Small Roster to start Iditarod 2019 Musher Sign Ups

As always, the rain stayed away during the annual Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation BBQ and Musher Sign Ups. 28 mushers, all but one a rookie, made their intentions known at the Iditarod HQ. Three champions signed up, but at least five were on hand to greet fans and volunteers. Jeff King, Martin Buser, and reigning champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom will run for another championship... while Mitch Seavey held onto his entry waiting to see what the ITC planned to do about the controversial rule changes (specifically the gag rule, and how the "dead dog" rule was worded). 

The lone rookie is Blair Braverman of Wisconsin. If you're active on social media you probably recognize her name - she is the queen of "Musher Twitter" (I just officially crowned her). She and her husband Q flew up to sign up in person today, and while nervous the rookie was all smiles as she handed her paperwork to the ladies at the desk. Braverman plans to head to Alaska after the holidays to get in some training with the dogs. Blair is also an accomplished writer, writing for several publications and she has a best selling book!

I have quite a few pictures to go through, but I got home about an hour ago and I'm exhausted. We'll have more coverage tomorrow. You can always hop over to my twitter to see some of the high lights. I may have gone a little fan girl over Blair... and Mitch... but more photos of other mushers are coming. For now... Stitch the Pug is demanding we sleep.

Iditarod 46: My Top 10

I had so many goals for this season in making sure my blog kept going and had great insights into what we were seeing in the sport - I got massively sidetracked with vacation, work, and the Olympics. Oooo shiny! is my theme so far for this year it seems.

That being said, it IS time for me to make horrible guesses as to who has the best chance to be named champion of the 46th running of the race. I feel like the race should be two weeks out, not less than a week (Thursday is the Musher's banquet). So, this is what it is. I think I did fairly well... 8 of my picks made the top 10 and the who who didn't came in 11th and 12th. Go me! I expect I won't have quite the same success this year, but I'm hopeful that my picks are fairly accurate.

My list is once again alphabetical by first name as I don't want to try and talk percentages in who's most likely to take first.

Aaron Burmeister - Aaron last raced three years ago in 2015. Since then he's been key in some of the rule changes we've seen handed down by the ITC Board. I'll try to stay neutral about all of that, but Burmeister's team has seen action while he's been "retired". Aaron's team has been run in the Iditarod by his brother Noah (is my understanding, comment below if I am wrong). Aaron came in third in his last Iditarod race, and I don't expect him to be too far off the pack this time around either. It will be interesting to see just how he stacks up with this year's roster.

Aliy Zirkle - Her husband Allen Moore just won the Yukon Quest with essentially the team she will take to Nome. This is how they've done things for a while. He runs the A team in the Quest, Aliy runs it in the Iditarod. Zirkle typically runs the YQ300 with the B team that Moore then takes on Iditarod. Zirkle did not run the shorter Quest this year as she was unable to plan a race that would be fast enough for her to then head for Dawson to meet up with Allen and the Red Team. I've said it the last few times, but really, the weak link on this team seems to be Aliy. I hate saying that, but sometimes she gets too in her head and she plays it safe at just the wrong time. I do feel, though, that if the Red team is that much faster than the Black team that she may have a freight train heading to Nome.

Jeff King - The four-time Iditarod Champion is still looking for number five. He's come close in the last decade or so, but after his brief retirement he hasn't been able to make it happen. He's come close, but teams are starting to pass him. Is it age? Well, Mitch Seavey's proven old dogs can still win this thing. Is it strategy? It could be, what won races even 10 years ago doesn't work these days it seems. King was out of the top ten last year, but just barely (he came in eleventh). Whatever placement he gets, however, we're sure to have an entertaining time watching him run his team. I'm not so secretly hoping he can tie Swenson's record.

Jessie Royer - My girl Royer. What can I say? She came fifth last year, a year that saw a lot of women shaking up the racing scene. She's had a fairly good season again this year, and I don't expect that she plans to sit back and relax this year. Jessie's steadily gotten better, and she's a true veteran of this trail. I believe that Jessie should be the top ranked lady musher coming into the race. Yes, I said it. As I said last year: Should she pull off a win, it'd be an upset, but she'd also become the first non-Alaskan woman to win. She's got the goods, she could pull it off.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - I know, I fan girl over his face every year, but seriously. I feel like he is constantly posing when he's on those runners! All jokes aside, Joar is not a joke. He was fourth last year. Fourth. It was a fast race from Fairbanks to Nome in 2017. Joar came in to a roaring crowd in Nome (I missed it, how I don't know, but I did...I blame exhaustion). Joar is one of those "silent teams". He's got the goods, but very rarely does he really make the conversation by the folks "in the know". It's probably how he likes it, he can just sneak in. Maybe he'll sneak in first to Nome?

