Race Coverage
Ramey Smyth comes from a storied mushing background. Ramey’s mother, celebrated harness maker Lolly Medley, was the second woman to ever finish the race and his father, Bud Smyth has finished Iditarod five times. Lolly Medley began presenting a Golden Harness award to the outstanding lead dog of the race. Since her death, the City …
You know you’re a serious Iditarod fan if the weather app on your phone contains locations along the Iditarod Trail – Willow, Skwentna, Nicolai, McGrath and Iditarod. You’ve seriously got the bug if you check the weather where the mushers are before you check your own weather! The temperature this morning under a clear sky …
Cindy Abbott, Iditarod’s 2015 Red Lantern Recipient, spoke to the teachers about her experiences on the trail. Abbott also shared basic race information to give the teacher’s a better understanding of the Iditarod as they use the Last Great Race as a theme for education in their classrooms. Abbott is the only woman to have …
Folks in Nome headed to the Nome Recreation Center for the Iditarod Finisher’s Banquet on a calm, sunny, warm afternoon. All the mushers were off the trail. The Widow’s Lamp was extinguished. The banquet would put Iditarod XLIV in the history books. Chefs from the Lakefront Alaska Hotel of Anchorage prepared a meal that was …
It won’t be long and the festivities of the Finisher’s Banquet will get underway. The banquet is held in the Nome Recreation Center which for the past week has been the site of the world’s largest basketball tournament. Over night it’s been transformed into a banquet facility. The City of Nome is one hopping place …
Rookie Mary Helwig made Nome at 2351. Seems that it’s never too late or too early for a celebration at the burled arch at the end of the Iditarod Trail. There were people shoulder to shoulder lining both sides of the chute for it’s full length waiting to say welcome to Mary Helwig and farewell …
At the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome last year, Cindy Gallea announced it would be her last Iditarod. Needless to say I was surprised to see her at the Wednesday pre-race vet check. Having said, “Last race,” Cindy also said, “It’s difficult to let go of something that is deep in my soul and that gives …
They’ve become good friends over the miles as they traveled in what looked like a little train. They share the special bond of Iditarod. Kim Franklin and Kristin Bacon came into Nome one behind the other like a little train and parked under the burled arch side by side. There was a large crowd and …
Claiming 66th place in Iditarod XLIV is Sarah Stokey. Sarah and her fiancee, Travis Beals, operate Turning Heads Kennel near Seward, Alaska. Sarah and Travis became engaged when Travis completed his rookie run in 2013. He proposed and she accepted under the burled arch. Sarah was running the kennel’s puppy team. Her goal was to …
Early afternoon on Friday brought three more mushers to the finish line in Nome. Larry Daugherty was the first to make the climb to Front Street followed by Patrick Beall and Lisbet Norris. The first word Larry Daugherty heard after he set his snow hook under the burled arch was DADDY! His wife and children …
