Eva Robinson racing in the Willow 100 Sled Dog race in Alaska to prepare for the Junior Iditarod (Photo Credit: Julia Redington)
BIG LAKE, AK (KFGO) – Cavalier native, the 15-year-old musher Eva Robinson is a long way from home.
The last time we heard from Eva, she was racing as the youngest person in the 120-mile Junior John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth in 2021. Now, she has made the 50-hour 2,793 mile trip to Alaska to race in the Junior Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This comes as no surprise to Eva’s parents Katt and Justin, who say when Eva was 6-years-old she told them she would be racing in the Junior Iditarod someday.
“I’ve been chasing this dream for almost 10 years, and now that I’m here, it’s surreal,” Robinson says.
As the Robinson family traveled through the Yukon province in Canada, the air temperatures were around 50 below. Eva says they also encountered blizzards and their truck even broke down a couple of times on the way. But if you think a few blizzards, wind storms, frigid conditions, and vehicle trouble can stop the Robinson clan, you’d be wrong.
Eva and her dad Justin left Cavalier on January 1st and began their trek North. Eva has been training for almost 2 months in Alaska. Eva says both she and the dogs needed training to get familiar with the terrain of the area. That meant mushing on the iconic Iditarod trail. Something she has always dreamed of.
“To train on the same trail my childhood heroes have raced on is truly a marvel,” Robinson says. “Our training schedule has become delayed a bit due to high temperatures and just overflow,” she added.
Eva and her dad Justin as she crossed the finish line of the Willow Jr. 100 race in Alaska (Photo Credit: Julia Redington)
Eva Robinson (Eva Diva Dogs Racing)
Eva’s mom Katt says it’s been surreal seeing Eva grow up during this experience.
“Eva and Justin left first while I stayed home with her twin sisters. It’s been a huge shift and change in our family. We’re used to always being together and running dogs together and now it’s very quiet at home without Eva, Justin, and the dogs. I’ve caught myself still looking out the window to check on the dogs but they’re not there. Seeing Eva do all the things other famous mushers have done is surreal because I remember thinking ‘That’s not another musher, that’s my daughter!’. I’m extremely, extremely proud of her,” Katt said.
With the Junior Iditarod starting this Saturday, February 26th, Eva says she’s ready for the challenge and is excited to be fulfilling her childhood vow.
To keep up with Eva during the race, you can follow her sled dog racing Facebook page!
Comments