by Terrie Hanke
Aliy Zirkle’s dogs trotted into Unalakleet just before sunrise on Sunday. The dogs had lots of energy, perhaps more that Aliy. Standing and leaning into their tugs, the dogs watched every move Aliy made in preparing to serve up kibble which they devoured instantly. Wells Fargo representatives were on hand to present the Gold Coast Award to Zirkle.
In a race that’s this close, everyone is looking for some significant sign to predict who’ll be the 40th Iditarod champion. Mushers who’ve earned the Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award are listed on the trophy. Consider this – in fifteen of the past nineteen years, the first musher to make the Gold Coast has also been the first musher to the burled arch in Nome. Here are the exceptions. In ’93 Rick Mackey made the Gold Coast first but Jeff King was first to the arch in Nome. In ’04 Kjetel Backen was first into Unalakleet then Mitch Seavey claimed the championship. In ’07 and ’08 Jeff King collected the Wells Fargo award in Unalakleet then Lance Mackey collected the Dodge truck in Nome. It won’t be long before we’ll know if Iditarod XL will follow the trend.
By the way, for the first ten mushers to make the Gold Coast, Ramey Smyth has turned in the fastest time – 10 hours, 54 minutes. Of the teams in front of Zirkle and on their way to Shaktoolik, Aaron Burmeister’s time from Kaltag to UNK was 11 hours, 42 minutes. Dallas Seavey’s time was 12 hours, 38 minutes. Zirkle covered the portage trail over the Nulato Hills in 13 hours, 33 minutes. John Baker made the trip in 13 hours, 38 minutes. The temperature was minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
