Category Archives: 2023 Sonot Kkaazoot information

Just 44 skiers finish 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot

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Official results for the 36th Sonot Kkaazoot are now posted. On a beautiful morning where the temperatures dropped to low single digits in the Birch Hill stadium at race time, 165 skiers successfully completed one of three official Sonot Kkaazoot courses.

The 10 km course was the most popular, where 78 skiers finished, while 6 skiers DNF (did not finish) and 4 (did not start).

The statistics for the 30 and 50 km events were very similar. Forty-three skiers finished the 30 km and 44 finished the 50 km. In each event, 4 skiers did not finish. In the 30 km, there were 3 DNS while 2 were DNS for the 50 km.

These numbers attest to the difficulty of the new courses. In 2018, the last time the Sonot Kkaazoot was held on the Chena River, 103 skiers completed the 20 km, 38 finished the 40 km, and 74 finished the 50 km.

Those of us who didn’t complete our intended courses started training for the 37th Sonot Kkaazoot on the following day. We’re enjoying spring skiing and have increased our donations to the NSCF trail fund. https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate/

Sincere thanks to the nearly 90 volunteers for the 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot

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It takes an entire ski community from the Fairbanks North Star Borough to organize and staff the Sonot Kkaazoot. Even after the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks hosted the Junior National Championships a week earlier, we were fortunate to have enthusiastic volunteers to step up and help with the Sonot Kkaazoot. Because the volunteers worked in shifts to cover the entire race time, you might not have seen all of them on the courses, but their impact was there. Some of our timers skied the White Mountains 100 after helping us with the Sonot Kkaazoot. Many of our volunteers skied the 10, 30, or 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot. Take a look at our permanent Volunteers page. We are grateful for their contribution to the Sonot Kkaazoot’s success.

Please let me know (contact@sonotkkaazoot.org) if we’ve overlooked anyone.

Volunteers

Unclaimed woodels can be picked up at Birch Hill

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Thanks to the generous offer of Mike Schmoker, creator and keeper of the Sonot Kkaazoot woodels, if you won a woodel in any of the three Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot events but did not attend the awards ceremony (or request an attending friend to pick up your award), you can still pick it up in the old warming hut at Birch Hill. You must let me know what event, what age category, and what place you earned. I will then email you when your woodel will be available for pick up.

Contact me at: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org

SCUM earn loads of woodels on new Sonot Kkaazoot courses

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Joanna Fox, Alan Delamere, Dan Johnson, Dermot Cole, Carl Hemming, Bill Husby, Mike Schmoker, and Dave Prusak with their 36th Denali Bank Sonot Kkaazoot woodels–photo by Max Kaufman

Every SCUM who finished their chosen 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot event won a woodel for their efforts. Jerome Jackson, Ray Halderman, Greg Kahoe, and Don Pendergrast also earned woodels last night. In addition, Mike Schmoker (assisted by Bernardo Hernandez) is responsible for hand crafting the Sonot Kkaazoot woodels. Bill Husby was grooming until 1 a.m. on race day and still skied a remarkable 30 km Sonot Kkaazoot. Don Pendergrast helped distribute bibs on race day and Dan Johnson assisted with timing (after his 10 km ski). Mike, Dave, and Don also were also volunteers all three days of the Junior National Championships.

Congratulations to these hardy skiers, some of whom were the oldest in their respective races.

The key to Bill’s success (in addition to training)–photo by Joanna Fox
Dan’s thoughtful approach–photo by Joanna Fox
Joanna enjoying post-ski beverages–photo by Bill Husby

SCUM results:

50 km: Mike Schmoker, M08M, 4:37:24.2; Dermot Cole, M08M, 6:13.44.4

30 km: David Prusak, M08M, 2:40:13.0; Bill Husby, M09M, 2:46:45.6; Gregory Kahoe, M07M, 2:53:57.9; Ray Halderman, M10M, 3:00:23.2; Joanna Fox, M06F, 3:08:36.9; Jerome Jackson, M09M, 3:35:11.1

10 km: Dan Johnson, M08M, 52:26.6; Don Pendergrast, M10M, 59:18.9; Carl Hemming, M09M, 1:09:56.8; Alan Delamere, M12M, 1:19:35.5.

SCUM redeemed, Schmoker and Cole finish 50 km event

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After being totally skunked last year, this year the SCUM were redeemed by Mike Schmoker who finished in 4:37.24.2 (too quick for any SCUM photographer) and Dermot Cole finished in 6:13.44. Mike Schmoker heads up the creation of Sonot Kkaazoot woodels, and he’ll be receiving a second place one. Mike and Dermot were the 2nd and 3rd place finishers among M08 Men. Mike was 70 years old on race day and Dermot was 69.

Dermot Cole after finishing his 50 km Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot–photo by Dan Johnson

Dermot extends a special thank you to the Lathrop/West Valley feed station on the White Bear as they left a cup of hydration fluids for Dermot on the trail after Ken Coe, course sweep, had released them. The young man’s kindness was greatly appreciated.

Note to skiers on changing Sonot Kkaazoot race distance

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From Bob Baker, RACE  DIRECTOR, here are the rules.    

All participants will only be allowed to participate in the race that they are registered in.  If a participant decides to change their race distance, they must check in at the bib pickup and make the change before 9:30am.  They will be reassigned a new bib for their chosen race distance.  They should not wait till the last minute.  Once race day bib pickup is complete, participants will only be timed based on their final race selection before the start of the race. 

SO, for example:  a 30 km participant decides they are feeling great and continues on to finish the 50 km, they would be disqualified, same thing if a 50 km participant decides that they have had enough and finishes at the 30 km point, they would also be disqualified.      

SIMPLE  RULES……Participate in only the race you are officially signed up for….  PLEASE…  this is a great and FUN event, there is no need to confuse everyone involved.    PARTICIPATE   IN  ONLY WHAT  YOU  HAVE   REGISTERED   FOR…..  

191 skiers set to start the 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot

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When late registration ended at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, 23 March 2023, 191 skiers had signed up for the 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. Eighty-seven skiers selected the 10 km course, 53 will embark on the 30 km course, and 51 will start the 50 km course.

Day of race bib pickup is at Rikka’s Roadhouse (small building next to the Timing Building) from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. only.

We look forward to seeing you on the awesomely groomed trails on Saturday. Mass start for the 10 km event is at 10:00 a.m. and for the 30 and 50 km events at 10:15 a.m.

Race banquet and awards ceremony starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Birch Hill Recreation Building, upstairs.

Have fun, skiers and race volunteers!

Late registration and early bib pickup tonight at Birch Hill from 5 to 7 p.m.

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All registration for the Sonot Kkaazoot is online (see Sonot Kkaazoot main page for link) and will end tonight at 11:59 p.m. Early bib pickup is tonight upstairs at the Birch Hill Recreation Center from 5 to 7 p.m. Please participate as it will make race day easier for you and for race organizers.

Once you have picked up a bib, you must ski that course. If you have already registered, you can change courses prior to bib pickup but will need to go to the line for new registrations and changes. If you have registered for the 10 km event and now want to enter the 30 or 50 km events, you will need to pay the additional entry fee with cash or check. We cannot take credit cards. If you do not have internet access, we can register you tonight.

We currently (9:30 a.m. Thursday) have 180 skiers signed up for the 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot.