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Jessie Gladish is off to a great start in the 2023 Montagne Yukon Arctic Ultra. The Ultra started from Shipyards Park in Whitehorse Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

This year, the Ultra follows the Yukon Quest trail and consists of a marathon, a 100 mile race to Braeburn, a 300 mile race to Pelly Farm and a 430 mile race to Dawson City.

The Star was at the start and spoke with some of the athletes.

Tommy Chen, 36, from Taipei, Taiwan, was there to compete in the 430 mile race.

鈥淚鈥檓 an ultra marathon athlete 鈥� in 2008 cross country skied the North Pole and South Pole and many ultra marathon races and I think the Yukon Arctic is my favourite 鈥� longer, solo, longer dark.

鈥淭en years ago, I finished the 430 (in) 10 days, 15 hours, 11 minutes but I was PTSD and I cry every day, I couldn鈥檛 feel anything. 10 years after, I wanted to (go) back again and think about what I鈥檓 doing and chasing my dream and maybe I find some life answer in my soul. I don鈥檛 know what is it but I just try (to) enjoy all the memories, think about my dad and mom, (go) back to nature, that will teach us a lot.鈥�

When asked how long he expects to take to get to Dawson, Chen replied 鈥淢aybe nine to 11 days. Try each day pushing 70 kilometres, sleep four hours, maybe sometimes no sleep, try (to) push, push, push.

鈥淛ust try to follow my schedule and the body condition.鈥�

As for his goal for the race, Chen said 鈥淚 think I will cry and just find myself at peace with Mother Nature.鈥�

Gillian Smith, 39, of Whitehorse is competing in the 430 on a mountain bike.

鈥淚鈥檓 feeling positive. The weather looks good and the trail looks good.鈥�

Smith finished the trek to Dawson on foot in 2019, coming in 15th. This is her first time tackling the Ultra on a fat bike.

She won鈥檛 be riding with defending champ Jessie Gladish, who鈥檚 also riding a fat bike.

鈥淚 expect Jessie to be much faster than me.鈥�

Greg Newby, 57, of Lake Laberge was running the marathon.

鈥淚 wanted to do the longer distance. I made an attempt last year but finances and training didn鈥檛 work out, so I鈥檓 doing the shorter distance.鈥�

As for his expectations, Newby said 鈥淚 expect to finish.鈥�

Newby didn鈥檛 expect to finish first, however.

鈥淣o, not for me. That was not really my ambition 鈥� getting out there is its own reward.鈥�

Pat Cooke-Rogers, 66, of Hemington, England was also riding a fat bike.

鈥淚ts been a complete rush,鈥� she related. 鈥淢y suitcases and my bag got lost on the aircraft. I didn鈥檛 get my bag until yesterday morning but 鈥� people have been fantastic in getting the bike sorted, getting me sorted and it鈥檚 been wonderful, so I鈥檓 looking forward to it. After the first couple of days, it should be all right.鈥�

As for why she鈥檚 doing it, Cooke-Rogers said 鈥淚 love this place 鈥� and God told me to.鈥�

Race organizer Robert Pollhammer said 鈥淚鈥檓 excited. Weather-wise, we鈥檙e quite happy. It鈥檚 also nice if it鈥檚 not -30, -40 at the start. That helps us, that helps the athletes 鈥� trail conditions look pretty good. Yukon River鈥檚 always tricky because of the changes in water level, ice cracks, open water, but it鈥檚 passable. We checked it again this morning.

鈥淓verybody鈥檚 happy. Now it鈥檚 day one, we鈥檒l have the marathoners going to Muktuk adventures, that鈥檚 where they finish. We have the first checkpoint for all the guys going beyond that and I hope as many as possible make it through that first night. That鈥檚 always a critical point in the race. At Muktuk, everyone still feels awesome and then that first night comes. It doesn鈥檛 matter how cold it is 鈥� we have a few people dropping out, but hope that number is really low this year.鈥�

Pollhammer said the ultra has fewer competitors this year.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got 48 athletes, which is a number that鈥檚 lower than we would normally have, so I think it鈥檚 fair to say that the global situation at the moment, the economy, there are less people who are willing to spend the money that is needed for an adventure like this. It is an investment; you鈥檝e got an entry fee, flights, a lot of gear that you need, so I understand it that some people are maybe postponing an entry. And I can say that certainly for Europe, we鈥檒l organize another race 鈥� so the 48 is actually a pretty good turnout. Other races in Europe have been cancelled because of the issues at the moment.鈥�

When asked if he was concerned about the Ultra overlapping with the Yukon Quest (due to the Quest moving up a week), Pollhammer replied 鈥淣o, I鈥檓 very happy about the relationship we have established with the Yukon Quest. We communicate, that鈥檚 key, right? You need to talk and then you can work everything out. We started that early on as soon as it was obvious we would meet somehow on the trail. We have checkpoints like Scroggie Creek, one of the last places toward Dawson, where we share the checkpoint. Our checkpoint manager, Robert Siefke, is responsible for us and the Quest. And then we鈥檙e also sharing the information centre in Dawson City and looking forward to it. We have a few mushers who may catch up to our athletes. We briefed the athletes. We鈥檒l keep updating them on where the mushers are so they鈥檙e aware because of course, passing each other on the trail can be tricky in certain areas, but I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l be able to handle it.

Pollhammer added 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited to be back. It鈥檚 good to be in the Yukon again and looking forward to the experience.鈥�

As of this morning, Gladish was riding in first at mile 144.9 into the race. Matt Weighman is second at mile 112.1

Chad Barber won the 100 mile race to Braeburn, reaching the checkpoint Sunday at 12:45 p.m.