Dallas Seavey first into Rainy Pass

 After allowing Burmeister and Sass pass him on the way to Rohn, Dallas blew through the checkpoint earlier this afternoon after stopping just long enough to check in and grab gear and go. The climb ahead was anyone's guess how things would go, and it's no doubt Dallas had every intention of just going with it and not think too much. His team looked strong coming into the checkpoint and charged down the trail at a strong trot after a brief moment of confusion when Lead Dog North tried to take a different path. 

When coming into the checkpoint his team came in hot. They were strong, still tugging fully on the line. The musher announced he was staying for "a little bit" and asked where to park his team. He's learned that due to the Rainy Pass Lodge ponies stealing hay from the haybale area he would have to wait until someone opened the electric fence. "Wow, all sorts of new obstacles (challenges?) for mushers!" 

When Dallas was asked by Bruce Lee of Iditarod Insider how the climb was Dallas answered with a chuckle, "Steep." He also said his feet were frozen due to there being "a little bit of overflow out there."

Dallas managed to make the run into the checkpoint only about a half hour slower than when he was on the outbound trail. Considering it was a rough climb for most of it, it's impressive that he managed to only slow slightly.

It also looks like Burmeister is doing well with the trail, and should keep in step with Dallas's time at the very least (he ran the Rainy to Rohn trail much faster than Dallas). 

Brent Sass has also started the chase. Should be an exciting night and early morning. 

Time to get that last nap in, folks... we aren't sleeping much from here until the finish tomorrow, whenever it is.

Aaron Burmeister leading into Rohn

 Aaron Burmeister passed Dallas Seavey from where he was camping on the trail around 1:45pm today. Seavey did not give chase as some speculated he would, and allowed Brent Sass and Ryan Redington to pass by before he, too, pulled the snowhook. It's now 3:35 and it looks as those Seavey has already passed Ryan Redington.

With his rest on the trail Seavey still has the advantage over Sass and Burmeister - and it's assumed the both of them will rest in Rohn. Dallas should slingshot out ahead of them as he chose to rest closer to the checkpoint and he'll be the first to head UP the gorge.

I've gotten a few questions in the last day if this trail has ever been done in reverse in Iditarod history. As far as racing, absolutely not - this is the first time. However, race fans may remember that Jeremy Keller chose to scratch after the first breaking news of Covid shutting the world down hit last year. Keller wanted to get home to his family before everything went crazy (he had a sixth sense it, if you think about it). So he chose to run the trail with the dogs backwards instead of waiting for transport off the trail which we know can take a few days. So it's been done, and been done recently. It's not easy, but it's doable.

Dallas said in a pre-race video up on his youtube channel that he does not enjoy this part of the trail they are on now (other than Hal Hanson I haven't heard one musher say they enjoy it... rookies). It doesn't mean Dallas will struggle, but it's anyone's guess how any of this will play out. We are looking at him hitting the gorge as the day begins to cool down and the sun starts to sink lower. I would guess he SHOULD be through the "worst" of it before dark, but it doesn't matter much now because I don't expect a team to really stop when in the gorge.

Dallas is currently 2 miles behind Sass who is 7-8 miles behind Burmeister. 

This is going to be a fun night. 

It's a three way race

Fans followed through the night (I passed out around midnight. I'm too old for this, man! lol), others woke up to the early morning news to see that Aaron Burmeister and Brent Sass had caught and passed Dallas Seavey in Nikolai. The race leader to that point made the decision to rest a few hours in the checkpoint before continuing down the trail. In a pre-race recorded video on his youtube channel that dropped today, Dallas explained his strategy for this part of the race. Essentially, Dallas is planning to break up the run to Rainy Pass with just a quick pass through Rohn (cuz, you know, checkpoints). In his video he expected that most teams would do the same. So far he's right.

While Burmeister and Sass left Dallas in Nikolai they both chose to stop just a few miles out to camp. Dallas overtook them and now has about a 17 mile lead (if we can trust the trackers). While Sass is technically still right there with Seavey and Burmeister, he has allowed Ryan Redington to get with him. It's honestly surprising to see Ryan keep up as his dogs just seem not as peppy. It could be more than Brent is still healing from a broken collar bone suffered about 7 weeks ago. This section of trail is painful in the best of health, and it could be that this is where we leave Sass to the chase pack. It will really depend on just how healthy Brent is and if there's any significant pain going on.

This is also a section of trail that the trackers aren't always pinging so it'll be up to Iditarod checkers to get the info to the comms quickly so we can know just how teh teams look against each other.

The chase pack has a few familiar faces we haven't seen in a while (Joar has made a move and it looks like Diehl is also trying to make a play). Pete Kaiser pulled back last night and has now reportedly decided to scratch in the best interest of his team. His team posted earlier today that his dogs were feeling under the weather, so his decision truly was in the best interest of the team. The 2019 Iditarod Champion really is one of the best.

Don't expect to do much else but watch the trackers for the next 24-36 hours. This race is going to be nailbiting for those wanting any number of outcomes... and pretty soon we'll see just how the Gorge factors in to all of this (will they all wish for "the Blowhole" on the coast).

Seven teams headed for Nikolai

Dallas may have a strong lead ahead of the chase pack, but he can't rest easy yet. With 250+ miles left in his race there's still enough time for one mistake to cost him the race. Behind him are some decent looking teams, some of which have admitted to holding back until the final third to be able to have the power and energy to run down the leader - whoever it is.

