*EXTREME* Rocky wins the Fireweed 400

Rocky in an ad for American Classic hubs (also available on a Bike Friday)

Quotes from the Race Director Robert Pollhammer (Munich, Germany, website www.yukonultra.de for the 300 mile human powered race)...

February 14th, 2004 The race is on! Today at 12:05 the second edition of the Yukon Arctic Ultra started. The weather was rather mild at around 0 degrees Celsius. From all over the world racers once again came to participate in the YAU. One of the most discussed topics, of course, is the weather--which we expect to be rather warm at the beginning. It should not get much colder than minus 10 degrees during our first night on the trail.

Rocky has been giving us a headache. He is so fast, that we find it hard to keep up with him. Only 2 hours and 21 minutes later he arrived at Sir North Country Ranch. About 30 minutes after Rocky, Laszlo and Andy arrived on xc-skis. Then, at 15:52 Sven Riedesel from Germany arrived as the second racer on MTB.

At CP 1 everybody was doing fine. Temperatures still were not cold. On the way to CP 2 the first participants started to get into trouble.

Rocky has tried to keep his pace. And even though he slowed down a little bit, he is still way in front. I expect him to finish tomorrow afternoon. Sven Riedesel has tried to challenge him but it does not look like he will be anywhere near Rocky when he finishes. Yet Sven is doing a great job. It is his first ultra with an MTB on a winter trail. Even though he has to push his bike a lot he still keeps on going.

February 17th, 2004 Everybody is doing fine. You are probably wondering why on earth there have not been more news updates. It has been due to several evacuations and Rocky's high speed travelling along the course. I was out on the trail and on the road a lot more than I expected.

When I arrived here last night, Rocky was the only competitor in to Carmacks, having arrived at 16.22. He left at 04.45 this morning and was totally in control of the race - in future years it would be great to see a few more MTB riders to give this animal a bit of competition (Martin Like, Wales).

February 18th, 2004 - 19:50 local time Race against the clock. Temperatures are at around minus 15 degrees Celsius here in Carmacks at the moment. It might get colder during the night. Overall, the weather has been really good for the race.

Whilst I am writing these lines, Rocky has probably already reached the finish line. He is pretty amazing. Sven Riedesel from Germany, who tried to challenge him, never had a chance to even get close. But experience in this kind of conditions gives Rocky more than one competitive edge.

February 18th, 2004 - 23:38 local time Rocky once more wins the 300 mile distance on MTB. Today at 18:30 Rocky was the first racer to arrive at the finish line in Pelly Crossing. Overall Rocky felt that this year's YAU was a bit easier, especially because the first day was really good. I am glad none of the other racers was here when he said that. There might have been some disagreement. But then again, everything is relative.

The next athletes expected to finish are Andrew Barnett, Laszlo Kovacs and Shelley Gellatly.

February 18th, 2004 A walk on the wild side. It was tempting to think on February 14th that the YAU is just like any other ultra. With temperatures at around 0 degrees Celsius that does not come as a surprise. But it took only one day to make everyone realise what having a race in the arctic means.

Temperatures are expected to drop further as we get closer to Pelly Crossing. This morning they had -30 degrees Celsius. At the moment it is cloudy and it has warmed up to about -20 degrees.

Rocky? Well, what should I say. He came back and won the 300 miles again, causing me sleepless nights by being way ahead of everybody else. We all admire him and some call him "the animal." I believe that he mainly races against himself and he likes it. But should Rocky come back next year, I hope somebody can try to challenge him.

300 Mile Race ranking:

Winner: Rocky Reifenstuhl (MTB), Fairbanks, USA - 102h 25 min

2nd: Andrew Barnett (Foot), Coleford, Wales and Laszlo Kovacz, B.gyarmat, Hungary (XC-Ski) - 146h 10 min

3rd: Shelley Gellatly (Foot), Whitehorse, Canada and Juan Carlos Sagastume (Foot), Guatemala City, Guatemala - 159h 40 min

Shelley Gellatly was the only woman to finish the 300 mile distance.

Of the 23 starters of this distance only 12 managed to finish the race. Andy Sterns, Fairbanks, USA was the last athlete to finish the 300 miles (191h 40 min). He is now the first and only athlete to have completed the race entirely on xc-skis.