Musher Details

2019 Iditarod » Mushers » Jessica Klejka

Jessica Klejka

Bib Number: 24
Hometown: Wasilla, Alaska
Website:


Biography

Jessica grew up mushing in Bethel with her younger siblings (Jenny, Jeremiah, Jesse, Josh, Joan and Jordan). Her love for dogs started with – a Bethel rescue dog named Jed. At 8 she started mushing three dogs from her father’s rec team, going out with her siblings. She listened to stories and received advice from local long-distance mushers Myron Angstman, Tomas Israelsson, Ron Kaiser and Bev Hoffman and she remembers Jeff King presenting to her 6th grade class. Her first long-distance race was the K-300 Race Committee’s 100-mile camp out race when she was 12 years old. She realized the strongest bond formed with a dog is when you and the dog are out together for days at a time.

In high school, she won the Jr. Iditarod. Jessica obtained her BS degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, allowing her to continue mushing during breaks, and dog sitting for local teams. She worked her summers on a Glacier for Alaska-Helimush owned by Iditarod Musher Linwood Fiedler and got to take her dog team with her.

Jessica attended Washington State University’s Vet School and she owns Knik Veterinary clinic serving the communities of Bethel, Naknek and Kotzebue. When she’s not mushing her favorite hobbies are anything animal related and flying around Alaska with her husband and pilot Sam.

SPONSORS:

Knik Veterinary Clinic
Klejka family
Brewer family
Jenny Klejka and Alex Weissburg
Walther Dental
Mike and Cathy Lucus
Nick Weeks and Dr. Brooke Wilson

Sponsors

Pat Glaab/Northline Seafoods
Klejka Family
Brewer Family
Smartstop Self Storage

The Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee
The Arctic Vet, Cherise Neu
Deb/Manfred Reichard


2019 Standings

Checkpoint Time In Dogs In Time Out Dogs Out Rest Time Previous Layover Status Distance
Enroute Time Speed (mph) 8hr 24hr
Willow 3/03 14:44:00 14
Yentna 3/03 18:44:00 14 3/03 20:44:00 14 2h 0m 4h 0m 10.50 42
Skwentna 3/03 23:52:00 14 3/04 04:30:00 14 4h 38m 3h 8m 9.57 30
Finger Lake 3/04 09:24:00 14 3/04 15:12:00 14 5h 48m 4h 54m 8.16 40
Rainy Pass 3/04 18:39:00 14 3/04 22:56:00 14 4h 17m 3h 27m 8.70 30
Rohn 3/05 03:18:00 14 3/05 08:12:00 14 4h 54m 4h 22m 8.02 35
Nikolai 3/05 19:05:00 14 3/06 02:14:00 14 7h 9m 10h 53m 6.89 75
McGrath 3/06 09:29:00 14 3/07 10:41:00 14 25h 12m 7h 15m 6.62 ✔ 48
Takotna 3/07 13:06:00 14 3/07 13:16:00 14 0h 10m 2h 25m 7.45 ✔ 18
Ophir 3/07 16:02:00 14 3/07 21:59:00 13 5h 57m 2h 46m 8.31 ✔ 23
Iditarod 3/08 15:01:00 13 3/08 23:00:00 12 7h 59m 17h 2m 4.70 ✔ 80
Shageluk 3/09 07:28:00 12 3/09 15:28:00 12 8h 0m 8h 28m 6.50 ✔ ✔ 55
Anvik 3/09 18:42:00 12 3/09 19:00:00 12 0h 18m 3h 14m 7.73 ✔ ✔ 25
Grayling 3/09 21:12:00 12 3/10 04:36:00 11 6h 24m 2h 12m 8.18 ✔ ✔ 18
Eagle Island 3/10 12:48:00 11 3/10 19:53:00 11 7h 5m 8h 12m 7.56 ✔ ✔ 62
Kaltag 3/11 11:24:00 11 3/11 19:37:00 11 8h 13m 15h 31m 3.87 ✔ ✔ 60
Unalakleet 3/12 14:16:00 11 3/12 22:27:00 11 8h 11m 18h 39m 4.56 ✔ ✔ 85
Shaktoolik 3/13 04:50:00 11 3/13 12:32:00 11 7h 42m 6h 23m 6.27 ✔ ✔ 40
Koyuk 3/13 20:52:00 11 3/14 06:38:00 11 9h 46m 8h 20m 6.00 ✔ ✔ 50
Elim 3/14 13:05:00 11 3/14 18:58:00 11 5h 53m 6h 27m 7.44 ✔ ✔ 48
White Mountain 3/15 02:40:00 11 3/15 10:55:00 11 8h 15m 7h 42m 5.97 ✔ ✔ 46
Safety 3/15 18:42:00 11 3/15 19:03:00 11 0h 21m 7h 47m 7.07 ✔ ✔ 55
Nome 3/15 22:12:35 11 3h 9m 6.98 ✔ ✔ 22