After a six-year hiatus, the 160-mile Kotzebue-Kiana Snowmachine Race hits the trails on Saturday.

The Arctic Circle Racing Association is hosting the mid-distance race, and looks forward to resurrecting the event on an annual basis from now on, said ACRA president Claude Wilson.

Racing is a good way to stay busy in the coldest months, Wilson said, and gives serious racers a practice run prior to larger spring competitions in Nome and Kotzebue.

"It keeps the boys busy in the shop, wrenching on sleds," he said. "(And) it's a spectator sport, too. People like to get down to the river and cheer for their favorite racers."

The race ran for about a decade before being cancelled in 2006 because there weren't enough volunteers to keep it afloat, said Wilson, adding that the event is too large to be held without enough helpers on board.

Though he doesn't know what kind of showing to expect for Saturday, Wilson is hoping at least 20 will make the trip to the starting line. In past years they had between 20 and 30 racers on average, he said.

The race takes roughly two hours to complete, but trail conditions over the weekend will determine the actual travel time, Wilson said. Subzero January temperatures have risen recently into the double digits making snow conditions soft and punchy.

"All depends on trail conditions. Right now it's overcast and snowy, and the trail is soft. If this trend continues it might be a bumpy race," Wilson said.

Official sign-up is this evening at the borough building in Kotzebue from 6 to 8 p.m. and costs $250. Latecomers will be accepted up until Friday at 8 p.m. with a $50 late fee attached.

Sponsor donations and volunteer time are vital to the event, said ACRA secretary Wendie Schaeffer, and allows 100 percent of the entry-fee money to be handed back out as prizes. The victor will take home 50 percent of the pot, second place wins 30 percent and third gets 20 percent.

The mass start begins Saturday at 1 p.m. on the sea ice in Kotzebue.

There are three possible classes to enter into: a 0 to 600cc fan; a 0 to 600cc liquid and a 601+cc open class. Juniors over the age of 16 can partake in the first class with parental permission. There will be a nice trophy and a check for the winners at the end, said Schaeffer, adding that this race is for the fun and entertainment of the region.

At this point they're expecting good weather, she said, and hoping for a good turnout. If it gets below negative 20 the race will be canceled, but that kind of drop isn't expected for this weekend. There will be safety precautions taken, including machine requirements, trail markers, and a group of volunteer pilots following the entire race by air.

For more information about race requirements contact Claude Wilson at (907) 995-2727.

This article was originally published in The Arctic Sounder and is reprinted here with permission.