Pedigree Stage Stop Race registration closes with full roster

Registration opened Tuesday for the 2027 Pedigree Stage Stop Race and quickly filled up. The race took to its social media Wednesday saying there were just two slots left. By end of business day Wednesday the race had hit its limit and a waitlist was started.

The Pedigree Stage Stop Race began in 1996 and runs a bit differently than the mid and long distance races fans associate with the sport (thanks mostly to Iditarod and Yukon Quest) but it's its own beast. Run "similiar to how the Tour de France runs" each leg is 30-35 miles long and starts and stops each day in each town the race comes to. Wyoming has some wide open spaces perfect for sled dogs.

Due to weather issues (the race has been too cold a time or two, and they've lacked snow in more recent years) and pandemics, while the race is closing in on 40 years this season, this will be its 32nd running. A remarkable feat for any race as the sport all over North America faces numerous challenges to stay afloat.

The quickness with which the race filled up was not what had fans and mushers alike buzzing with excitment, however. Among the names of very familiar teams was one that surprised many. A name that hadn't been seen on a race roster in years (and last seen at the Pedigree as a competitor in 2008 according to the almighty Google). A name that was known for its status as champion in many races. A name who ran a kennel that won the Pedigree (with the coowner of the kennel) several times.

A name that is Doug Swingley.

Yes, that Doug Swingley.

The four-time Iditarod Champion Doug Swingley.

The musher many called the (or a) dog whisperer Doug Swingley.

The one who got out of dogs almost twenty years ago Doug Swingley.

Yes, THE Doug Swingley.

He will be lucky number seven in the Pedigree line up. Swingley's name on the roster had several mushers commenting. Even Jeff King, a Pedigree Stage Stop Champion himself, said that he might have to come out of retirement to race Doug again. (Can't be this year, the race roster is full!) 

Okay, but he isn't the only one running, there is a full roster of twenty ready to run throughout Wyoming to win top honors (and a nice little $26+K check!). The race listed them in order of sign up.

2027 Stage Stop mushers

Michael Bestgen
Dennis LaBoda
Shannon Adkins
Jason Cote
Nicole Lombardi
Michael Tetzner
Doug Swingley
Liam Conner
Austin Forney
Leonie Tetzner
Bruce Magnusson
JR Anderson
Anny Malo
Sarah Tarlton
Alix Crittenden
Tim Thiessen
Sara Anderson
Stephané Roy
Kourosh Partow
Sean Hildreth

The race starts on January 29 in Jackson, WY for their Ceremonial start before continuing on to Teton County, WY and beyond. 

Do you follow the Stage Stop? Who are you most excited to see? What about that Doug Swingley return? Comment with your thoughts below!

This blog has always been a hobby and will continue to be - and this list is more for myself than anything - if you can spare a few dollars to help keep this blog running I wouldn't say no. Please do not feel obligated, but know that all support (in every form, not just financial) is greatly appreciated! Click here to "buy me a coffee".

Where to watch Iditarod - Online (Updated 2026)

This is an updated version of a post originally published in 2019.

So maybe you can't make it to Alaska to see the Last Great Race, or you've come up for the start but now you're back home and want to keep tabs. Thanks to the invention of the Internet, it's a whole lot easier to follow the race than it was 30 years ago (or more). No, seriously, as much as fans complain about how hard it is to follow the race online - it was much harder at the "height of the race's popularity." 

Sure, you had ABC's Wide World of Sports to give you the recap several weeks after the race ended. Sure, the Alaska newspapers gave daily updates... but, sadly, through little to no fault of Iditarod's - those options aren't around. ESPN hasn't come calling, though every once in a while they might share a short blurb (typically when something majorly negative happens... or when a woman wins - which we haven't had in over thirty years).

If you grew up in Alaska you got several updates a day during the school day - or you had to go to the local library or post office to watch the in and out times. No GPS. No livefeeds. It was a magical time - and way less screens involved. But, then the internet... and faster internet speeds... and print media went away... and network news decided if it wasn't politics it wasn't worth following... so we have internet message boards, social media, and a couple of digital news sources. It's a lot more information in a lot more places.

Still, you may not know exactly where to look, so here's a basic rundown on sites that will be sure to give you the best information.

Official Links

This should come as no surprise, but the best and most accurate information can be found from Iditarod.com. The Official website keeps the standings as current as possible (logistics of some of the checkpoints can cause delays), as well as offer ways to follow the race "in real time" or close to it. The biggest downfall is in order to truly follow along with the race you have to be able and willing to pay for a subscription to the Iditarod Insider. There are several levels of subscription.

