Only two returning champions are on the roster. Three-time Champion Mitch Seavey last won in 2017 and last ran the Iditarod in 2022 where he placed 16th (the first time he'd been out of the top ten since 2003 - not counting the year he was WD due to a severed finger in Ophir). 2023 Iditarod Champion Ryan Redington is also back for another try at a win. Redington has taken it "easy" this season, often letting his handler team take top positions while he rode further back in the pack of the mid-distance races, last year Ryan placed 14th in a very competitive Iditarod.
While we won't know which junior musher will start the run off down 4th Avenue in Anchorage until after the completion of the Junior Iditarod scheduled for February 22-23, we do know who the honorary musher will be. Each year the race chooses a person to be the honorary musher "wearing" bib number one. In the early days of the race, the Iditarod chose to honor the mushers of the Serum Run, but now includes a host of names celebrating men and women who helped make the Iditarod what it is today. Mushers, volunteers, and community members have all been honored over the last 50 years. This year the race has chosen Dr. Stu Nelson as the Honorary Musher.
Dr. Stu Nelson was Iditarod's Chief Veterinarian from 1995 until 2024. In the nearly thirty years in his role Nelson championed greater veterinary care on the trail and in kennels. He studied tirelessly to figure out the causes of dog expiration, and was brought to tears many times when speaking of how hard he and all of the vets worked to create a safe event for all canine participants. Stu could be seen not just at the starts and finish of each race checking out the dogs, but he also spot checked most of the checkpoints. He was available to mushers during the race and year round. Because of Dr. Stu Nelson sled dog care and health has never been better - and by association many of our pet dogs have benefited as studies on Iditarod dogs helped in the fields of canine nutrition and medical care.
Dr. Stu Nelson unexpectedly passed away in September of 2024 while out on his usual run. He was known by mushers, volunteers, and fans alike as being a kind, compassionate, friendly persona. His passing shocked the Iditarod and Mushing community. Nelson's work will live on with the race. Read the full press release on Dr. Nelson being chosen as this year's honorary musher here.
With nearly two weeks until the Ceremonial Start, the roster may change. There are several unknowns about the trail and that has some mushers extremely concerned and contemplating a late withdrawal. All eyes have been on the Iron Dog as they traverse over a lot of the same trail dog teams are set to run on. The Burn especially is the focus of many musher fears, some are hoping for a last minute change to running the Fairbanks route (which would pair well with this being the 100th anniversary of the fame Serum Run that much of the Fairbanks route would follow the same trail). **Edited to add: Iditarod has officially changed the race from the traditional Southern Route to a route leading out of Fairbanks and looping on the Yukon River before heading to Nome. It will be roughly 1128 miles total, which is said to be the longest trail in race history.)
Bib #1 is set, however the rest of the teams won't have their number until the Musher Banquet on February 27. As such, the roster below is listed as it stands now on the Iditarod website - in order of sign up. This post will be edited with the final roster and bib numbers after the banquet in just 11 days.
Musher Roster
*Bold indicates past Iditarod Champion
**Roster as of February 16 @ 12pm AKST.
**Roster as of February 16 @ 12pm AKST.
Who are YOU cheering for? Do you think Ryan or Mitch will run away with another win? Do you have a story about Dr. Stu Nelson? Comment below with your thoughts and stories!
If you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).
I have been a fan since my family lived in Takotna early 80's when all the old time mushers all or most are gone Epp Anderson was our musher out of the village and good friends with us my family coming from Florida made us right at home, my dad was the PA for the radar base near by and the whole community were so kind to us!!
ReplyDeleteI am sad say the whole family has passed but I still have 2 great friends from that era of 40 years!!
The Iditarod has always been with me and will till I die!!
Thanks,
Teresa McKinzie from Florida
I love it! I hear Takotna is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for reading. :)
DeleteI am a new fan of Dog Sledding and
ReplyDeleteMushing since last year's Iditarod. I fell in love with the sport and dogs and follow many mushers through their summer and the past few races. It was wonderful watching the races and learning about the teams. However, I am Extremely Concerned that there appears to be no movement of decisions for the race to occur on snow.
