The Kenai Peninsula has a finisher in the Iron Dog again.
For the first time since Soldotna’s Cory Davis won the cross-country snowmachine race in 2017, a rider based on the Kenai Peninsula was able to finish the 2,600-mile event that started in Wasilla and went to Nome and back.
Soldotna’s Bradley Kishbaugh and Nulato’s Kelly Sommer, riding Polaris, finished sixth in the race Saturday with a total trail time of 63 hours, 54 minutes and 34 seconds. Kishbaugh finished the Iron Dog for the first time.
The victory went to the Ski-Doo team of Tyler Aklestad of Palmer and Nick Olstad of Wasilla, with a trail time of 53:27:21. Aklestad also had victories in 2016 and 2020, while Olstad won in 2005, 2009 and 2014.
Polaris racers Mike Morgan of Nome and Chris Olds of Eagle River were second at 56:22:21. Morgan won titles in 2018 and 2019, while Olds took first in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2019.
The Kenai Peninsula had other riders that were not able to finish the race.
Chad Moore of Sterling and Travis Temple of Soldotna, riding Polaris, scratched in Koyuk on the return trip to Wasilla after racing 1,175 miles. Both riders were seeking their first Iron Dog finish.
Jesse Bradley of Willow and Tad Covault of Soldotna, riding Polaris, scratched in Ruby on the trip to Nome after 536 miles. Both riders were attempting to finish their first Iron Dog.