Mitch Seavey - The THREE-time and defending champion shows no signs of slowing down. Mitch won last year's race in record time with a team he says he could not slow down. They flew into Nome wowing everyone with their endurance and strength. Mitch had never seemed happier with a team, and I hear many of his team from last year were in the running to make this year's team. Seavey spent most of his time further north of his stomping grounds training, and he skipped the Tustumena 200 this year opting to keep with his training schedule. I never count Mitch out, but without Dallas Seavey in the race to compete against during training and the race, it will be interesting to see Mitch's style and strategy. Can this be a year for Mitch to hit a fourth win? I'm hoping if Jeff can't take it that Mitch can.

Nicolas Petit - The only races this guy hasn't won this season are the ones he didn't enter. Petit is hungry. He came in a controversial third place in last year's race (minutes behind Dallas Seavey who accidentally left his vet book at a previous checkpoint, but Nic brought it to the finish and allowed Dallas to stay in the race). I do not expect for Petit to accept anything but first, this could mean that he makes some risky decisions (risky race wise, not life threatening). I expect him to push his team hard, they've trained and raced that way for several years now. Petit will rise or he will fall hard. There doesn't seem to be an in between.

Pete Kaiser - Pete just won yet another Kusko 300. They had some issues with trail this year with warmer temps keeping a lot of the race from the river. From the sound of things, the race on the coast for Iditarod will be very similar. Kaiser is a solid team, and last year came 9th. He's always in the conversation, as he should be. He knows what it takes to win, he just has to put his team in a position to make a move.

Travis Beals - I have been sitting here for a few hours trying to decide if Travis should be on this list or if I should go with a Redington. I'm still not sure I chose correctly, but Travis does seem to have a strong team this year. Beals had to take some time off from Iditarod after he was banned from the race for domestic violence "issues" that he had to work through. Beals followed court orders, and jumped through all of the hoops, which satisfied the race officials to allow him to participate in this year's race. Travis comes from solid family tradition in mushing and turned heads early on his career (hence his kennel's name "Turning Heads"). Travis did not take time off from training dogs while satisfying court requirements, and I expect him to have a good showing in this year's race.

Wade Marrs - He set the pace last year and man, he almost had it. It was exciting to watch Wade race against the Seavey's with their own game! He's no doubt learned a lot from that and I expect him to not make the same "mistakes" twice. He's also had a really nice racing and training season, and seems very confident. Where he might have had some distraction was having to be the face and spokesperson for the Iditarod Finisher's Club in regards to the Doping ruling on Dallas Seavey and what all that drama entailed. In a week he'll be able to let go of distraction and just mush. He'll be pushing.




Honorable Mentions:

Gonna go with Ray Redington Jr on this one, he placed very well last year (in the top ten) and has been very hot on the racing circuit this season. I'll also give Ramey Smyth another chance, he should always be in the conversation. He was in my top 10 last season and came in 12th. Not bad.


Which mushers do YOU have in YOUR top 10? Who are you cheering for? Agree/Disagree with my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and check back as I continue to blog about the 45th running of the Last Great Race!

Mushing News Weekly Round Up (Dec 22)

Merry Christmas weekend! Not sure if why one of the reasons there wasn't a whole lot of news the last couple of weeks is because it's the Holiday season, or because the weather's been less than ideal and so not a lot of excitement has surrounded mushing because of it. Either way, makes it hard to do one of these but I'll do my best. Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)



The Nome Nugget is reporting that of several structures approved for demolish, on the chopping block is a house that has ties to famed musher Leonard Seppala. If you aren't familiar with that name, Seppala was the original Jeff King of mushing (aka the most winningest musher). Seppala's dog lines are still going strong in kennels, with many of Iditarod kennels sharing in at least partial bloodlines. If you're at all familiar with the Balto legend of the Nome Serum Run you know of the musher named Gunar - well, he was actually one of Seppala's "handlers" and it was only after Seppala and team (lead by Togo) drove over 100 miles that Balto and Gunnar were tagged to take the cargo into town (Balto was actually HIS dog). Seppala is synonymous with mushing in this state and world wide. Personally, I would hope that someone could buy the property and restore it and preserve history.




