Of course, Olympic nordic skier Holly Brooks is back after threatening Bourgeois’ reign last year before heat and exhaustion derailed her bid. Also in the field is three-time Olympian Kikkan Randall, the country’s best nordic skier and a four-time Mount Marathon runner-up.
Who knows who will prevail on the 3,022-foot slab of pain in a Fourth of July spectacle that lures spectators by the thousands? Perhaps former junior champion Aubrey Smith or newcomer Rachel Dow, both of Seward, and maybe Leslie Varys, could push the favorites.
On the men’s side, Matias Saari is back to defend his title.
Or is this Eric Strabel’s time? The three-time men’s runner-up is in exceptional form coming off victory in an uphill-only race on Bird Ridge.
Maybe Brent Knight, who led with the finish line in sight before collapsing last year, could seize the coveted title.
Meanwhile, 2008 champion Trond Flagstad is not burdened by race pressure — his focus is on his family. Lindsey Flagstad’s due date for the couple’s second child is Wednesday, but their first kid, son Vebjorn, arrived a week late and Trond said he’s likely to race today after getting the go-ahead from Lindsey.
And perhaps six-time men’s champion and downhill demon Brad Precosky has one more magical race left in his bag.
One thing seems certain — the men won’t have Sam Hill to chase up the peak overlooking Resurrection Bay. Hill, who led racers to the top each of the last three years, has told friends he’ll be on vacation.
Today in Seward
Junior race: 9:30 a.m.
Women’s race: 11:15 a.m.
Men’s race: 3 p.m.
Men’s contenders
Matias Saari, Anchorage
Age: 39
PR: 46:42 (2008)
2009: 1st (48:00)
Best Finish: 1st, 2009
2009 Uphill: 36:06 (2nd)
2009 Downill: 11:54 (3rd)
Eric Strabel, Anchorage
Age: 28
PR: 46:52 (2001)
2009: 2nd (48:29)
Best Finish: 2nd (3 times)
2009 Uphill: 37:12 (5th)
2009 Downhill: 11:17 (1st)
Brent Knight, Anchorage
(Knight collapsed 200 meters from finish in 2009)
Age: 26
PR: 46:02 (2006)
2009: DNF
Best Finish: 3rd (2 times)
2009 Uphill: N/A
2009 Downhill: N/A
Trond Flagstad, Anchorage
Age: 40
PR: 44:03 (2008)
2009: 4th (49:41)
Best Finish: 1st (2008)
2009 Uphill: 37:12 (5th)
2009 Downhill: 12:29 (6th)
Brad Precosky, Anchorage
Age: 43
PR: 45:07 (2001)
2009: 5th (50:01)
Best Finish: 1st (6 times)
2009 Uphill: 12th (38:31)
2009 Downhill: 11:30 (2nd)
Men’s Darkhorse
Andy Liebner, Anchorage
Women’s contenders
Cedar Bourgeois, Seward
Age: 34
PR: 51:44 (2005)
2009: 1st (54:19)
Best Finish: 1st (6 times)
2009 Uphill: 41:14 (2)
2009 Downhill: 13:05 (1st)
Holly Brooks, Anchorage
(Brooks in 2009 spent hour in hospital before finishing)
Age: 28
PR: 55:29 (2008)
2009: 212th (2:03:52)
Best Finish: 2nd (2008)
2009 Uphill: 40:23 (1st)
2009 Downhill: 268th (1:23:29)
Kikkan Randall, Anchorage
Age: 27
PR: 56:04 (2009)
2009: 2nd (56:04)
Best Finish: 2nd (4 times)
2009 Uphill: 41:59 (3rd)
2009 Downhill: 14:05 (2nd)
Aubrey Smith, Seward
Age: 30
PR: 58:57 (2008)
2009: 3rd (59:37)
Best Finish: 3rd (2009)
2009 Uphill: 44:25 (5th)
2009 Downhill: 15:12
Leslie Varys, Wasilla
Age: 31
PR: 1:00:36 (2009)
2009: 4th (1:00:36)
Best Finish: 4th (2009)
2009 Uphill: 43:47 (4th)
2009 Downhill: 16:49 (10th)
Women’s Darkhorse
Rachel Dow, Seward, 5th in 2009 debut
Spectator vantage points
Hundreds of fans gather near the mountain’s base to watch runners climb onto the 3,022-foot mountain, then remain to watch the perilous descent of the cliffs near the base. Many fans also gather along the trail on the mountain, and are advised to cede the trail to competitors. Other fans kick back in camp chairs along Jefferson Avenue and Lowell Canyon Road, which runners take to the mountain. Most years, fans are four and five deep along Fourth Avenue downtown to watch the runners make their final sprint to the finish line. Bring binoculars to watch the runners above the mountain’s treeline and take particular note of the dust trail they leave behind on their wickedly fast descent.
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