I understand the Iditarod is a huge undertaking with alot of moving parts and volunteers and money. I also understand that moving a race route affects everyone and dogs down to the checkpoint bags, and the villages and many things I don't know.
However, safety of mushers and dogs should be number 1!!! I saw a video of Jeff King on no snow with his dogs and he had a difficult time getting the dogs to slow when they heard all the the sounds of metal on rocks. He bad to doge and weave so quickly to not get in an accident. He has alot of strength, agility AND Experience. He had to get the dogs to stop several times and right his sled and he also had to run alongside a turned over sled and almost got caught under it, which would have been devastating in so many ways. The rocks and metal are a much different sound than the dogs are used to in race conditions. He is an experienced musher.
The thought of putting young, junior mushers in harm's way with trails with no snow is appalling to me.
Will they have the strength and ability to right a sled that falls over on rocks and dirt and possibly hit trees without the ability of snow?
I really hope and pray that there will be some common sense put into this race. To move it to snow covered trails, or cancel it for the health and safety of the mushers and dogs. A good decision now will allow better decisions later. I shudder to think of possible outcomes if it is determined to run the race on dirt.
Sincerely, A very concerned lover of the sport. Penny Rempfer, Ed. D. PCC
Hi Penny,
DeleteI hear your concern. I'm not a member of the ITC board, nor do I have info on what they have discussed this weekend or what they have decided.
None of the mushers running the Iditarod are juniors. The junior Iditarod is running a completely different trail system (the one run for the Copper Basin 300. Jr. Iditarod will run a shortened course.) While there are sixteen rookies in the race they are all seasoned mushers, all adults.
The video of Jeff King is from 2014 and in a different part of the trail than the videos coming to light from Iron Dog. Iron Dog does not go through the gorge which is where Jeff's video was taken 11 years ago. The Burn comes after the gorge. My understanding was they were waiting for a trail report from the gorge this weekend.
I am not for or against one trail or the other. I've seen arguments for both from mushers planning to run this year's race. Not being a musher myself much less someone who has been out on that trail, I don't feel qualified making that call. :)
I know they had planned to announce plans on Monday(ish) BEFORE the whole kerfluffle on facebook this weekend, so hopefully in the next day or two all will be answered.
Mitch Seavey lost a finger during an Iditarod?! Wow. Thank you for this rundown and your insights as always, Toni! Michelle had a great run at the YQ this year. That’s something! Go, girl!! And of course there are just a *bunch* of faves on that roster. I’m excited to see a favorite adventurer and role model — Emily Ford — get out on the trail. I’m glad to see Riley back. And Quince. It’ll be interesting to watch Samantha and the Dallas Seavey team, eh? I’m rooting for Ryan and looking forward to seeing which of my favorite dogs make his team this year. 3 big races take off the same weekend. I’ll be at the Can-Am volunteering instead of the Beargrease, trying to keep an eye peeled for all the things. A few of my faves are registered at both the BG and the Can-Am.. so we’ll see how that shakes out, too. I’m looking forward to some excitement in Fort Kent for sure;)
ReplyDeleteyeah I'm not even going to try to follow anything other than Iditarod - did that before when Dallas was over in Norway and I couldn't keep anything straight! haha! Gonna stick to what I know and keep it simple.
Deleteyeah Mitch had a faulty pocket knife that snapped shut on his finger. it was I believe at the first knuckle. they flew him to anchorage and they reattached the finger but it never got to working well enough for him so he had it taken off a year or so later. Now he just modifies his gloves so you'll see a shorter digit on his left hand but it doesn't seem to bother him.
Martin Buser cut the tip of his finger off with the meat saw a few days before Iditarod one year. He still ran it, just all bandaged up. It was wild.
Lance Mackey also had fingers that were amputated partially.
Mushers are a different breed.
I am following from Adelaide South Australia where it is a bit warmer than were you are from. We met Keaton Loebrich when we visited Alaska a few years back. He was our tour host on a trip from Fairbanks to the Artic Circle & back on a day trip. He swapped stories about his ambition to race his dogs & we shared our tales of the Aussie way of life. We were fascinated by his drive to compete & have been interested since & follow his & Erica's journey. Good luck mate safe travels.🦘
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I hear a lot of good things about Keaton!
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