The Skagway start of the Klondike Road Relay. Photo Courtesy of Klondike Road Relay.
Whitehorse, YT – The Klondike Road Relay is back and bigger than ever this year, with a record-breaking 2,000 runners ready to tackle the 175-kilometre trek from Skagway to Whitehorse.
The runners are part of over 200 teams that will pass through 10 different legs of the race, which starts later today and ends tomorrow afternoon.
The youth division has also grown to 35 teams, nearly 300 young runners, making it the fastest-growing part of the relay.
Race coordinator Ryan Sikkes notes that this year also features a large rise in runners opting not to take part in the U.S. portion of the race due to recent tensions between the two countries.
“We did see an uptick in some teams doing the Carcross start, so they’re just doing the Canadian portion of the race, but other teams have arranged their teams so that people who are willing to go in the United States can do that,” said Sikkes.
The full route features steep climbs to the White Pass summit before running along Tutshi Lake and descending toward Carcross with the finish line in Whitehorse. Sikkes says enjoying the route is the best way to enjoy the relay.
“So I think it’s not so much kind of how to prepare for the act of running a long distance,” said Sikkes. “It’s just really taking the time to enjoy the beautiful scenery as you go.”