The Yukon Quest is revamping their education program adding features much like Iditarod's teacher on the trail. They will be on the trail answering questions of students all over the globe who are watching the race in their classrooms.

Lance Mackey took to facebook this week to update fans on his racing plans for the season. Mackey will no longer be traveling to the states, but noted that he's still planing to run races in Alaska.
I thought I'd mentioned that a photo of mind was published in a Wisconsin newspaper last week, but I can't seem to find that, so I apologize if this is a repeat. Ryan Redington is down in Wisconsin for the winter and last week hosted rides for the local kids free of charge. Like most of his family he's a dog man and a great ambassador for the sport.

MERRY PUGMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. I am not sure how much I will be on in the next week. I'll try to get another round up together for next Friday, but as I'll be getting ready for my trip outside I make no promises.



Have a safe weekend and a very happy time with friends and family!

Mushing News Weekly Round Up (Dec 8)

With the advent of social media, it's a whole lot easier for fans to immerse themselves into the mushing world. It's also easy to miss a lot of the interesting and newsworthy stuff as it seems to become overloaded in the weeks leading up to race season. Training reports begin as the leaves fall from the trees, and then almost over night the snow hits the rosters are finalized and we're in the middle of race season.

So a new feature here on Reitter's Block starting this week is a sort of weekly round up of news, and interesting stories from the mushing community. These will be selection that caught my eye, and in no way everything that happened within the week.



In response to the Iditarod Trail Committee's announcement on December 1 about their plan to come up with a standard of "Dog Care" for kennels to be eligible to compete, Iditarod Veteran Wade Marrs took to his website to share his thoughts. While, overall, Wade is supportive of the idea - he wanted to voice some concerns he had. It is equally a response to another kennel that has created a lot of drama since October when they decided to try and promote themselves as the kennel/people all mushers wish they could be like.

SP Kennel (Home of Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore) shared an adorable update on their trio of pups. It's not really news worthy, but it's adorable, and there's video. What more does a mushing fan need than a puppy cam?!

Monday brought the amusing with the report that Jeff King was auctioned off during the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction, and brought in a whopping $4,600! King is thought to be the first Iditarod Champion (and certainly IS the only 4-time Champion) auctioned off at the event. Known as one of the larger than life mushers, it should come as no surprise that Jeff was up for something like this. But it was still amusing to read. Much better than the articles showing the mushing community up in arms.

And, just today, Monica Zappa took to Facebook to announce that the 2018 Iditarod will be her last "for a while" as she needs to go off on new adventures. Iditarod will be far less colorful without her neon colors out on the trail. So when you see her run down the trail this March, cheer extra hard for her!

Speaking of Facebook - my favorites on the social media round up:

Iditarod Roster Set for 2018

The sun shines on the Iditarod Finish Line, March 2017.

With the deadline to enter ending today, the Iditarod roster is officially set. There could still be a few names added so long as their applications are postmarked prior to the deadline - or special circumstances where veteran mushers can sign up past the deadline as what happened in 2017. As it stands, 69 teams will run the trail to Nome in March with four past champions in the mix. Five previous champions signed up originally, but four-time champion Dallas Seavey announced in October he would not run in the 2018 Iditarod. Seavey's father, three-time and reigning Iditarod Champion, Mitch Seavey still plans to run this coming March. Four-time Champions Martin Buser and Jeff King, and 2011 Iditarod Champion John Baker also plan to run.

Sixteen rookies are set to run the 46th running of the Last Great Race, leaving a large list of 53 veterans. Familiar names and fan favorites dot the list including late entries of Hugh Neff, and previously retired-from-Iditarod Kelly Maixner. Wade Marrs, who took a commanding lead for much of last year's Iditarod, is once again looking to set the pace. Aliy Zirkle and Jessie Royer are looking to be that first woman champion in over 2 decades to win, as DeeDee Jonrowe looks to make 2018 her Swan Song.

