The 1st chapter of the 2024 Iditarod and Jr. Iditarod was recorded on Saturday June 24th at the Musher Sign-up and Volunteer Picnic at Headquarters in Wasilla. The weather cooperated as mushers, race fans and volunteers gathered to enjoy friendship, conversation and the usual delicious fare of grilled burgers and salmon. Mushers could register for …
Between the Musher Banquet in Anchorage where start order was determined and the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome where stories were shared and mushers were honored, many miles have passed under the sled runners. While the line on the map is the same for every musher, the trail is entirely unique. Some of the awards presented …
As the final musher to complete the 2023 race, Jason Mackey reached Nome at 17:03 on St. Patrick’s Day with five dogs in harness. Mackey completed the race in 12 days, 2 hours and 3 minutes earning 29th place. He is the recipient of the Lynden “Committed Through the Last Mile” Red Lantern Award. In …
“One year Later,” is what Gerhardt Thiart repeated numerous times as he shook hands in the chute this afternoon on Front Street. Bridgett Watkins likely had the same thought on her mind as she followed Thiart by 8 minutes to the arch. They were only 60 miles from Nome last year when winds through the …
As of today, New Hampshire Musher, Bailey Vitello, can add Iditarod to his very impressive list of completed races. Bailey was the first musher to make Nome on St. Patrick’s day at 07:49. Sun wasn’t up yet but somewhere in Nome the traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage was likely being prepared. On his …
Kristy and Anna Berington finished Iditarod 2023 sixteen seconds apart. Nothing new there. The twins have run Iditarod together ever since the Northern route of 2012. They’ve stood under the burled arch together in all but one of the races they’ve run since then. In 2018, newly married Kristy, her husband Andy Pohl and Anna …
Nicolas Petit made the arch in 17th place with a time of 10 days, 10 hours and 9 minutes. Petit was born in France, raised in New Mexico and now has his kennel in Big Lake, Alaska. He’s started Iditarod twelve times and has finished nine. His best finish to date, was runner-up behind Dallas …
In total, nine mushers made the burled arch on Wednesday March 15th. Mushers arriving later in the day experienced less wind between White Mountain and Nome than those arriving earlier. But Mother Nature didn’t spare them. These teams experienced the winds along the coast from Koyuk to White Mountain. Dan Kaduce made Nome in …
The fire siren sounded shortly after mid-night on March 15th announcing the arrival of Matthew Failor. Matthew is new to the top ten with this 8th place finish in 9 days 9 hours and 20 minutes. He took the trail with the goal of a top ten finish and was exceptionally happy in the chute …
Before diving into all the activity on Front Street in Nome, there is news from the back of the pack. Eric Kelly is the fourth musher to scratch from Iditarod 2023. Kelly decided to scratch in Shaktoolik saying it was the best decision for his dogs. Eric had 10 dogs in harness when he scratched, …