We're already seeing some who were in the front falter. Petit and Buser were the first two to be overtaken in the first few days of the race, and now it seens Ryan Redington's team is fading. While he did give his team 5 hours of rest in McGrath the dogs seemed a tad reluctant to stop napping and start running. By the time they headed down the trail, though, they perked up. But as of about 10:40pm Aaron Burmeister, who left 39 minutes after Ryan, had overtaken the team dressed in lime green. This could be the first of many passings Redington will endure in the next two days.

Sass is running in fourth at the moment and of the teams chasing has the strongest looking team to the minds of many analysts (why are they counting out Burmeister?). His team does look really good, and it seems he's learned a thing or two about team management. They looked good coming into McGrath and leaving.

Wade Marrs left McGrath an hour after Brent and it doesn't look like he's gaining anything on the Yukon Quest champion. And just a short while ago Travis Beals and Mille Porsild left McGrath just minutes apart. Mille is posting some of the fastest times against all of the front runners and she's really made it clear she wants to be not just top lady but top dog. 

Dallas is about 12 miles away from Nikolai. It'll be interesting to see what he does in that checkpoint. Will he drop his trailer? Will he stay long in the checkpoint?  

And will anyone really push to challenge the four-time champion?

2021 Iditarod Top Ten

The 2021 race will be one like no other when it comes to Iditarod. For the first time since the 1967 inaugural run, the race will not go to Nome. Unlike the '67 experiment, teams are still running well over 800 miles. Like that race, it will have few "modern conveniences" and a whole lot of camping. The '67 run was not the Iditarod Sled Dog Race we know today, but it did give Joe Redington Sr enough proof (for him) that a race like the one we know today was possible. 

2020 seems like a year of impossible. The world shut down while facing the global pandemic. The US dealt with a tumultuous political season. 2021 seems to be the sequel as the world deals with the fallout. The drama of the global pandemic started in earnest while teams ran to Nome last March, the world vastly different for the mushers coming off the trail than when they started their journey. That continues with a race unfamiliar to them all, with "bubbles" and mitigation plans. 

Even with the changes, 47 teams are set to leave Sunday, March 7, from Deshka Landing in Willow, Alaska. With the Covid-19 pandemic still in full swing the race opted not to hold the traditional Ceremonial Start in Anchorage (a first. Even in no snow years they managed to run teams through the city.) So the "restart" is now THE start. The race has asked spectators stay away to protect the integrity of "the bubble" to keep risk of infecting communities off the road system to a minimum. 

The big news is who isn't running the race: 4-time Champ Jeff King is choosing to create a new qualifying race to take place during the big one called the Ididn'trod, 4-time Lance Mackey is working on recovery and sobriety while also grieving the loss of his partner and mother of his two children, and 3-time Champ Mitch Seavey announced during last year's race that he wouldn't run in 2021 (but it's not retirement). 

Even with some "big names" missing from the roster, the race has a strong list of contenders for the top spot (and the top 10). Let's take a quick look at who has the best chance to take top billing.

Aaron Burmeister - Aaron's had a good last few seasons of racing. His teams have looked strong in this year's mid-distance races. As a long time contender in the Iditarod, it'd be wrong not to put him on the list. Aaron came in 5th last year, and while the teams aren't running to his beloved home town of Nome, he's very familiar with the Iditarod trail and this "gold-trail loop" shouldn't throw him off his groove. With this year being one of new strategy it's anyone's guess what any team will do, but don't expect Aaron to shoot out of the gate, he's one of those that use the tried and true method of "building the monster". Aaron will run with Bib Number 36. You can find him online via Facebook and his Iditarod Bio. 

Aliy Zirkle - Oh, Aliy. The 50 year old Queen of Dog Mushing announced earlier this year that the 2021 Iditarod will be her final one. Fans of the sport and of the musher have been in a state of mourning ever since (as if 2020/21 haven't taken enough from us?!). Aliy has spent 20+ years of her life working hard to WIN this race. The 2000 Yukon Quest Champion has come oh so close several times (often coming second to one of those pesky Seaveys). While this may be her "swan song" do not expect another 18th place finish like last year. She's got one last shot at taking this title and Aliy is still VERY hungry for that win. While we don't want to lose her to retirement, we do wish her one heck of a final ride. No matter what happens in this race, Aliy is champion in the hearts and minds of many and will go down as one of the Iditarod Legends. Aliy will run with Bib Number 32. You can find her online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and her Iditarod Bio.

Brent Sass - The three-time Yukon Quest champion managed a 4th place finish in last year's Iditarod after taking time off from the race to refocus. Sass had to take time off this season and not run the races he signed up for due to injury as well as some "things needing attention at home." Brent has the goods to take the tile, but with injury and other setbacks it's unknown what sort of shape his dogs are in (he has maintained that that dogs are ready to go and he's been the weak link this year). Still, Sass has been vocal in saying Iditarod is the focus this year (he did not run the Summit Quest for this reason). Brent will run with Bib Number 21. He can be found online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and his Iditarod Bio. 

Dallas Seavey - The last time we saw Dallas race the Iditarod was 2017. He came in second in that race (behind his dad) in a hard fought race. Then news broke later that year that Dallas' dogs had somehow been given a drug during (or right after finishing) the race and all Hell broke loose. Dallas sat out 2018 in protest and raced in Norway. He liked it so much he went back in 2019. Dallas's personal life also took a detour and so 2020 he once again sat on the sidelines. With his dad, Mitch, announcing that he was sitting 2021 out, that became the perfect time for Dallas to "borrow" some of his dad's best dogs to combine with his best to create a "Super-team". There's no doubt that Dallas will be one of the front runners (Mitch came in 2nd with many of the dogs on Dallas's team). Expect Dallas to play the patience game to its fullest. Dallas will run with Bib Number 23. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and his Iditarod Bio.