Other happy returns on the list include fan favorite Rob Cooke, Seward musher Travis Beals, and Army Veteran Steve Watkins. Watkins last run to Nome was in 2014, and he then went on to attempt to climb Mt Everest only to be caught in the major Earthquake while at basecamp! Apparently when not planning to run the Iditarod this year, he's been running for US Congress! It takes all kinds to create this one of a kind monster of a race.

While things looked a little bleak a month and a half ago, it seems a lot of frustration and anger has died down and most mushers who were backing Dallas are now content to run the race. Dallas Seavey, on the other hand, was true to his word that he would not run the race, and has instead opted to run a prestigious race in Finnmark. The race takes place the same week as the Iditarod, and other well known Alaskan mushers have participated in the past. Lance Mackey ran it a year ago and reportedly did well, and Hugh Neff has also visited the race in the past.

Also remaining off the roster is Paul Gebhardt. Gebhardt announced last month that he would not be racing this season as he is currently battling cancer. Gebhardt once again took to social media this morning to report that due to his ability to not have to take a week off in between cancer treatments, the dates have been moved up for when he will head down to Seattle for his stem cell transplant. Paul and his daughter will be in Seattle for a month after his treatment to be sure everything takes and that he is safer from infection and illness. They will essentially be in quarantine for 6 weeks. Paul will travel, now, at the end of December. The GoFundMe page is still up and accepting donations, it sits roughly around 50% of their overall goal.

Also on the Iditarod Trail Committee's plate, are plans to revamp the dog care requirements for mushers and their kennels. The Anchorage Daily News reported tonight that come 2019 there will be a "Best Dog Care" rule. The ITC says this is not a response to any accusation or misconduct, that it's been in the works for a long time and they are finally ready to move forward with implementation. This will most likely affect the newer kennels more than well established and successful kennels. This should come as no surprise as to be successful in this sport, dogs must come first at all times, not just when the cameras are on.


Who are you most excited to see on this year's roster? Tell me in the comments below!

First to the Yukon!

Nicolas Petit at the finish of the
Tustumena 200. January 29, 2017

Just over 32 hours into the race, we have the First to the Yukon award winner - Nicolas Petit of Girdwood ran his team into the checkpoint of Tanana at 6:44pm. Several other teams have followed, including Martin Buser, with Mackey and the elder Seavey unofficially also into the checkpoint. As part of the "winnings" for the First to the Yukon, Petit will reportedly dine on King Crab, clams, shrimp, smoked duck, lamb chops, mango sorbet & Dom Perignon. Hopefully the musher isn't allergic to anything.

Further down in the race, there are plenty of teams just miles from the the Yukon. It's about -15 below tonight, but it looks like for the next few days the cold will pass and while still not the balmy temps they're more used to in the first couple of days of Iditarod racing, it's closer to it than what it's been the last 30+ hours. (Seriously, -35 at the start?! Who does that?!)

There are only 3 teams who haven't made it to Manley Hot Springs. Ellen Halverson is not the current red lantern so if she keeps up her pace and can keep the other two at bay (and they aren't DQed/Withdrawn) she should finish this year.

So where do the teams go from here? This is where the strategies will begin to take shape. The Yukon trip is broken up on the Fairbanks route when it detours further north to the Mushing equivilent of the Holy Land known as the village of Huslia. We saw the run from Tanana to Huslia (yes there are checkpoints in there, but I'm just talking this section) really separate the teams. Strategies blew to pieces, others allowed themselves to second guess and they lost just enough ground. In 2015 the Huslia trail was completely new. Not used in 2003. This time it's fresh in the memories of most of the front runners. They've got their plans in place. They know what they did wrong and what they did right last time.

It's still far too soon to tell who will win (if we're lucky we'll see the winner a week from tonight), it's still too soon to predict the winning strategy, but we're starting to see statements made. Will it be another "perfect schedule" from the teams like the Seaveys, where a monster is built and released at the opportune moment? Or will we see a more throwback winner in someone like Nicolas Petit who makes it up as they go along? Waiting in the wings and making sure they aren't forgotten are King, Buser, and Zirkle. Familiar names - two, like Dallas, are gunning for the fifth title... the other trying desperately not to be runner up yet again.

Most teams will bed down for 6 hours or so. Get some sleep. It'll probably be the last day before the 24s that we can sleep and not miss something important.



