Outdoors/Adventure

Quam, Faeo claim title in 'bone-jarring' Iron Dog across dirt, rocks, tussocks and ice

FAIRBANKS -- Eric Quam and Scott Faeo won the 2015 Iron Dog race Saturday, crossing the finish line on the Chena River shortly after noon and claiming the top prize of $50,000.

Faeo, 31, is the first son of a former Iron Dog champion to win. His father, John Faeo, who met him at the finish line, was a part of seven championship teams, the first when Scott was a newborn.

Quam's 8-year-old son, Henley, waved a checkered flag in downtown Fairbanks, as the team completed the 2,000-mile race marked by unseasonably warm weather and a difficult trail that was bare for long stretches, particularly early in the race.

"If we go back to the start, I'm going to call this the year of the tussock," Quam said after the race. It was "never-ending, bone-jarring" he said. "We just slowed down and tried to keep our iron together going through there."

He said about 300 miles of the race took place on bare ground or ice without any significant snow cover, with about 80 to 100 miles on dirt and mud and more open water than he has seen in years past.

The lack of snow made it difficult to keep the snowmachines from overheating, so they packed snow and ice on their heat exchangers to cool them.

The final run from Tanana was a good one, Faeo said, but the light was flat, which forced them to keep their speed down.

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Quam, 44, praised Faeo's skills as a rider and a "wrench," adding that the Faeo family's history with the race speaks for itself.

For his part, Faeo said he learned a great deal from Quam while training and during the week of racing since they left Big Lake on Sunday.

"The only thing nice this year was the warm weather," said Quam. Faeo noted that the temperatures were never colder than 10 degrees.

Faeo said this year, his third as a racer, was a lot better than the first two trips and marked a giant leap up the standings. He was 10th last year racing with Gabe Bunke.

"A win is huge, especially with how stiff the competition is. We're very fortunate," said Faeo. "The trail was unreal this year, all different terrain, all different weather," he said.

John Faeo, who won the race seven times, followed his son from the air this time in support of the team. He said the 65-mile snowless stretch from Rohn to Nikolai and wet weather on the coast were brutal. From the air, the best part of the trail appeared to be in the Interior.

"The river coming back on the Yukon, all the way from Kaltag has been exceptional this year," he said.

This year's race purse totals $254,000. Runners-up Scott Davis of Soldotna, like John Faeo a seven-time champion, and partner Aaron Bartel were 46 minutes back; they earned $35,000. And Anchorage racer Marc McKenna, a four-time champ, and rookie partner Allen Hill were another 32 minutes back.

Top Iron Dog finishers Saturday in Fairbanks

1) Scott Faeo and Eric Quam, Polaris, 12:32 p.m.; 2) Scott Davis and Aaron Bartel, Ski-Doo, 1:18 p.m.; 3) Marc McKenna and Allen Hill, Polaris, 1:51 p.m.; 4) Andy George and Brad George, Ski-Doo, 2:05 p.m.; 5) Cody Barber and Brett Lapham, Polaris, 2:22 p.m.; 6) Chad Gueco and Andrew Zwink, Polaris, 2:31 p.m.; 7) Shane Barber and Ryan Sottosanti, Polaris, 2:44 p.m.

Dermot Cole

Former ADN columnist Dermot Cole is a longtime reporter, editor and author.

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