The KLIM-backed team of Chris Olds and Mike Morgan ran a nearly perfect race over 2,000 miles to capture the 2018 Iron Dog race win in Alaska. The duo ran an aggressive pace that couldn’t be matched by their competitors from the start, but the secret to their success was enjoying solid performance from their equipment and machines.
Billed as “The World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race,” the 2018 Iron Dog certainly lived up to that legacy. Ran over the famous Iditarod trail for seven days of straight racing, the racecourse spans some of Alaska’s most rugged terrain. Each Pro Class race team consists of two racers and two snowmobiles that are released in two-minute intervals from the start. Pro Class riders are required to take a minimum of three layovers in specific locations for a total of 30 hours. For Olds and Morgan, it took nearly 37 hours of on-course, racing time to take the win.
With 24 years of pro-class experience between them, Olds and Morgan powered to the finish line with relative ease. With the only mechanical issue reported as a 20-minute jackshaft change, the team capitalized on the limited downtime.
Racing from Anchorage to Nome to Fairbanks, Olds and Morgan raced exclusively in KLIM apparel. Utilizing the versatility of the premium, non-insulated GORE-TEX® outerwear line, Olds raced in the ultra-durable Valdez Parka and Togwotee Bib while Morgan chose the versatile and massively mobile Stealth Jacket combined with the Togwotee Bib. By incorporating intelligent layering choices to add insulation and comfort for the brutal conditions, the team wore the perfect gear for the win. The team also utilized KLIM’s new F3 (Morgan) and F5 (Olds) helmets outfitted with Occulus Goggles to provide the perfect setup to face race conditions and high speeds head-on.
The duo remained comfortable, dry and covered from the elements for over three days of racing, day and night.
This year’s course was especially brutal with fresh snow moving in late in the race, forcing Olds and Morgan to break trail in front of their closest competitors, allowing the second place team to make time.
The final margin of victory was only four minutes.
The win is the third for Olds out of 16 Pro-Class starts and the first victory for Morgan after eight attempts.
KLIM-equipped racers also celebrated third and fourth place finishes in 2018, taking three of the top four spots overall. Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad, finishing just eight minutes behind Olds and Morgan, grabbed third while Tyler Acklstad and Tyson Johnson finished fourth.