*since starting typing this blog, the top 10 are all into (or just about into) Tanana*

Iditarod 45: My Top Ten

It's that time again, time for me to pretend I know what I'm talking about and choose the top 10 teams that I think have a shot of winning. I'm going to try and keep it alphabetical again. These choices are strictly my own, I had no outside influence or help. I rarely choose the correct top ten, but have come pretty close.

Aliy Zirkle - She's been knocking at the door for the last few years, and we won't count last year against her. Aliy went through an ordeal that no one should have to go through, and if you aren't cheering for her this year I don't know what your problem is. Aliy's running her kennel's A team once again, and they just came in third on the Yukon Quest (driven by her husband Allen Moore). Zirkle's team looks strong, but she will once again be the weaker link of the team. One has to wonder about her mental toughness returning to the race that nearly cost her everything last year. Perhaps the reroute will be a blessing in disguise for the SPKennel leader.

Dallas Seavey - He broke Rick Swenson's record of being the youngest musher to win the Iditarod. He holds the record for fastest finish. If Dallas wins this year he TIES both Lance Mackey's 4 consecutive wins, AND Rick Swenson's five wins. However, Swenson hit that record in the early 90s, and there have been four 4-time champions since then that can't seem to break that fifth win. Dallas has youth and health on his side, and many armchair mushers pretty much have him winning without even starting the race. I'd actually be very surprised to see him win this year. There's something about that fifth win that is just so illusive. However, if anyone was to crack it, it'd be Dallas. He doesn't seem to believe in pressure.

Jeff King - Speaking of four timers trying to crack into that fifth win... King last won in 2006, but it wasn't from lack of trying. Jeff has come close many times to winning his fifth title. Had it not been for a freak windstorm that blew his team off course and became so violent King had to flag down help so that he could get his team to the safety of the checkpoint of Safety, he'd have won his fifth title in 2014 (Dallas won that one). King was poised to take control of the race last year before his team was viciously attacked by a drunk on a snowmachine. Jeff continued and finished the race, but momentum was lost and a win was out of reach (he did manage to stay in the top 10, however). Hopefully he can tear himself away from posting about how much he can't stand Trump to have another great run on Iditarod.

Jessie Royer - If Royer's not in your top ten, then you haven't been paying attention. The Montana-ite is eating up a lot of trail and gaining on the top contenders consistently year after year. Don't let the hiccup of 15th place last year fool you; Jessie is going to be in the mix. The last time the teams ran this trail (just two years ago) she came in 4th. She had some of the strongest, fastest runs in the Yukon Quest (though she was not the top woman finisher). She's learned tricks from a 4-time Iditarod Champion. Should she pull off a win, it'd be an upset, but she'd also become the first non-Alaskan woman to win. She's got the goods, she could pull it off.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Someone tell this dude that life is not a photoshoot! Doesn't matter what angle or who's shooting, chances are you get a nearly GQ photo of this guy on the back of his sled. But he's not just some wannabe pretty boy, he's got the goods. He has quickly made himself known on the Alaska mushing scene. He's serious about his dogs, and he seems to have it all together. His team looked strong in the races he's run this season, and he's consistently improving his standings. He was 6th last year, I expect he'll make a run to get a higher placement this year.

Mitch Seavey - "Da Man" Seavey. His motto is "just mush". When talking with Mitch all you'll ever get is "I'm just going to mush my dogs and see where we end up." That's like hearing a figure skater say "I'm just want to skate my best." It's a PR phrase. It's quoteable. And should the chips fall and you aren't first, well, at least you don't have to eat your words. That being said - do not let him fool you. Mitch is every bit as competitive as his son. He doesn't sit back and "let" anyone beat him. He does run his dogs to the best of THEIR ability, but they only get to the level they are because he is competitive in training and dog care. He's come in second to Dallas twice. He's won this thing twice. 2015 he was on a trail he was unfamiliar with. He knows it now. I don't expect him to not make that push to the front at the right time.

Nicolas Petit - Nicolas has run an aggressive race season this year. He's been aggressive in his race strategy. He nearly won the Tustumena 200, and had control of the Copper River Basin for most of the race before his dogs just had enough of breaking trail. I don't expect him to treat the Iditarod any differently. The question will be, will he push too fast and too hard too soon. He's done that in the past where his race looks very good only to have his team slow far too soon. Teams catch up and pass him. Nicolas seems to genuinely cares for his team, however, so they have yet to truly quit on him. They trust him. He trusts them. If they can make it come together, he can give those multi-champions a run for their money.

