Veteran Iditarod XLVIII musher Brent Sass (bib #44), of Eureka, Alaska, is the first musher to reach the Cripple checkpoint, the halfway point of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Sass arrived at 9:54 p.m. with 13 dogs in harness. GCI Rural Network Operations Technician Bob James presented Sass with the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award. GCI awarded Sass with the choice of either a new Samsung Galaxy S20 that includes a year of service or $3,000 in gold nuggets. For 26 years, GCI has sponsored this award, which honors the late “Mother of the Iditarod,” Dorothy G. Page. The trophy, which is made of Alaska birch and marble, and features a photo of Page, remains year-round at Iditarod headquarters.

This award will be re-presented in Nome at the Iditarod awards banquet on Sunday, March 22, at the Nome Recreation Center.