Jessie Royer - Jessie nearly had it last year, she owned the first half of the race and many felt she just let up on the brake a hair too soon. Jessie takes every year as a learning year and improves upon the experience. She's unflappable, having caught her sled on fire last year and just laughed it off when retelling it to the media - even while showing off the singed parts of her sled. Often overshadowed by Zirkle, Royer has quietly climbed to "third in the World" (...or...well... Iditarod). Expect her to ride that momentum this year. The real test will be if her team can do two rounds of the Alaska range. Jessie will run with Bib Number 24. You can find her online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and her Iditarod Bio.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - The newlywed 2018 Iditarod Champion managed a 6th place finish in 2020 and should sit well for another top 10 finish in this year's race. In fact, Joar has never placed lower than 7th since entering the world of Iditarod in 2013. From a Fantasy Mushing standpoint, he's an anchor type musher to choose. He's yet to have a scratch or have an actual loss to his name. Joar's team should be well prepared for the mountains times two trail this year. It will be interesting to see what sort of strategy he brings to this year's race. Joar will be running with Bib Number 41. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and his Iditarod Bio.

Nicolas Petit - To be honest I almost left Nic off the top ten. Petit has had a rough go of the Iditarod of late with scratches the last two years. When not scratching, however, he manages top ten finishes. Petit likes to start fast and hope to end fast, and often times he does. He is king of the mid-distance races with many wins under his belt, but he's not able to take that to the thousand miler. However, with this year cutting the mileage to around the mile marker where Petit's team has shown to have problems in a normal year, this could be Petit's best chance yet. Do not expect Nic to race the Iditarod any different to any other race he's run in the past. His team is built for speed. Nic will run with Bib Number 10 (in his 10th Iditarod, his team feels that's significant). You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Twitter, and his Iditarod Bio.

Paige Drobny - The Squid Acres musher finished 7th in both the 2019 and 2020 Iditarods. Paige has done well in mid-distance races and, like Jessie Royer, has had a steady climb in the ranks. I didn't add her to my top 10 last year (I did give her an honorable mention, though!) and that was a mistake. I expect her to have another solid run, and would not be surprised if she places higher than last year. Paige will be running with Bib Number 42. You can find her online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and her Iditarod Bio.

Peter Kaiser - The 2019 Iditarod Champion had a rough race last year coming in 14th, but they said defending your title is always difficult. Kaiser came in second at the Kusko this year, coming in after his best friend and competitor Richie Diehl. Pete is well liked by fans, and no doubt deserves to be in the top ten. With having dogs from the West Coast of Alaska, it will be interesting to see how they handle a trail that's mainly in South Central and mid-Yukon River. Temps are typically warmer (and less windy) for much of the portion of trail teams will run on this year, the Sea Ice section of the traditional trail is usually the "true test" of endurance for the teams. With no race to the coast it's anyone's guess how teams will shake out. Don't count Pete out. He's really come into his own with his training program and I expect him to play a key part in this year's race. Pete will be running with Bib Number 3. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and his Iditarod Bio.

Richie Diehl - The 2021 Kuskokwim Champion beat out a very competitive field that hosted many top Iditarod teams this past month. Diehl also hails from the West Coast of Alaska and is best friends with Pete Kaiser. In interviews after the Kusko both Kaiser and Diehl admitted that they trade information/ideas/advice with each other. Their dogs are linked in their breeding programs. While each kennel is definitely their own beast, the friendly competition between friends has only helped both teams become tops in their field. Richie scratched from last year's Iditarod, but that just could spur his team on to fight for redemption. Richie will be running with Bib Number 6. You can find him online via Facebook and his Iditarod Bio.

The field is tight, and so - while I do call this a top 10 - I have a few "honorable mentions" again this year. I found every time I tried to pare down my list to ten I ended up adding another name instead of subtracting one. Honestly I think the race continues to get more competitive each year in ways I don't remember it being when I was growing up. This is a DEEP field filled with a lot of "young" mushers. More women are at the top of their game. It's an exciting time in sled dog racing. 

Matt Hall - The 2017 Yukon Quest Champion took last year off from the Iditarod as a rebuilding year with his team. Feeling his team was full of too many inexperienced pups, he took a year to just give them a fun stress free season to get some miles under them. Hall finished 6th in 2019 in just his second Iditarod. 2021 will be his third Iditarod. He could be a major dark horse and spoiler in this year's race. Matt will be running with Bib Number 17. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and his Iditarod Bio.

Matthew Failor - Failor was one of three teams that got caught in crazy overflow on the coast of the Iditarod trail last year forcing him to scratch after his sled got stuck and they couldn't get it unstuck (dogs were fine). The 2019 Kusko champion is a solid top 20 finisher in Iditarod, but it won't be long before he cracks the top 10. Matthew will be running with Bib Number 29. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and his Iditarod Bio.

Michelle Phillips - Michelle was another team last year that fell out of the top 10 after many predicted she could break top 5. Phillips has been MIA with most of the mid-distance races this year, and it was uncertain she would even keep her name on the roster for Iditarod considering the issues with traveling from Canada to Alaska, but as of February 26 she was still on the roster and received a Bib Number. With her experience on the Quest for years she should have no problem scaling mountains during this year's "gold-trail loop". She could be a spoiler for the top 10 easily. Michelle will run with Bib Number 26. You can find her online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, and her Iditarod Bio.