Pete Kaiser - He's a three time Kusko Champion. He's got a solid list of race stats. His team does better with wind and cold than those who have been in the warmer temps of South Central. Fans have been waiting to see Pete take a run at the championship for a while now. He has the goods to do it, he just has to make that magic happen. The Kusko is a tough race, Iditarod's just longer.

Ramey Smyth - He's back! After playing Mr. Mom while his wife could run the race, this year Smyth is once again driving the family team to Nome. The Smyth teams are known for their speed, especially in the last leg of the race. In 2012 when Ramey came in third he came out of no where to get there. I was working for the Seavey's then and the family was on their way to Nome when he made his move. I get a call from Dallas' family to ask how the GPS was looking and I said Ramey'd made a move and was gaining. Dead silence on the other end of the line. That's how dangerous a Smyth is to your race. Smyth's brother Cim just won the Tustumena 200 last month doing the same thing. Waiting for that opportune moment. You can't not have a Smyth on your list. They're just too dangerous to forget.

Wade Marrs - Who doesn't love Wade? I mean really! He's another younger musher who has consistently improved over his career. Some "experts" have said this is his year to make a move. Some have even said he's the only one with a real chance to out Dallas, Dallas. I don't know about all that, but he is doing a bang up job of getting attention with his team and driving ability. He's one of my dark horses as I'm just not convinced it's his time just yet, but anything is possible. Anything, especially when one considers the Fairbanks trail is a more equal playing field as no one really has the advantage of having run it over and over and over again learning every bump and turn.



Honorable Mentions:

I nearly put Noah Burmeister on my list, and honestly he probably should be on my top 10. He's another one of those mushers who just knows how to kick it into gear, plus he's got a great family history in this race.

Scott Smith is another musher that's on the rise. He's gained ground in the last couple of years. He cracked the top 10 last year. It will be interesting to see how he does this year. He's another one to watch. It's exciting to see names I don't automatically recognize come to the forefront. Makes me feel like this race is alive and well. Which seeing as how it's the 45th run of the race, that's a good feeling.


Hopefully I get to see all of these faces and more while I'm in Nome!

Which mushers do YOU have in YOUR top 10? Who are you cheering for? Agree/Disagree with my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and check back as I continue to blog about the 45th running of the Last Great Race!

Favorite Photos from past Tustumena 200 races

I've only gotten to shoot two T200s since 2012, not because I couldn't make it out there - but because weather caused the race to be cancelled the last three years. Not this year, though, the race is on! We're two weeks away from the Start and I am already planning to shoot both photo and video (hoping to do some live broadcast of the start and finish on my periscope account, so look for that). I'm hoping to take a half day off from work to catch the Vet Check on that Friday as well. Yup. 'Tis the season!

But I want to look back on the two races I was able to capture. Looking back was a nice stroll down memory lane (though the 2013 photos were lacking mainly due to my harddrive crashing before I could edit them all! boooo!). Here are some of my favorites:

One of DeeDee Jonrowe's dogs waits to get hooked up at the start of the 2012 race.

One of my favorite photos I've ever taken - Jeff King and his icy mustache before the race even began in 2012.

Cim Smyth coming in to win the 2012 race. He whistles to his dogs when they hit the home stretch
to let them know they're headed home. Told my dad that they pick up the pace when he does that.

Jeff King was fast on Cim's heels in 2012, but couldn't quite pull off the win, he pulled back as he came to us
and asked if Cim was still ahead of him. 

My friend Bob Parsons at the Vet Check in 2013. Big fan of mushers, and dogs. Gonna miss him this year.

The classic dog in a dog box photo.

Can't lie to me and tell me there isn't a special bond between mushers and their dogs.

In 2013 I was Team Seavey's "paid stalker" (thanks Conway for that title). Mitch won the T200 and then the Iditarod that year.

Mitch Seavey coming in to win the 2013 race. It was Superbowl Sunday and I hadn't been paying attention to the race. The T200 was going to be a "training run" for Team Seavey, he wasn't planning on racing to win. Then his team became the power house it was and he thought "what the heck, let's win this thing". I had to rush from my house to the finish line. My team was playing the big game. I was torn, but the Niners were sucking so I went. And I missed the second half of the game. What I do for these mushers and their dogs. Geez.

