With howling winds and a wind chill of minus 30, (most of) the 2011 River Runner 100 teams departed Shipyards Park this evening at 5pm! Spectators cheered on those sledders and skijorers braving the conditions to head down the Yukon River. By just after 6pm, the first 3 teams were spotted at the Takhini River Bridge (12 miles into the race). There, winds were less and the teams looked good. Onwards to Mendenhall checkpoint – the first teams are expected in shortly after 10 pm tonight for their 6 hour mandatory rest before heading back to Shipyards Park for a Sunday daylight finish.
Due to weather conditions, 7 dogsled teams and 1 skijor team did not start.
The following list is the update of teams with bib numbers and times out:
Skijor Teams
1. Cynthia Corriveau, 5:00
2. Stefan Wackerhagen, 5:02
3. Gaetan Pierrard, 5:04
Dogsled Teams
5. Claudia Wickert, 5:08
6. Alexandra Rochat, 5:10
7. Marine Gastard, 5:12
8. Brian Wilmshurst, 5:14
10. Ryan Kinna, 5:18
14. Normand Casavant, 5:26
15. David Mason, 5:28
16. Crispin Studer, 5:32 (late start, not the musher’s fault – to be accounted for)
18. Pierre Duc, 5:34
20. Debbie Knight, 5: 38
22. Karine Grenier, 5:42
The DPSAY team is now heading out to the Mendenhall checkpoint where there is no internet connection, updates will be posted here tomorrow as soon as possible.
Dog Powered Sports Association of the Yukon 
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