Mille Porsild - The 2020 Rookie of the Year is the true dark horse of the 2021 race. Mille is a highly skilled and experienced musher and her 15th place finish in her rookie year in an extremely difficult race. While many fans only knew her as the PR person for Joar's social media - taking amazing photos and weaving beautiful stories filled with mushing history - Mille was a well established musher in her own right and it's wonderful to see her make her mark on the Last Great Race. Mille will be running with Bib Number 28. You can find her online via Website, Facebook, and her Iditarod Bio.

Ramey Smyth - Ramey comes from a mushing family, with his parents being members of the "Iditarod Trailbreakers" being firsts in the race. His father Bud ran in the first Iditarod and his mother Lolly was one of the first women to run in the 2nd Iditarod. Ramey is known for his fast speeds in the final leg of the race. He can really move up in the standings and is always a threat for a top placement. Ramey will be running with Bib Number 9. You can find him online via Facebook and his Iditarod Bio.

Travis Beals - Travis was 10th in last year's Iditarod and seems to be on an upswing. Beals took it easy this season with few races on his schedule, so it's hard to know just how his team is going to be, but don't count them out. Travis and team are a solid bet to do well in the Last Great Race. The long time musher knows what he needs to do to stay in the running, and continues to improve. Travis will be running with Bib Number 33. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and his Iditarod Bio.

Wade Marrs - New dad Wade Marrs is another musher who is always *right there* on the cusp of the top 10. Marrs and team came in 12th last year, so it's possible that he could crack the top ten this go around. It will come down to how well he can adapt and be prepared for a race that loops back around to where they've been instead of heading towards Nome. Like all of the other teams, he's no doubt thought long and hard about the new challenges a race like this year's Iditarod will be. Keep an eye on him. Wade will run with Bib Number 25. You can find him online via Website, Facebook, Instagram (look for his super huge puppy STITCH), and his Iditarod Bio.

This year's race is shaping up to be all sorts of dramatic and interesting. With champions returning, other champions missing, and the Champion of Hearts retiring after one last go I personally expect to be very emotional throughout this race. It's another one for the history books.

Who are you cheering for in this year's race? Who do you think will win it all? Thoughts? Comment below!

2021 Copper Basin 300 Preview

Happy New Year race fans! With the crazy end to the race season last year (it seems like a life-time ago since the final team ran under the burled arch in Nome ending the 48th running of the Iditarod) the mushing world has held its breath for 2021 and whether or not a season would happen. Well, here we are. It's the first full week of January and the Copper Basin 300 is in sight! 

A quick glance at the forecast for Glennallen for race start is a balmy 20 degrees above zero. That's an 80 degree difference from the frigid temps of last year's race (which saw many of the top names in mushing decide to withdraw halfway through). What a difference a year makes. The weather sounds like an ideal situation for teams running a mid-distance race to start their season (other smaller races have gone on, but this is the first *big* one). 

While most of dog mushing is naturally socially distant, races add in checkpoints with Veterinarians, Race Officials and Volunteers, and the spectators. As such all races have publicized their goals to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 spreading into these often time extremely rural areas. The Copper Basin has their plan posted on their website. This year there will be no meet and greet, banquet, and they are asking spectators to stay away. All participants will wear masks to the bib draw and musher meeting, and awards will be given at the finish line. There's even suggestion that mushers will be asked to sleep in their dog trucks in the checkpoints (thank God for a race completely on the road system, eh?)  

There are 32 names on the roster as of January 3, but as we know with many of these smaller races we won't know the actual number and names until the Bib Draw, however we can take a look at the roster and guess who we will see as front runners (should they show up).

Brent Sass - The three-time and reigning Yukon Quest Champion has proven in the last two seasons that he didn't lose any momentum during his break from long-distance competitive mushing when he took a break three years ago. Don't expect Sass to sit back and let other teams dominate the Copper Basin. While his ultimate goal is most likely Iditarod, with no Yukon Quest this will be a very good test for his team to get into champion form. 

Jeff Deeter - Last year Jeff played handler for wife and kennel partner, KattiJo. This year he'll join her out on the trail with a team one can only imagine is working towards being his A-team for the Iditarod. Deeter is a solid top-20 Iditarod team, and can cause some "damage" to the top contenders standings in any race. 

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - The 2018 Iditarod Champion and QrillPet team member is technically a rookie for the Copper Basin 300. He started the race in 2012 but that race was called during the race when the weather became too treacherous for the teams to continue safely. According to Ulsom's website, Joar plans to compete with a team of young dogs with "just a few veterans", but don't count the team out of being close to the front.

Matt Hall - Matt took last season off as a rebuilding year. With young dogs he wanted to keep stress levels down and fun at an all time high, but now with a few more training miles under their legs, Matt and team are ready. Hall and team won the 2017 Yukon Quest, and this year we'll see if he's lost any momentum taking an easier schedule last year.

Nicolas Petit - The three-time and reigning Copper Basin Champion looks to keep the tradition alive and is no doubt going for four. Team Petit is known for it's fast, "balls to the wall", style of racing that works very well for mid-distance racing. Nic often says he allows his dogs to set the pace and that he knows that they are capable of keeping high speeds even when he tries to slow them. Weather doesn't seem to factor into their racing, either. Whether 20 above or 60 below, his dogs deliver. Look to see him taking an early command of the race and holding on.

Travis Beals - The team from Seward will no doubt be happy to see temps above freezing, though they seem to do well in most any winter conditions. Beals is another member of that next generation of mushers who has steadily climbed the ranks and now is consistently in the top 20 (the last three years Beals has been top 10). The Turning Heads Kennel operator has turned heads for some time now, and no doubt heads turn back to look whenever he's on their heels.

