Alaska News

2,000 mile watercraft race approved for the Gulf of Alaska

A 2,000-mile personal watercraft race across Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska has been approved by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. After five months of public comments, the Alaskan Wet Dog Race has been issued a permit, the Associated Press reports.

Up to 500 two-jet-ski teams will be allowed to participate. Teams of two will ride to checkpoints no more than 140 miles apart. The race is proposed to begin in Whittier and end at Lake Iliamna, after stops in Cordova, Seward and Kodiak Island. Thinking of participating? Start saving: It will cost $35,000 to enter, race organizers say.

Concerns were initially put forth that the vessels might cause environmental damage, and people were most anxious about protecting wildlife along the routes. Race organizer John Lang told the Associated Press that they hope to mitigate any damage. "We're putting riders through extensive training before they're even allowed to go through the course," Lang said. "We'll discuss ways to avoid harassing wildlife and avoid hurting or killing anything, basically lay out all the federal and state rules."

The event was initially scheduled to begin May 1, 2013, but it may be pushed back another year, race organizers say.

Read more here.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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