Free - If all you want is to follow your favorite musher, you can sign up for free and receive updates on their race via email. You will only get official standings, so you won't get info while they travel in between checkpoints, no interviews, etc. Basically you get to experience the Iditarod the way fans did before Insider existed. They DO offer a few videos (with commercial breaks) and articles, but you're getting the bare minimum with this option.

Insider Ultimate - This is the one most commonly used by fans, musher families, and media alike. It gives you access to the GPS Trackers as well as Livefeeds of the checkpoints. During the race there are often two to three livefeeds running at any given time. You will also have access to video interviews leading up to and during the race. Trail highlight reels. It's a yearly cost of $44.95 and it automatically renews in July of each year (so, make sure they don't have your CC on file to do that if you aren't wanting that.) You can have up to two devices logged in at the same time.

Insider Ultimate Plus - Everything you get with Insider Ultimate as well as every Insider Documentary going back nearly twenty years. While the livefeed feature typically runs documentaries 24/7 during the race, with Plus you get to choose when and which one to watch on your time - and not just during the two weeks of the race. Like the other tier, the subscription is yearly and begins in July. It's just eleven dollars more at $55.95. You can have up to two devices logged in at the same time.

Both Ultimate and Plus allow you access to the chatroom where you can connect with fans around the globe at all hours day or night - you can also ask questions in the chat that may be answered by the experts on the commentary team. 

News Media

Alaska's News Source (KTUU & KTVA) - A few years ago KTVA was bought out by KTUU and the official news source of the Iditarod went back to where it was for most of the race's history. The sports director understands and appreciates the sport having grown up in rural Alaska himself and he and his team of trail reporters do a really great job of recapping the race every evening. They also have up to date articles and reports on their website.

Anchorage Daily News - The largest newspaper in the state is also the largest source of print media surrounding the race. They now require a subscription to be able to read their articles (I believe you get five free reads before they lock it down), however they do run a special rate during Iditarod. They, like the others, have a dedicated page for Iditarod (and Rondy).

Alaska Public Media - Home to many a local Alaskan broadcast media, as well as PBS and NPR, this is another fantastic resource for a LOT of mushing information, not just Iditarod. They were home to the Iditapod for many years, though we haven't had a new season of that in two or three years as the hosts moved on to other jobs. They do have a dedicated page for Iditarod coverage and it's some of the best with local radio along the trail capturing much of the action and interviews.

Mushing Alaska - The Podcast created by the Underwood brothers, they interview mushers throughout the year as well as host several episodes of the podcast during the race. Sean Underwood is now out on the trail as part of Iditarod Insider, but his brother Brandon does a heck of a job putting together a show without him during Iditarod. He often has mushers not in the race come on as guest commentators/experts. They record LIVE and you can catch the show on Youtube.

The Burled Arch - Part of First Paw Media and Mushing Radio. Hosted by Robert and Michele Forto. During Iditarod they have a podcast dedicated to the race that airs nightly.

KNOM Radio - On the other side of the state where teams finish is this awesome radio station that covers the race as well. They typically broadcast the finish of the winner, as well as do a lot of indepth interviews of mushers on the last leg of the race. http://www.knom.org/

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - While they focus more on coverage of the Yukon Quest, the News-Miner is another excellent resource, especially in years when the Iditarod has to take drastic measures and prepare for a restart that far North. They have a dedicated page for Iditarod coverage, but it's a little lighter than the other pages linked here.

Social Media

Iditarod Trail Committee - Their Facebook page does have a lot of posts throughout the race, but not up to date action. More along the lines of official updates and posts. There are, however, a lot of fan discussions within the comments. This is their official page for the race and the organization.

Iditarod EDU - For the Iditarod Educators program, this Facebook page keeps teachers up to date on all the happenings with the Teacher on the Trail as well as lesson plan ideas, etc. They give some pretty fun insight into the race as well as just neat activities that don't just have to be used in a classroom. This is another official social media page of Iditarod.

Iditarod *YEAR*---fan page - This is a very active fan driven Facebook group that is run by a dedicated team of moderators that give updates several times a day throughout the race. They share highlights from the tracker as well as analysis. Discussions are lively and most often civil. They change the name to reflect the race year each year. If you don't follow/join any other Facebook page/group, follow this one. Even the mushers use them as a resource!

Alaska Mushing News - Run by Helen Hegener a local race nut and historian/author, this Facebook group is a great source to run to to find links to all articles relating to any and all mushing topics - which this time of year is basically Iditarod.