How to Follow
Due to Covid, races are having to cut back on a number of amenities to make sure that they keep the threat to a minimum. It's unknown if that means less coverage on social media by volunteers working social media. The Copper Basin is a crap shoot for coverage anyway as they are in areas where cell service is unreliable at best and in many cases non-existent. All that to say, listed below are your best way to follow the race in as close to "real time" as possible. And make sure to give those that are covering the race on the ground some love, they deserve it when often all they get are the frustrations when things go sideways. So here's a pre-event THANK YOU to the media crew of Copper Basin 300!

GPS Tracker
According to their website, trackers WILL be available. If the weather report is to be believed we may see less glitches than in previous races just because they don't freeze, but there are still "dead zones". Just keep hitting refresh and eventually those trackers will move again. You can follow the trackers here, the actual program will be available "soon", but so far it does not show up on the trackleaders website (as of January 4). The best way to make a mushing fan happy is make GPS tracking available, and as of this afternoon the trackers are live... well as live as they can be without actually having the race going yet. You can follow the trackers for the 2021 race here.

Radio Broadcast
KCAM Radio will broadcast the start beginning with musher interviews at 9:30am. If you're in the area you can listen to the broadcast on AM 790, or online through this link.

Social Media
Updates will most likely be posted on the race's facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. There may even be live video feeds, but there's been no promise (though Team Petit's Katie Lloyd promises footage over on twitter). If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #CB300.

KCAM normally posts updates throughout the weekend on the race on facebook as well. 

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 8
9am-4pm Registration
10am-4pm Vet Checks
**There will be no Meet and Greet this year due to Covid protocols**
6pm Handler & Musher Meetings (Bib Draw?)

Saturday, January 11
10am - Race Start

Will you be watching? Who are you hoping takes the win? Comment below with your thoughts!

*Edited to add the link to the trackleaders page.
**Edited to strike out Brent Sass in the preview. Brent took to facebook on Thursday night to announce he had to withdraw from the Copper Basin 300 to take care of things closer to home. He has his eyes on March (for Iditarod, presumably). 

***Edited to strike out Travis Beals as his name no longer appears on the official roster.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 28)

Where did September go?! We're in the last couple of days of the month and then we'll be in full on Halloween mode! Termination dust has been reported on the mountains of South Central Alaska, which means we're only weeks away from the first real snow of the season. How is this even possible?! Time for the clock to slow down a smidge! Before we know it the racing season will be underway... okay, well, we still have about 3 months before we need to worry about that...

The Yukon Quest and Iditarod saw their rosters grow by one name (each) this week. Iditarod has until December to finalize their roster and numbers. They are still well below their average, whereas the Yukon Quest is looking at a stable number that is slowly climbing and it could be one of their largest rosters ever.

Veteran Nathaniel Hamlyn from Step Up Kennels has thrown his name in the ring today! He brings the 1,000-mile roster up to 26 mushers. Full bio: https://t.co/DV9yTs1DqY #YQ2019 pic.twitter.com/4qQOesUx2Y

— Yukon Quest (@theyukonquest) September 26, 2018

Ryan Redington shared a photo of a recent training run.


Apparently, Denmark has a new law that directly affects the mushing community in that country. I am still looking into it, but considering most of what I've found is not in English, it's hard to figure out just what the law is. It sounds like they are blocking teams from running near any "established road" but it's loosely worded so that basically anywhere is considered "near a road". It makes training and races nearly impossible - or so some of their mushers are saying.



Brent Sass also shared a photo of a recent training run, and it looks magical.


New England fans have a chance to bring their pups out to an event next weekend to learn about pulling/mushing sports and have a chance to listen to a few Iditarod veterans give talks. The New England Sled Dog Trade and Seminars event spans the course of two days and is a way to keep sled dogs active as well as educate others on the sports and the different ways you can be active with your pup. Your dog(s) does not have to be a husky to be welcome to participate, just has to have an inclination to pull. Guest Speakers are Justin and Jaime High, and Bruce Magnusson.



Pretty slow news week. There are a lot of training posts as well as the "please sponsor us" posts on social media. There were also a lot of dryland mushing events held last weekend around Alaska (and probably elsewhere).

Mushing News Round Up (Aug 10)

It was a roller coaster week of weather for South Central Alaska - have to admit the talk of a warm winter again this year makes me nervous for the Alaska Mushing season... we still have several months until the first traditional snow fall, but training is right around the corner, so long as the weather behaves. As of last weekend Alaska's two biggest sled dog races are now open for entries.


The Yukon Quest saw a fantastic turn out for their first day of sign ups on Saturday. 40 teams in all split between the 1,000 and 300 mile races signed up, and as of today two more rookies signed up - one for each race. Both are women. This may mark a turning point in the sport of mushing. The Quest has been in an unofficial competition with Iditarod to be proclaimed the best race in Alaska. With all of the Iditarod upheaval, and the subsequent response by many of the top racing kennels, this just may boost the Quest as the premiere sled dog event for Alaska. The Iditarod still sits with a roster of 30 teams.

After taking last season off from racing, Brent Sass was on hand at Quest sign ups to get back into the swing of things. Sass is a past champion of the Quest, and was thought to be part of the crop of younger up and coming mushers that would dominate the sport. He's had a few bumps along the way, and decided 2017-18 was going to be the season that he took off to regroup.

The Quest changes start and finish every year, they rotate the direction of the race every other year. 2019's Quest begins in Whitehorse and finishes in Fairbanks. Fairbanks based mushers are excited to be racing towards home.

