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January 19, 2008 | YUKON
The last great road race
The legendary Alcan 200 pushes rider and machine to the max
 —photo courtesy Karen Hess |
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EVENT AT A GLANCE |
| Event: Alcan 200 Location: Yukon Date: January 19, 2008 Contact: Karen Hess Phone: (907) 766-2424 Website: www.alcan200.org |
Every year in January, dozens of snow machine enthusiasts head to the Canadian border 42 miles north of Haines, Alaska, to watch the snowmobilers depart on an epic journey that takes them to Dezadeash Lake in the Yukon and back. This gruelling race is called the Alcan 200.
A long-distance race, the Alcan 200 started 38 years ago and has become known as the last great road race in North America. This winter, the event will happen on January 19, 2008. According to Karen Hess, ride co-ordinator, between 30 and 40 racers are expected.
“In 2007, we had 38 participants and 25 of those finished,” said Hess. “Usually the participants will come from the Yukon Territory—mostly Whitehorse—as well as Fairbanks, Tok, the interior of Alaska and Anchorage.”
There are several classes in the Alcan 200 and each category has a first- second- and third-place prize and trophy.
To compete in the Alcan 200, riders must be at least 16 years old, but this is no race for the inexperienced. The top competitors travel at speeds of 120 miles per hour and must endure sub-zero temperatures.
“This is a very fast race and the racers must battle the elements,” said Hess. “Every year, the weather conditions are different and riders must be able to hold their machines together.”
A racer's perspective
As the overall winner in the open class in 2002, 2003 and 2005, snowmobiler Colby Hill knows exactly what it takes to compete in the Alcan 200 race.
“You must have good preparation with your sled and be willing to go 130-plus miles an hour in marginal visibility,” said Hill, who is from Fairbanks, Alaska.
In preparation for the Alcan 200, Hill does a lot of high-speed training on lakes and drag strips. He also spends time honing his riding technique on the trails.
“It’s not all about going fast in a straight line,” he said. “You have to go 120 through the corners too.”
For this year, Hill is adjusting his 2004 turbo-charged Yamaha RX-1 to run at speeds of up to 160 miles an hour (if needed) and making it more reliable. He will be racing with his teammate and brother, Craig, who broke the race record in 2007 with an average speed of 120 miles an hour.
For Hill and his brother, another chance to compete in the legendary Alcan 200 is an opportunity they cannot miss.
“It’s the last of its kind,” said Hill. “The unique thing is that they close the road for that day and you’re running right down the middle of a highway.”