I just think this is a really good shot of Mitch.

Family picture at the finish of the T200 in 2013, Conway won the 100 and Mitch the 200. All in the family.

Iditarod Roster Set: 5 returning champions among 77 teams

A team dog runs down the chute at the
Start of Iditarod 44. Willow, AK.

Dec 1 marked the deadline for teams to enter the 45th Iditarod race, and 77 mushers answered that call. 5 former champions are in the mix: 4-time champion Martin Buser, 4-time champion Jeff King, 4-time and current champion Dallas Seavey, 2-time champion Mitch Seavey, and 2011's champion John Baker are all going after another win. There are 8 countries represented, most mushers hail from the US (the majority of them represent Alaska); Norway, Sweden, France, Canada, England, Hungary, and the Czech Republic all have teams in the mix. 19 mushers are rookies, making 58 mushers veterans of the 1,000 mile race.

A glance at the list spots many familiar names/faces on the list with names like Zirkle, Sass, Redington, Gebhardt, Jonrowe, among others - but it's interesting to note just how many names are off the list. Four time Iditarod Champion and cancer survivor Lance Mackey signed up back in June, but made the announcement in September that he was unable to run as planned. Cim Smyth also signed up only to later withdraw. Rohn Buser decided not to run this year, and the Busers seem to be downsizing their operation. There's a change of the guard looming, it seems, and this is likely going to be an exciting race for a lot of the newer front runners.

With the change of two rules this year for the race, new strategies may emerge that could bring the change quicker than expected. Iditarod rules now state that mushers can bring cell phones/two way communication out onto the trail. They are to be used to report an emergency only (the thought is if something like last year's attacks happen, the musher can call for help). Some mushers have spoken out against the rule change, worried that some teams will misuse the allowance. The board, however, feels the good outweighs the bad.

The other rule change came with as much if not more outcry - that of the rule that no dogs may be carried in a sled trailer. In the last few years since Jeff King first brought one to the race, mushers have built trailers to pull behind their sled to carry equipment and rest dogs on long runs. Mushers like Dallas Seavey seemed to have perfected the strategy to their advantage, keeping their dogs fresh and ready to run making longer rests in the checkpoint easier to bounce back on. Officials give the reason for the change as dog safety, but those that feel the rule directly affects them don't buy the explanation. Strategies will need to change for March, but don't expect that it will change the standings too much. The trailers are only one small element to a successful race.

There has been SOME good news as of late, however! The last few weeks have brought colder temperatures to South Central Alaska, and with those temps snow! Training is underway all over the state with many teams taking to social media to share photos of a winter sight that was once common place. Sure, there's still a long way to go before trails are ready for races, but should the weather continue to cooperate it looks like for the first time in a long while, the race season will be a full one.

92 days until Iditarod runs through Anchorage - who are you cheering for?

Edited: A late entry bumped the roster list to 77. Mail must've been slow. 

Chances for Past Iditarod Champions in 2017?

I was asked this question the other day on Facebook - what are the chances for each of the five past champions currently signed up for Iditarod 45. 4-time Champions Martin Buser, Jeff King, Lance Mackey, Dallas Seavey, and 2-time Champion Mitch Seavey all signed up on the first day. All have champion line kennels, experience, and teams... but what are the real odds any of them will come under the burled arch first in Nome? Here are a few of my thoughts.


Martin Buser - Iditarod 44 was not a good race for Buser. He spent most of the training season in Seattle while his son Nikolai recovered from his car wreck. When recovery looked to be going well, Martin made the decision to return and run the race. He made it clear he wasn't in competitive form and would not be making any crazy run for first. Top if off he ended up with pneumonia while running the race. Not a good way to go. This coming season Martin's already made comments suggesting he won't be running for lead this year either.

Talk at the BBQ suggested Martin is downsizing - son Rohn is not planning to run this year, and Martin has said he wants to enjoy other things. Cindy Abbott told BBQ attendees she'd gotten a few of Martin's dogs. Honestly, the only way Martin wins - if this is really his outlook for the future - is if a bunch of other teams fall into the Norton Sound and are swept away and he makes it across.