Before sign ups, Mary Helwig posted how her morning was going. Retired sled dogs still keep kennel life interesting.

Cody Strathe posted about his(?) new glasses... in the cutest way imaginable.

And puppy pictures just keep coming, this one from Caribou Crossing Kennel.

Plans seem to be moving forward for the proposed "Mushing District" in downtown Anchorage. Famed Alaskan artist and musher Jon Van Zyle posted on his facebook page that he has been asked to contribute to the project, and he seems very excited. Honestly, I think I'm starting to really like the idea as well. It will be interesting to see what happens.

And more puppy pictures came from Jeff Deeter! Puppies, puppies, puppies! Is it any wonder we love mushers and their sled dogs?! SO MANY PUPPIES!

And for another dose of a different kind of cute, Iditarod's 2019 Teacher on the Trail was featured in the Boston Globe (he's a local boy) for his work with the race. The middle school teacher, you may recall, made quite the splash among fans and teachers alike for being tall and very handsome. I'm just sharing the news, y'all.

And while I'm trying very hard to stay out of politics these days, former Iditarod musher Steve Watkins (also a war hero, and Everest climber, and yadda yadda yadda) is running for congress and just won his state's GOP primary by a narrow margin. I've been somewhat following his campaign, and so it's neat to see him come out on top - whether or not we agree politically.

Did I miss anything? Comment below with your thoughts/news that I maybe skipped over. I had a busy week so I no doubt missed a few things.

Forty mushers sign up for the Yukon Quest events

As predicted by insiders, the Yukon Quest rosters are healthy ones. 22 teams, including seven rookies, signed up on the first day for the 1,000 mile race. 18 teams, half of them rookies, signed up for the 300 mile mid-distance race. Familiar faces in both. Names like Aliy Zirkle and Hans Gatt are among the top names in the YQ 300. Over on the thousand miler side, Allen Moore looks to go for another title, and Brent Sass has returned to racing choosing the race he's previously won.

Not on the list, of course, is Hugh Neff. Neff has been suspended from racing either Quest race this year due to the findings of the necropsy of a dog that died on his team this year in the race. Hugh appealed the decision, but it was upheld in June. Neff must sit out this year's race, and must run the 300 to re-qualify for the 1,000 mile Quest. His dogs will run in 2019, however, as his wife Olivia has signed up for the 1,000 mile race. Olivia's grandfather helped create the Yukon Quest, and she has worked hard to be able to run her "family's race". (She is shown as Olivia Webster on her roster as that is her maiden name - per FBNMQuest on Twitter - and that is what is on her passport used to cross the Al-Can border. Who knew?!)

Considering the dismal number of sign ups currently on the Iditarod roster, one can't help but wonder if those names on the Quest's list that haven't signed up for Iditarod are in silent protest over the past year's drama. While some mushers like Quest and Iditarod veteran Rob Cooke have been vocal about not planning on running both races (he lives in Whitehorse and prefers the Quest), others have not given a reason for why their name does not appear on both like in year's past. That being said some are signed up for both. Aliy Zirkle and Matt Hall the most notable to date. The Iditarod sign up window does not close until December, time will tell if their roster of 30 grows any larger.

Mushers have until January 4, 2019 to sign up for the 2019 Yukon Quest races.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 6)

The mushing news round ups were popular last year, so I'm going to do my best to do this again. Starting much earlier this year as last year. Some mushers have already given some great tidbits into their summer and future racing plans, so let's get a run down of some of the top stories of the week.

Brent Sass broke radio silence this week to announce his return to competitive mushing. Announcing his plans to sign up for the 2019 Yukon Quest on his website, Sass said the break during the 2018 season was just what he and his team needed. Sass had a rough couple of race years with a disqualification in the 2015 Iditarod after he used a piece of technology that in that race year was a banned tool (two way communication technology is now allowed). Sass again had trouble in 2016 when he pushed his dogs a little too hard in his attempt to win the Last Great Race, his team stalled in White Mountain. Sass went on to come in 20th. In 2017 Sass scratched from the Yukon Quest just 150 miles from the finish when two of his dogs collapsed, reportedly without warning. Sass believed it was due to a genetic issue within his team's bloodlines. He withdrew from Iditarod and seemingly disappeared from the racing scene. It will be interesting to see if the Quest Champion will be able to rebound from his unlucky streak.

Matt Failor announced on his team's facebook page that he would have a second string of dogs running in Iditarod under the careful guide of Michael Baker. Baker first ran the Iditarod in 2017, and is returning to run again. This brings the roster of Iditarod mushers up to 29 for the 2019 race. Baker placed 58th in his Iditarod rookie run.

Paul Gebhardt is still recovering from his battle with cancer - and all news has been positive on that front. Gebhardt was diagnosed less than a year ago, missed the racing season, and let most of his team be leased to other mushers - specifically Ray Redington. Gebhardt underwent Stem Cell treatment in early spring, and is now back on the Kenai Peninsula working at the kennel and at his construction business. On July 4th his kennel posted a quick update on their facebook page.


Speaking of the Fourth of July, the annual Mt Marathon race in Seward, Alaska saw several mushers (current and former) hit the trail. Dallas Seavey, Travis Beals, Conway Seavey all ran the course, as well as Tekla Seavey - who, okay, isn't a musher but she married into mushing "royalty"... and she beat Dallas and Conway's times so... I had to rub it in. Girl power!


