Wade Marrs First to Iditarod Checkpoint (Photo: David Poyzer)
Wade Marrs arrived in the half-way checkpoint of Iditarod at 01:12 on Thursday. Being the first musher to reach the checkpoint, Wade receives the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award. Wade has the choice of $3,000 in gold nuggets or a smartphone with a free year of GCI service. His name will be inscribed on an Alaska birch and marble trophy that remains year-round at Iditarod Headquarters. The award honors the late “Mother of the Iditarod,” Dorothy G. Page.
As Marrs settles in for his 24-hour rest in the once booming gold town, now ghost town of Iditarod, mushers are completing their long rests at Takotna and Ophir. Jessie Holmes leads a pack of fourteen mushers who have departed Ophir in route to Iditarod. Nic Petit, who took his layover in Nikolai, looks to be breaking the run from Nikolai to Iditarod into even chunks, with his final rest about 30 miles beyond Ophir at Don’s cabin leaving 50 miles to Iditarod.
Taking a look at speed between Takotna and Ophir for teams fresh off the long layover shows Peter Kaiser and Eddie Burke, Jr. covered the 23 miles moving at 9.08 mph. Even faster was Hunter Keefe moving at 9.86 mph. A lot of things contribute to the speed – rest, food/fuel in the tank, cooler night time temperatures and a fast trail.
Bob James of GCI Presents the GCI Dorothy G. Page Award to Wade Marrs in Iditarod (Photo: Insider Video)
There is the concept that history repeats itself. In the past ten Iditarod runs, the musher who received the half-way award, completed the twenty-four hour rest at the halfway point then went on to win the race four times. Brent Sass did it in 2022, resting in Cripple; Joar Leifseth Ulsom in 2018 resting in Iditarod; Mitch Seavey in 2017 resting in Huslia and in 2016 Dallas Seavey resting in Cripple. How will this work out for Wade Marrs? Note that in 2018, the race took the southern route because they hadn’t been to the southern villages since 2013. In 2017 the race started from Fairbanks, thus the Huslia mid-way point.
The above teams as well as Wade Marrs this year held/hold the advantage of being deep into the race coming off the 24 hour rest AND having another 8 hour required rest on the Yukon. Insider Analyst, Bruce Lee suggests this puts them in a good position to make a push, take a long run to close a gap.
Kristy and Anna Berington – It’s Like Seeing Double (Photo: David Poyzer)
The Berington twins will soon be departing Takotna, rested and ready for the trek to the Yukon River. They are both running with 12 dog teams. They have come a long way from the days of childhood in Bayfield, Wisconsin when they built a sled with skies and a milk crate then harnessed the family dog, a Great Pyrenees for dog power. They’ve worked giving tourist rides in the Sierras then after moving to Alaska, trained with Dean Osmar. Together, Kristy and Anna operate Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing out of Knik. Endurance racing is their thing. Not only do they embrace the 1,000 mile sled dog races but they also compete in marathons, triathlons and ultra-marathons during the off season. Kristy and Anna are always in friendly competition and say sharing time on the trail with their dogs is a dream come true and a perfect fit for these amazing women who love dogs and endurance events. The twins pay the bills by doing carpentry and landscaping. They say, “Thank you to the many fans, friends, family, volunteers and sponsors for making all of this possible. We couldn’t do it without you.”
Kristy has finished 12 of 13 runs she’s attempted with Anna finishing 10 of 11. The twins scratched together in Unalakleet in 2020 after learning of the death of a close family member. Kristy and Anna usually sled under the furred and almost simultaneously. Bests finished are 16th for Kristy and 17th for Anna. Kristy met her husband, Andy Pohl during the 2014 Iditarod when he was riding his fat bike from Willow to Galena and they both happened to be in Ophir at the same time. In 2018 Kristy Andy and Anna all raced the Iditarod. Anna finished in 22nd with Kristy and Andy following in 36th and 37th place.
Ramey Smyth Runs into Takotna (Photo: David Poyzer)
Ramey Smyth will depart Takotna after his long rest Thursday morning with 9 dogs in harness. Ramey has 26 Iditarod starts with 25 finishes. He was runner-up in 2011 and has twelve top ten finishes. Ramey comes from a mushing family. His father Bud Smyth and Mother Lolly Medley are Iditarod veterans as is his brother Cim. Smyth along with his wife Becca Moore and three children operate Homestretch Kennel in Willow. Becca is an Iditarod and Yukon Quest veteran. Ramey has participated in and won many races around Alaska. As a teenage musher he earned Jr. Iditarod Gold twice. There has never been a Jr. Champion who has gone on the win the Iditarod. If it’s going to happen this year, it would be up to Ramey or Ryan Redington. Smyth says, “I am entering the Iditarod because I love working with sled dogs. Mushing is a great way to connect to my historical Alaska roots and to challenge myself. My family loves sled dogs and this gives us an opportunity to work together on a common goal.” Ramey operates Smyth Logwork and Construction.
The final 6 mushers, including 4 rookies are parked in McGrath this morning. Veterans Joanna Jagow and Jason Mackey are joined by Rookies Jed Stephensen, Gerhardt Thiart, Bailey and Gregg Vitello. They are at mile 311 with the leaders at Iditarod located at mile 432.