@ADNIditarod - If you're a fan of twitter, Alaska Daily News has a twitter account dedicated to the following of the race. This will keep you up to date on any big news on the trail as well as links to all of their Iditarod specific articles. Photos and videos show up here often as well.

Jeff Schultz Photography - The official Facebook page for the former official race photographer. Jeff retired off the trail several years ago so he could focus on his passion project Faces of Iditarod. While not often out on the trail these days he is still capturing moments and race history. His photos are incredible. He is the reason I am a sled dog photographer. Follow him.

#MusherSky - most of the mushing fans moved over to Bluesky after Twitter changed its name and so you can find "MusherTwitter" now on Bluesky under the hashtag MusherSky. If you followed along on Twitter you will find many familiar faces over on the newer platform.

This is just a sampling as it changes all the time who is covering the race, but these are safe bets every year. Shameless plug - you can also follow me on Bluesky and on Facebook for updates on the race, photos, and I share a lot of the links listed in this blog. I'm sure I've missed someone, but my eyes are crossing so I will close for now. Comment below if you think a link should be added.

This blog has always been a hobby and will continue to be - and this list is more for myself than anything - if you can spare a few dollars to help keep this blog running I wouldn't say no. Please do not feel obligated, but know that all support (in every form, not just financial) is greatly appreciated! Click here to "buy me a coffee".

19 sign up at the Iditarod Picnic with 3 signing up online

19 mushers signed up in person at the 2026 Iditarod Picnic.
June 27, 2026. Wasilla, Alaska.

The Iditarod Picnic is a time for fans, volunteers, and mushers (past and present) all come together without their parkas to celebrate the last great race. The picnic is the unofficial start of the next race season being the first race to open up registration for participants. Along with sign ups it is also a thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who make the Last Great Race possible.

In some ways, the Iditarod Picnic is family.

This year with rain forecasted there was concern that the picnic would not be well attended, but as the rain stayed to a light sprinkle the yard of Iditarod HQ filled up as it almost always does. There were nerves as the list stayed small for much of the picnic, but like clockwork the mushers came in about an hour before the sign ups closed ahead of the drawings for free entry fees.

First to sign up was, once again, Riley Dyche. Dyche has the advantage of working at Iditarod HQ giving out dryland cart rides to visitors each day all summer long. The first rookie to sign up was Isaac Redington - which makes him the first fourth generation musher to run the race. Redington's father and grandfather ran their fair share of Iditarods, and his great grandfather is - of course - the Father of Iditarod Joe Redington Sr. Isaac signing up had many long time volunteers and mushers buzzing with excitement to see Joe's legacy continue.

Another rookie looking at making history is AddieAnn Randal. Randal plans to run both Jr and full length Iditarod this year - with the junior being used as a final training run. Randal will turn 18 the day of the Start of Iditarod 2026 and if her mom did the math correctly she could beat Dallas Seavey's youngest finisher record by mere minutes (she will have to finish). Going to be an historic run for many.

Noticeably absent: Returning champions. While Dallas Seavey and Dick Mackey were both in attendance at the picnic neither one has any plans to return to racing (we can give Mackey a pass at the young age of 93 and all), no other champion signed up in person or online. That should change as at least one returning champion had family at the race who expected him to send their application in once they were done doing tours for cruise ship guests. There was some concern about reigning champion Jessie Holmes as he had made comments to many that he would be at the picnic and signing up - yet Holmes was no where to be seen.

Fan favorites Matt Hall, Matt Failor, and Jeff Deeter were all at the picnic and ready to take another stab - this is a return for Failor as he sat last year out as a new dad of two. 

Six rookies signed up at the picnic, and five of the six rookies were able to win their entry fee back. This year 80% of each rookie's entry fee is covered by inaugural Expedition class musher Kjell Rokke. Longtime Iditarod Supporter Frank Seigler donated monies for a random drawing for up to four rookies for the remaining 20%. One rookie's fee was already paid in full and so they waived participation in the drawing. In true Iditarod fashion the lone musher left that did not win the random drawing was covered by Travis Beals and Sarah Stokey.

Race Director Mark Nordman was on hand to announce the musher drawings - with the grand finale being the two entry fees being awarded to two lucky mushers. Nordman asked for exiting CEO Rob Urbach to draw and announce the names. Mark took a moment to thank Urbach for his years of service to the race and spoke highly of their working relationship. It was announced Friday that Urbach was stepping down from his role - remaining with the race to help select his successor and help with the transition. 