Jeff Deeter gave a look into life off grid last week (and since I didn't do a news round up last week, I'm going to share this one here). Deeter was one of two mushers who won their entry fee back at the Iditarod sign ups last Saturday, so I'm sure it will go to good use around the kennel in other ways.



The Yukon Quest is gearing up for their musher sign ups. The kick off is August 4th on both sides of the border. Check out their facebook page and website for full details.

Blair Braverman, who last week signed up for her rookie run on the Iditarod, shares a lot of great glimpses into kennel life on twitter, and one of the most heartwarming was most definitely her "bedtime story for sled dog pups" that she gave July 5. Be sure to click the link and follow the thread. You won't regret it.

Once upon a time, I told them, there were some very good puppies. They had a grandfather named Hari, and Hari was magic. pic.twitter.com/n72bAnjKMq

— Blair Braverman (@BlairBraverman) July 6, 2018

Seavey Squared battling for Nome.

In what is becoming somewhat of an Iditarod tradition, Dallas Seavey led the charge out of Elim on his way to White Mountain. He didn't stay long in Elim, just grabbed his stuff and went. Brent Sass and Mitch Seavey also spent just a few minutes in Elim grabbing/dumping gear before chasing after Dallas. Just a few miles separated each team, though Dallas widened his lead going through the hills. Dallas is a very athletic musher treating himself as the 17th team member rather than his dad's philosophy of being the coach. Mitch was predictably slower in that same area - he's "older" so he just can't keep up with the 29 year old. Brent's team slowed considerably in the run to White Mountain and gave Dallas nearly 2 hours.

So here we are - all three rested their 8 and were granted their leave. Dallas had just under a 40 minute lead on his dad. Now the two are 5 to 6 miles apart. That's a lot of distance to make up, but Mitch has traveled faster than Dallas at every portion of the race. Not by a whole lot, but by a good amount. It looks like Mitch has gained at least 2 miles on the kid, and that's through the hilly parts. Dallas knows he has a competitor in his dad. He will be looking over his shoulder and pushing his team all the way to Nome. That's a 77 mile run, and we just saw Brent Sass' team quit on him.

That's right, Brent Sass is still in White Mountain, he got them up after their 8 hour rest and couldn't motivate them to really go anywhere. Even after dropping 3 dogs to hopefully just use the ones that were a little more awake, he just didn't get the momentum needed. Sebastian Schnuelle reports that after a talk with Race Judge (and former Iditarod racer) Karen Ramstead, Sass has decided to give his dogs another hour or two and see how they feel.

This is not the first time a lead team has quit on their musher. Jeff King has had it happen several times since coming back to the race. Young dogs running long runs, and strong winds coming directly at them for the last two days, have a tendency to get discouraged and tired. Brent is a GREAT dog driver. He just felt he could and needed to push the lead he had on the Yukon and up the coast. He "pushed the throttle" too soon. He knew it coming into Koyuk, but he left out of that checkpoint sooner than he wanted because Dallas and Mitch left.

Still, this is what Brent wanted 2 years ago, to be up against the Seavey's and he very nearly beat them. He's tasted it, he's probably already working on what to improve on and do differently. He's seen how Dallas unleashed his monster over the last two days. He's seen what a dog team can do even with an older musher on the back. If he can create a hybrid of the two, he could very well take it all.

Sure, this isn't the perfect race - Jeff King and Aliy Zirkle should have been in the mix. Jeff was on the right trajectory especially to go for his 5th win. But that does not diminish what Seavey Squared or Brent Sass were able to do in the last 48 hours.


Idita-mathematicians smarter than I am have suggested anywhere from 3-4am (Alaska Time) for the winner to cross under the burled arch. I will be waking at 2:30am to check on the trackers. I drank a Dr. Pepper this morning. I am not drinking any tonight. I need to be able to sleep some as I work tomorrow. This work thing is cramping my Iditarod viewing, as you can tell by the lack of posts I've made on my blog this year. Ugh.

So I'll see you possibly at 2:30... or 3... or 3:30... or 4...

Iditarod 44: My Top 10

We are at 11 days until the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 44 kicks off in Anchorage, Alaska. Of course, looking out the window of South Central Alaska would suggest we're well past Iditarod time - what with the lack of snow and the rain... but it's still THAT time of year. The time where I try to guess the top teams in Iditarod with lack of races, training on snow, and well... just lack of participation by some of the top names in the sport. 

 But, I have to keep with tradition, and I didn't do TOO terribly last year. So here are my top 10 in ALPHABETICAL order. Yes, I'm trying to seem organized this year. We'll see how long that lasts.

Aliy Zirkle - She had a dip in the standings last year, but I don't expect her to have the same issue this year. Allen Moore came in third with their main team of dogs in the Yukon Quest, and this strategy has worked well for them these last few years with Aliy narrowly losing the top prize in Iditarod (each time to a Seavey, keep in mind). Aliy is a savvy dog driver who is anxious to snag the win, but also knows how to get the most of her dogs. The real "weak link" in my mind is her own limitations. Her dogs feed off her "energy", and by the time Aliy gets tired, they seem to. She was tired early in the race last year it seemed. I don't expect that problem this year.

 

Brent Sass - He was on the fast track to a possible first place finish in last year's race, but a lapse in judgement or attention cost him. Brent was using a type of iPod that was not allowed by Iditarod (but is by Yukon Quest). Not thinking that things would be different, Brent did not pay close enough attention to the list of accepted equipment. He was disqualified. It was heart breaking, but Brent took it like a champ. He came in second in this year's Yukon Quest, and it's been a difficult season what with his home and kennel threatened by wild fire last summer, and the sudden loss of Kennel Superstar Basin at the beginning of the race season. Don't count Sass out. He's becoming a force on the trail.
 

