Nicolas Petit Iditarod 2018

Nicolas Petit is setting a blistering pace as he approaches McGrath.  GPS Tracker says he’s moving at 8.6 miles per hour.  Looking at races of the past twenty years, it would seem that Nic will set a record for the earliest time into McGrath.

In 2014, Aliy Zirkle arrived at McGrath checkpoint at 16:53 with a run time of 5 hours 14 minutes from Nikolai.  Aliy has the earliest arrival of the past twenty years.  In 2007, Lance Mackey arrived at 20:22 with a run time from Nikolai of 4 hours 49 minutes.  Lance has the fastest run time of the past 20 years.

Looking back to 2018, it was Mitch Seavey who claimed the Spirit of Alaska Award.  Seavey arrived in McGrath 19:18 with a run time of 6 hours 29 minutes.  2018 Champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom arrived at 20:37 after a 6 hour 53 minute run from Nicolai.  The 2018 second place finisher, Nicolas Petit, arrived in McGrath at 23:06 after a 7 hour 16 minute run from Nikolai.

What’s my point?  Setting a crisp pace to McGrath is by no means a guarantee of Iditarod gold. There’s a lot of trail left and a lot of trail conditions to deal with.  McGrath by the way is mile 311.  Musher strategy as well as training regimen plays a big role in the outcome of the race.  Add Mother Nature as a big factor.

Right now it looks like Petit will arrive first, leading four mushers who have all departed Nikolai. Petit is joined on the trail by Joar Leifseth Ulsom, Jessie Royer, Peter Kaiser and Aliy Zirkle.  Word about the trail is that it’s good and continues to be good up to Ophir.  It’s snowing from Ophir on down through Iditarod and Shageluk.  Run times will definitely be affected out of Ophir. 

Marshal Carter from Alaska Air Transport will be on hand to present the Spirit of Iditarod Award to the first musher into McGrath.