Urbach pulled the names of Chad Stoddard and Hunter Keefe, both mushers seemed very excited to get that $4000 back.

Currently twenty-two mushers are signed up. More will surely follow - but as with the last few years the opening day list is short. This has some musing what it will take to bring it back to the 40+ name range in June, with many different ideas of what has caused the numbers to hover in the 30s by race day.

Iditarod 55 kicks off in Anchorage, Alaska on March 6, 2027. Mushers can register until November 30 before a significant increase in entry fee is applied. All applications are automatically under review by the Qualifying Review Board. Six of the twenty-two mushers are women; eight rookies are signed up.

A current list of mushers signed up can be found via the official Iditarod website.

What are your thoughts about this year's opening day? Who do you hope to see sign up? Comment below!

This blog has always been a hobby and will continue to be - and this list is more for myself than anything - if you can spare a few dollars to help keep this blog running I wouldn't say no. Please do not feel obligated, but know that all support (in every form, not just financial) is greatly appreciated! Click here to "buy me a coffee".

2026-27 Race Season

Jesse Terry and team at the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 54.

 

Race List

Knik 100
TBA, December 2026
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Knik 200*
January 2, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

MUSH Synnfjell
January 8, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Dog Creek 100 
January 8, 2027
Facebook

Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race
January 9, 2027
Website / Facebook

Copper Basin 300*
January 9, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Taaqpak 120
TBA, January 2027
Website / Facebook

Gunflint Mail Run
January 17, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race*
January 21, 2027
Website / Facebook  

Kuskokwim 300*
January 22, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Nisbet Forest Odyssey
January 22, 2027
Facebook

Two Rivers 200/100*
January 23, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Solo Sweepstakes
January 23, 2027
Website 

Hiawatha Heritage Dog Sled Race
January 29, 2027
Website / Facebook

Pedigree Stage Stop Race
January 29, 2027
Website / Facebook

PG Expedition Abitibi
January 29, 2027
Website / Facebook 

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon*
January 31, 2026
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Warm Lake Stage Race
Decomissioned - lack of consistent winter
Website / Facebook

Bergebyløpet N70
January 28, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Caledonia Classic
February 5, 2027
Website / Facebook

Yukon Quest Alaska*
February 6, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Yukon Quest Canada*
February 6, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Idaho Sled Dog Challenge*
Decomissioned - lack of consistent winter
Website / Facebook

Wilderness Sled Dog Race
February 6, 2027
Website / Facebook / Instagram

Northern Pines Sled Dog Race
February 6, 2027
Website / Facebook

Goose Bay 150*
TBA, February 2027
Facebook

Femundløpet*
February 10, 2027
Website / Facebook

Race to the Sky*
February 12, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Willow Jr. 100
February 12, 2027
Website / Facebook

Klondike Dog Derby
DECOMISSIONED

UP200*
February 12, 2027
Website / Facebook 

The Midnight Run
February 12, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Bogus Creek 150
February 13, 2027 (tentative)
Website / Facebook 

Tug Hill Challenge
TBA, February 2027
Website / Facebook

Canadian Challenge*
February 15, 2027
Website / BlueSky / Facebook 

Su Dog 300*
February 20, 2027 
Website / Facebook

Amundsen Race*
February 25, 2027
Website / Facebook 

WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race
February 28, 2027
Website / Facebook

Junior Iditarod
February 27, 2027
Website / Facebook

CopperDog
February 26, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Yukon Odyssey Race
February 20, 2027
Facebook

Torch River Sled Dog Race
February 27, 2027
Facebook 

Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Run*
March 4, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Finnmarksløpet*
March 5, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Iditarod 54*
March 6, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Can-Am Crown International*
March 6, 2027
Website / Facebook 

T-Dog 200*
March 19, 2027
Website / Facebook

La Chic-chocs
March 20, 2027
Website / Facebook

Nome to Golovin 200*
March 25, 2027
Website / Facebook 

Under Dog 100
March 26, 2027
Facebook

Copper Basin 100 (Junior)
March 26, 2027
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Hudson Bay Quest
Not this year.
Facebook

Kobuk 440*
TBA, April 2027
Website / Facebook

Junior Kobuk 440
TBA, April 2027
Website / Facebook

*Iditarod/Yukon Quest Qualifying Race

Do you like having an easy to find list like this and want to see them continue? This blog has always been a hobby and will continue to be - and this list is more for myself than anything - if you can spare a few dollars to help keep this blog running I wouldn't say no. Please do not feel obligated, but know that all support (in every form, not just financial) is greatly appreciated! Click here to "buy me a coffee".

