Sorry to get off track -- but I do have a question about the "time differential rule" that hasn't been fully answered, and I wonder if anyone can help.
I listened to Josh's podcast from the interview he did last night with the Race Director. Dr. Schobert did not make it clear one way or another whether the mushers would be making up the time differential -- he actually made it sound like it hadn't been decided yet, but maybe he just didn't know or didn't want to say. I was definitely surprised to hear that the Race Director was not present for the full Musher's Meeting -- especially if race rules were being changed...
I understand that all rules are "subject to interpretation", and I appreciate that this is an historic event -- but with mushers on the trail, less than an hour apart, less than a day from the finish line, I can't believe that the Sweepstakes hasn't put anything on their website about the rule change that supposedly occurred at the Musher's Meeting.
When I called HQ at the Mini about the differentials yesterday (Thursday), a very nice volunteer told me that they "didn't want to get bogged down with technicalities like time differentials... that the mushers agreed to the rule change so that nothing would interfere with the pomp and circumstance (her words) of the finish in Nome..." On the other hand, there have also been reports that there was "heated debate" at the mushers meeting over last minute rule changes.
There is a LOT at stake in this race -- and it seems to me that secret, last minute or mid-race rule changes can only lead to the race results getting bogged down in a controversial mess. At this point, it seems they can only hope that the final order of finish wouldn't be affected by the differentials one way or another.
Is there any way that anyone can get word from the Head Judge as to what is going on?