Dallas Seavey - Is, once again, the reigning champion. This year he came up with a summer training treadmill that's run out of a large freezer. Keeps the dogs cool even at the height of summer temperatures. It's an interesting study, and could revolutionize how sled dogs are trained - IF it works. It's a big experiment. No one seems to know dogs and their limits like a Seavey, but how they deliver on the Iditarod this season remains to be seen. Of all the former champions in this year's race, Dallas is the most interesting with his latest innovations in dog training. It's like the 80s and early 90s all over again.
 

Hugh Neff - He just won his second Yukon Quest, and it was a long time coming. Hugh is known for his upbeat personality, and the Cat in the Hat... well... hat coming down the trail. He's fun loving, and sees the races more as just an adventure that may or may not end in a win. He doesn't do as well with the Iditarod as he does with the Quest, and he's been very opinionated as to which organization is better (that'd be The Quest), but he's on the upswing after his well run race. You'd be hard pressed not to put him on your list, but I'd consider him a dark horse. He could take his first title, or he could implode. But either way it'll be a heck of a ride.
 

Jeff King - He's a four time champion still looking to be the first to tie Rick Swenson's record five wins. Jeff took a brief hiatus from mushing to travel and do other things, and then came back to the sport. He's had a rough come back - teams stalling, big storm that led to another stall out when he was *this close* to his 5th win. All of which hasn't seemed to rattle the veteran musher. Once deemed the "winningest musher" (though I think that may have been self-awarded), Jeff is now one of the old dogs trying to keep up with the new tricks. But he's still more than capable of taking the top prize. It all depends on the dogs.





 

Jessie Royer - Jessie had the best run of her career last season when she came in the top 5. She's steadily climbed the ranks, and is poised to take it all. It's exciting to see two top teams being led by women. We haven't really had that in decades, and it only helps promote the sport. Where else can Women kick butt on a level playing field? No handicaps, no segregation of sexes. Nope. It's all about who the best dog driver is - and Jessie is proving herself to be one of the best of the field.


 

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - He came on the scene three years ago with a bang, placing 7th his rookie year. The next year he was top 5. He slid to 6th last year, but Joar has proven he's capable of consistently placing in the top 10 (well, he's never placed OUT of it). I don't know what his secret is, but it would seem insane to count the man out. It will be interesting to see how he places in his fourth run on the Iditarod.
 

Mitch Seavey - Another consistent top 10 finisher and 2 time Champion, Mitch Seavey should easily keep his record this year. While training conditions in and around his home have not been ideal (I live in the area, too, it's sucked), he has put many hours in on other trails. Again, Seavey teams are some of the best trained - and their mushers understand their behavior. A Seavey has won the last four Iditarods (Dallas 3, Mitch 1). I don't expect Mitch to win this year, I won't say that he can't - because I firmly believe he can - but sometimes his strategy gets in the way of gut instinct. Or so it seems. Hopefully none of Team Seavey reads my blog these days. Ha!

 

Pete Kaiser - Pete is a successful West Coast Alaska team, he's won the Kusko the last two years, and while he isn't always in the top 10 that doesn't mean he can't be. He is a solid dog driver, and as long as his team can handle the warmer temps at the beginning of the race, he should find himself in the top 10 or close to it. He's a very outside chance to win it, but this is Iditarod where ANYTHING can happen.

 





Robert Sorlie - Typically I choose one that just doesn't seem to make sense even in my mind. It's SO HARD with so many good teams to choose the top 10 and not leave a few out. However, for some reason I just have to have Robert on this year's list. I don't know if it's gut instinct, or just the fact that he's a two time Iditarod Champion and I have faith he can crack the top 10 again. I don't know. All I know is for some reason I want him in my top 10. Maybe it's so I will remember to get a photo of his face this year and not just his dogs. Maybe it's because my gut knows something my brain doesn't.


A few honorable mentions:

Travis Beals - Travis is a young musher who is determined to climb the ranks and hit the mark. He's strong willed out on the trail, and is smart, too. He trains out of Seward, so he had to travel quite a bit to find good snow and trail for the team this winter. I'd look for him to continue to improve in his rankings. He could crack the top 10 this year, I mean, he was just 1 place shy of doing so last year.

Martin Buser - He's normally in my top 10, but honestly I'm not sure he can keep up with the teams of today like he was able to in decades past. However, I would be remiss to leave him off the list as he will be running what is likely an incredibly emotional race. Buser has been in Seattle for the past month being ever vigilant at his son Nikolai's bedside. Nikolai was in a car accident that very nearly cost him his life. He's going to have a long recovery, though prognosis seems to be very good by all reports. Martin felt he had improved enough, and was out of the woods, so he flew back home today. Rohn Buser has withdrawn from the race to go down and help his mother and brother. 

DeeDee Jonrowe - Another fan favorite who's had a difficult year is DeeDee. She lost EVERYTHING but her dogs and one building in the Willow forest fire this summer. Her mother passed away from her battle with cancer. She's had a pretty traumatic 12 months (less than 12 really), and is still finding her bearings. To add to the stress, due to the recent oil production issues (no thanks to government but that's a rant for a different day) her main sponsor Shell pulled out of Alaska... and pulled their sponsorship of her racing team. Still, she's determined to run the Iditarod and make it to Nome. She's always been a determined woman, so I have no doubt she'll make it. Just probably not top 10 (but what a story if she does!).





So tell me what you think - who would be in your top 10? Give me your list in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Twitter as we get ready for the 44th Iditarod!