Lance Mackey - the 44th Iditarod did not go as planned for Mackey. While still better than his outing in 2015, he still had issues with his team being ill/not wanting to go. He backtracked to Ophir for longer rest. The heat and the fast pace were a little too much for his young team. However, the rest of 2016 has been very kind. Mackey is winning races on the race car circuit (yes, you read that right) and is the proud papa to a bouncing baby Boy! The 4 time champ seemed in great spirits at the BBQ last month, and is confident in his team. That doesn't mean he'll be coming in first. All mushers are confident their team is awesome. With Mackey's health (thought he looks great these days) always a question, and the fact that he's still in the rebuilding process, he most likely won't be first... but I've been wrong before.

Jeff King - Really, Jeff should've been closer to first this past Iditarod. Sadly, due to someone's poor choices (attempted murder, in my opinion) Jeff's race was done just as it was getting started. Jeff's been so close to winning his fifth title, when his team has given up on him. Freak storms, young dogs, snow machines. It will be interesting to see how King comes back this year. I'm expecting another top 5 finish for Mr. The King this year... and with the right set of circumstances, he could win.

Mitch Seavey - this year's runner up, Mitch Seavey was just hours behind his son Dallas under the burled arch. Mitch is a competitor, and has said he's felt the best he's ever felt. Mitch's team did far better than expected considering several of his key leaders were left at home due to late season injury (sore muscles, and a jammed toe). They pushed with Dallas all the way up the coast, but it was the hills at the end that did them (or him?) in. Barring another season with injuries plaguing the team, Mitch could very well make a third title his.... of course I'd argue that Jeff has about an equal chance of winning.

Dallas Seavey - Iditarod Insider has basically declared him King with their recap video of the 2016 race. That could mean nothing, but I have to wonder if it isn't going to jinx him. They did pretty much the same thing with Mackey after his fourth win, and now he's lucky if he makes top 20. Of course, other factors are at play - namely musher health, which Dallas is younger and in a lot of ways healthier. (Which makes Mackey's 4 wins that much more impressive.) Dallas is very goal driven and athletic, but the other mushers are catching on - especially the ones around his age. Dallas is the odds on favorite, but winning that fifth title has eluded all other 4-time champions (except Rick Swenson). It's going to be difficult - but then, so were the other 4 wins, right?

Highlights from June

Well, this blog has been a big ol bit of boring lately, that’s mainly due to the fact that I just don’t have the motivation to come up with things to blog about. I’ve been quite busy this last month and a half, which also makes it hard for me to want to do anything but veg and goof around online.

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...

Aliy Zirkle & Jeff King attacked by POS on snow machine.

I'm about to get really angry, so if you're looking for an actual NEWS report on the subject this isn't it (but this one is). A pathetic excuse for a human being viciously attacked two teams on their way to Nulato this morning. Reports indicate that the jerk was drunk. Big deal. He intentionally circled Aliy Zirkle's team at least three times coming at them each time.

Aliy had to defend her team and herself with a trail marker (which is just a glorified stick), Danny Seavey just reported on Iditarod Live that she's had to drop one dog in Nulato due to "minor injury" but her team came out of the attacks pretty much okay. She's just pissed and shaken up. I've NEVER seen a video of Aliy THAT angry before.

Like Danny said, I wouldn't want to meet Aliy when she's pissed and waving a trail marker.

Jeff King's team was not as fortunate when he came across the POS. The snow machine managed to make contact with his team, and in doing so it killed King's 3 year old dog Nash. Two other dogs were also injured enough that King had to carry them in his dog trailer at the back of his sled. Jeff is taking his 8 hour mandatory rest now in Nulato. He's down at least three dogs (new report says one of the injured dogs has a broken leg). King runs his team well lit up with reflectors and lights. There's no doubt by the actions of the attempted murderer were intentional.

Alaska State Troopers are actively investigating the crime. There is a suspect. King has part of the POS's machine. I think Iditarod Fans need to come together and make sure this guy gets the maximum punishment for the crime. When he is arrested we need to be proactive in making sure this isn't swept under the rug. We need to have a very real presence - maybe not physically, but definitely through correspondence - to make sure this isn't another one of Alaska's classic "they were drunk so let's just slap their wrist" type cases.

Quite frankly, though, I kinda wish Aliy or Jeff had used their firearm and just taken care of the problem. Put him down like the rabid animal he is.

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!