Northern Twenty-Four Hour

Anchorage, AK, July 8, 2000

Results courtesy of Iditasport.

The inaugural Northern Twenty-Four was everything hoped for - sunshine, moose sitings, and the normal Iditasport camaraderie. A few other surprises were experienced - an earthquake at the carbo-load the night before, and a few bear sightings on the course, one brown in color!

Rolly Portelance, a 57 year old Canadian master of 50 100-milers, strolled into town on a month-long vacation with his wife and another couple, promptly parked his motorhome at a convenient location, then walked and ran the 3.9 mile, hilly course with 640 feet of elevation gain per lap for a couple days, and then announced his strategy - he would need to do 26 laps to get 100 miles in 24 hours - 2 laps over 1 an hour. He would need to gain 2 laps early and then keep a 1 lap/hour pace.

Dan Bull, the Anchorage record holder at 72 miles in last year's experimental event, and Barb Marquer of Cheyenne, Wyoming were a little less optimistic - 100 miles might be a little hard on this rolling loop. Others were simply praying for 50 miles!

Rolly set off as planned, maybe a little quicker, gaining his 2 laps within the first 10 hours, and then consistently doing the lap/hour the last half. He finished his 26th lap (mile 101.4) in 23 hours 18 minutes, promptly went back to his motor- home, slept for 3 hours, then began the 5000 mile trip home back down the Alaska Highway! Count it 51 100-milers for the retired miner from Ontario!

Everybody else got what they were looking for - a 4.2 earthquake that just happened to be centered a couple miles from Anchorage, bear, moose, and eagle sightings, and an ultra under Alaska's midnight sun!

This ultra is destined to grow! Race director Dan Bull is planning to announce a 12 and 48-hour division to the next year's July 7th event. STAY TUNED!!!

- - Deborah Power, Iditasport, Public Relations

1)  Rolly Portelance  (57) Chelmsford, Ontario           101.4 miles
2)  Barb Marquer      (44) Cheyenne, Wyoming              89.7 miles
3)  Dan Bull          (47) Anchorage, Alaska              74.1 miles
4)  John Schweiker    (50) Anchorage, Alaska              70.3 miles
5)  Steve Whitman     (26) Danbury, New Hampshire         62.4 miles
6)  Johnny Weaver     (19) Anchorage, Alaska              54.6 miles
7)  Jacqui Kaufman    (48) Boulder, Colorado              50.7 miles
    Nancy Lisey       (49) Wadsworth, Ohio                50.7 miles
9)  Bob Lisey         (50) Wadsworth, Ohio                42.9 miles