Setting The Stage – Day 5, Kemmerer, WY
by Jake Robinson
From a fan and analysts point of view, the Kemmerer stage was one of the most interesting and exciting days of racing so far. Race officials have done an amazing job of capturing on the trail coverage that allows for real time splits and provide insight into how the lap is unfolding. Kemmerer is now a relatively ‘flat’ stage with ‘only’ 1000 feet of elevation change throughout the course and on a wind free day can create conditions where teams can really roll. And roll they did. Adding to strategic considerations is that it’s the last stage before a much sought after rest day, creating decision points for mushers and team managers. Do you ‘run ‘em if you got ‘em’ and try to take advantage of the faster conditions? Or adopt a more conservative approach and bank rest into an even larger group of dogs going into the final two days of racing? Adding to the factors is that the race now concludes with back-to-back days of racing in Lander, which while there is no easy day in Wyoming, Lander doesn’t have the challenging gravitas of the infamous Driggs stage or last years grueling closing lap in Dubois.
Remy Coste won his first lap of the race and earned the yellow bib. While he only managed to pull a handful of seconds away from Malo, it shows that this race isn’t quite over and Coste may have a rabbit in the hat yet. What was particularly interesting was how the top 2 executed this lap. Up to this point, Coste has been leading Malo by 1-3 minutes at the loop and giving it all back (and then some) going home. However, in Kemmerer, Malo was up on Coste at the 13.1 mile checkpoint and had pulled even more time in the 1.5 miles through the loop and headed back home. Was Coste going out slower than normal? Was Malo pushing the pace? Even more interesting is that both loaded dogs and had less than clean runs. While loading (and re-hooking) dogs is part of the Coste playbook (and to my knowledge, he is the first person who does this well and seemingly intentionally), loading dogs in this event is a rarity for Malo. While the fast pace, sun exposure, and warmer temps create conditions for plans to go awry, it is worth noting. While Malo still has a commanding lead, the gap is still only 7 minutes and 4 seconds after 5 days of racing. A late race show of strength from Team Coste, who has pulled major time in single stages at this event before, is likely an unwelcome bellwether for the reigning champ. I still feel that Malo will win, but we are setting up for an exciting conclusion to this year’s edition of the Pedigree Stage Stop Race.
Bruce ‘The Moose’ is very comfortably in third place, with 28 minutes separating him from Crittenden, and is only 7 minutes and 14 seconds out from Coste. Bruce was just a hair off of the lap leaders in stage 5 and looked smooth and strong on camera. Bruce has the tactical option of taking some gambles in the hopes of chasing down Coste without needing to worry too much about sliding in the standings. History says the accomplished veteran will continue to focus on clean, effective runs and let things play out either way in front of him.
Ryan ‘The Builder’ Beaber and Tristen Rivest have both been gaining momentum throughout the race. Both put on a great show in Kemmerer and are positioning to shake up the overall standings in the days to come. Ryan’s team has been one of my favorites to watch throughout the race and looks like they are well positioned for a strong finish.
Liam ‘Young Gun’ Conner had his best finish of the race. As the hardest working driver in dog mushing, Liam has become a fan favorite. In order to best his finish from last year, Liam will have his work cut out for him to both chase down Stephane Roy and fend off Tristen Rivest (trailing him by only 9 seconds overall). But if either outcome can be accomplished through pedaling and sheer effort, Liam will get it done.
Stephane Roy had a good run with 9 dogs and is right in the mix of a pack that has a lot of room for upsets in the closing stages. Crittenden loaded a dog within the first two miles of the race and gave up time on a day when it was critical that she make time and will need to be literally and figuratively looking over her shoulder in Lander to fend off the strong running Beaber team.
Another notable run was from Mitchell Jacobson. Hailing from the Arctic Circle of the Northwest Territories, Mitchell is new to this event and had a great run in Kemmerer!
After a day of rest for both dogs, mushers, handlers, and race officials, we are setting up for exciting finishes and lots of late race movement in the pack. Will Coste prove to be ‘The Closer’ and defy the odds against the ‘Malo Machine’? Will Bruce ‘The Moose’ take chances in an effort at picking up a position? Can Crittenden hold off ‘The Builder’? All will be revealed, and then some, within the next 72 hours.
