herzogova has generously shared over 250 photographs that she took of the 32nd Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot.
Below is a random collection of her photos from warmest and shortest Sonot Kkaazoot in 32 years.
All photos from https://www.janaherzogphoto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jana.herzogova.5 ; Instagram: @janaherzogphoto
Jana emailed Bob Baker (and all Sonot participants):
For the first time in recent history, all skiers participating in the 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot finished their 9.5 or 30 km courses in under 4 hours. Also, winning times are the fastest in the event’s history in part because the courses were shorter than other years when the Sonot Kkaazoot has been held all at Birch Hill.
Congratulations to our 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot winners, all of whom reside outside of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
30 km
Eric Packer, 28, Anchorage, 1:12:12.9
Marine Dusser, 30, Anchorage, 1:22:53.7
9.5 km
Andrew Stringfellow, 16, Nenana, 24:36.5
Georgianna Fischer, 16, Bozeman, MT, 28:27.8
One hundred twenty five skiers finished the 9.5 km event and 125 skiers finished the 30 km one. Although the number of skiers completing the 32nd annual Sonot Kkaazoot was slightly down from the previous 6 years, this is the largest combined field for an all-Birch Hill Sonot Kkaazoot.
Thank you to all the volunteers and skiers who helped us celebrate spring on skis in Interior Alaska.
Although Bad Bob Baker, Sonot Kkaazoot race director, told stories in the Birch Hill stadium for almost 4 continuous hours Saturday, he missed one intriguing story involving Jerome Jackson, SCUM overachiever.
Jerome, a former Junior Nordic coach and volunteer coach for the West Valley XC team for decades, had skied the long Sonot Kkaazoot 12 times before this year. Jerome was well-tapered before the 32nd Annual Sonot Kkaazoot. During early bib pick-up at the Doyon, Ltd. building, he rested on a couch, while Sarah Jackson waited in the line to retrieve her dad’s race bib.
On race day, Jerome situated himself near the back of the 30 km field, and got through the tangle of bodies and ski equipment at the bottom of the first sweeping turn of the North 40 trail unscathed. The trails were wicked fast so Jerome didn’t have to over extend himself. After completing all the Black Loops, Jerome claims that he was distracted by seeing Tom Helmers on a snowmachine so instead of turning right and heading down the Blue Loop, he skied over orange lines painted on the snow and through orange cones and/or V-board to ski out the relay to the Outhouse Loop. Somewhere along the Outhouse or Sunnyside Trails, Jerome realized his error, and confessed his crime when his SCUM mother saw him leaving the Outhouse Loop en route to skiing the missed Blue Loop.
The Jackson Jury reenacted the crime on Sunday to determine what Jerome’s time might had been had he followed Bad Bob’s course markings.
Dermot Cole, whose Sonot finish time was the closest to Jerome’s was selected to ski the extra distance that Jerome would have traveled by skiing Outhouse before the Blue Loop. We had skied the Black loops Sunday so the time and distance on his legs were similar to those Jerome would have had on Saturday.
Jackson reenactment by Dermot Cole on 3-24-19 (photo by Bill Husby)
The official race clock
Then the jury deliberated after studying the new evidence acquired:
Photo of Jackson Jury deliberating –notice that jury included Dr. Eric Buetow, an official timer from Saturday, (Photo by Margaret Brophy)
The jury verdict: Jerome Jackson was guilty of assaulting the official Sonot Kkaazoot race course (or alternatively, was guilty of being the highest achieving SCUM in the 32nd Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot), and thus, deserving of “big wood” recognition from Bad Bob.
Wow! What a day! All skiers finished the 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot in under 4 hours! Preliminary results are posted on the RESULTS page. Please join us at 6 p.m for the Sonot Kkaazoot Awards Ceremony at the Birch Hill Recreation Area building. Woodels will be distributed for first 3 places in every age category and for top three finishers overall for both events. Homemade soups and other goodies will be served. Locals are asked to bring salads or desserts, but if you are too wiped out to prepare a dish, come anyway. We’ll have plenty of food for all.
A huge thank you to all our many volunteers who make this event special! Your smiles and encouragement were appreciated by the skiers–especially those of us near the back.
Temperatures have risen to 35.4 deg F after a morning low of 32.5 deg in the Birch Hill stadium. With the early morning changes, right now we have 280 skiers set to participate in 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. The field currently is split 50:50 between the two courses with 140 racers for each event. Age of skiers range from 7 to 83 years old. It will definitely be a celebration of sliding into springtime today.
It’s 32.5 deg F at Birch Hill, so much cooler than yesterday. Tom Helmers, the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks head groomer planned to start grooming at midnight so probably is still out there. Bad Bob and Sharon Baker shoveled snow on dirty spots on the Outhouse and Roller Coasters yesterday. Both courses are marked and will be ready for skiers at 11:00 a.m.
Bib pick-up today from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Birch Hill. Race registration ENDS at 9:30 a.m.
Because of unseasonably warm temperatures in Fairbanks (the high yesterday at the airport was 53 deg F and was likely warmer at Birch Hill), some skiers may be questioning their decisions to ski the longer course. Even though we normally restrict changes without additional charge until Thursday night, we will extend that deadline until 6 a.m. Saturday morning for those skiers arriving from out-of-town. Local skiers have the same option. All new registration and changes must be finalized and paid before 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. You may pickup you race bibs until 10:30 a.m. but NO NEW REGISTRATION OR CHANGES AFTER 9:30 a.m. Changes made after 6 a.m. on Saturday will be charged the additional fees assessed on race day.
Email: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org with any changes you want to make before 6 a.m. Saturday. If you’ve already picked up your bib, we won’t be able to change your entry.
At 1:00 p.m. today, the Birch Hill temperature was 51.3 deg F, it was 44 deg F at the airport. The overnight low was 44.1 deg F at Birch Hill so plan accordingly. Trails will be groomed Saturday morning. We have done some snow shoveling onto the trails in some of the low snow spots but some of the trails may have very narrow snow covered sections. Mother Nature holds all the cards. The 9.5 km course is solid and is unlikely to change. The 30 km course may have some surprises on Saturday morning. I’ll try to post any updates I get from our trail groomers.
As of noon on Friday, 137 skiers signed up for the 10 km race; 143 skiers for the 30 km event. The youngest skier registered is 7 years old; the oldest 83 years old.
Don’t forget that the Awards Banquet and Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks annual membership meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Birch Hill Recreation Area on race day. We have three hearty homemade soups on the menu along with other goodies and potluck salads and desserts supplied by local skiers.
Plan to attend so you can select your one of kind age class woodel from the collection that Mike Schmoker and Bernardo Hernandez have cut from birch sections, burned in their skier design, and applied sealant to create these coveted awards. This year because there are only two courses, all skiers are eligible for woodels.
With 366 skiers already signed up for the 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot, local skiers are strongly urged to attend early bib pick-up at the Doyon, Ltd. Building TONIGHT from 5 to 7 p.m. With just one mass start on Saturday, bib pick-up on race morning will be much more congested than normal.
Race director, Bad Bob Baker will have enlarged course maps and profiles for your examination at early bib pick-up tonight.
A limited number of Sonot Kkaazoot hats with Margo Klass’ striking Northern Lights design will be available for sale for $25 cash or check (made out to Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks) only.
Sonot Kkaazoot hats modeled by artist Margo Klass, left and Frank Soos, Sonot Kkaazoot head bib volunteer
DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION WILL BE from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. ON SATURDAY at BIRCH HILL.
BIBS MAY BE PICKED UP UNTIL 10:30 a.m. at Birch Hill