Canada's Yukon Quest announces return for 2027

The newly created board for the Canadian version of the Yukon Quest announced Tuesday morning that they are full speed ahead for the 2027 race season. After the former board dissolved in late 2025/early 2026 and announced the 2026 race would be canceled a committee of longtime and loyal volunteers, mushers, and fans came together to revive the race. Now, just a little under two months later they've announced the return of the race.

Note, this is not the Yukon Quest of old, though the Canadian side got to keep the name in the "divorce" when the 1000 mile race's dual boards split. The Yukon Quest Alaska will still take place, as well as the Canadian side. Some had hoped that with a new board in place that the 1,000 mile race could happen again, but that was quickly shut down by the new board citing the logistical challenges of the border crossing and the lack of ice pack on the rivers to get teams safely from one end of the traditional route to the other.

Even just the Canadian side of the race faced that issue in the years it ran independent of Alaska. The trail issues were cited as one of a myriad of reasons the old board shut the race down. However, in today's press release the Yukon Quest board said that they have a solid plan for a safe trail and are even bringing back beloved checkpoints of old.

The race will host two events - a 550 mile long-distance race and a 300 mile mid-distance race. They promise more announcements and updates soon and encourage everyone to follow their social media pages as well as their website to keep up on the action.

Yukon Quest Canada is set to take off from Whitehorse on February 6, 2027. The Yukon Quest Alaska has not announced a race date as of yet, but have announced registration opening on August 22, 2026.

Thoughts and comments about this announcement? Are you excited? What do you expect from this new board? 

Jr Iditarod Race Committee needs your help

The Junior Iditarod turns 50 next year and the race committee is asking for race alumni and fan help. They hope to have a slideshow celebrating the fifty years of the Junior race, but they are lacking in photos dating further back than 2010. 

The Junior Iditarod was started to encourage the youth of Alaska to stick with Dog Mushing. It is an event that continues to draw teens from all over the state to run dogs and compete for scholarship monies. The race has produced some of the top names in the sport, and helped even more junior mushers achieve their academic goals post high school.

While the Junior Iditarod may not get the celebration and fanfare that *the* Iditarod gets, it is an important event in the mushing season. The mushing community comes out to celebrate and encourage the teens. 

Jeff Schultz, long-time official photographer of the Iditarod (and Junior Iditarod), put out a plea on social media Thursday looking for photos ahead of the celebration. 

The Junior Iditarod takes place the last Saturday in February ahead of the start of the Iditarod.

Jessie Holmes holds off Kevin Hansen for Kobuk 440 win

Jessie Holmes at the restart of Iditarod 54.
Holmes won the 2026 Kobuk 440 early
Sunday morning in Kotzebue.

Jessie Holmes had a very happy Easter early Sunday as he and his team came first into Kotzebue winning their fifth Kobuk title - the last (now) four consecutively! In true Team Can't Stop fashion, the champion led the race from start to finish. We just may be in the Jessie Holmes era of long distance dog mushing.

Holmes wasn't alone out in front, he battled with Kotzebue's own Kevin Hansen for most of the race. Hansen stayed right on Jessie's heels from day one and came into the finish just twenty-two minutes after the champion. Kevin even ran the final leg one minute faster than Jessie. An impressive second place finish for the up-and-coming star from Kotz.

The rest of the teams are still along the trail. Judging by the official standings it appears Calvin Daugherty's tracker is not working (it has him several checkpoints back from where the leaderboard has him. He is out of the final checkpoint and it took Holmes and Hansen a little over six hours to make the run into the finish to if Calvin is on schedule (he left at 6:19am AKDT Sunday) then he should be finishing somewhere between 12:30pm AKDT and 1:30pm AKDT Sunday.

After Calvin is a really exciting race happening between Larry Daugherty (yup, Calvin's dad) and Kristy Berington. Both are out of the final checkpoint. They should be coming into the finish around 3pm - but they can't take it easy as Sam McLain about fifteen minutes behind them. Whew! Sometimes the race within the race is more exciting than first place!

Red Lantern is currently Jennifer Nelson on the tracker - however it hasn't updated in 40 minutes, leaderboard also has her well behind the next to last team, so it's a good guess she's the red lantern. Teams have until 2pm Monday AKDT to officially finish.

Klondike Dog Derby announces end

The Board of Directors of Lake Minnetonka's Klondike Dog Derby releassed a statement Friday announcing the "retirement" of the long standing sled dog race. Revived in 2018, the race has struggled to put on races each year - with many believing Climate Change as playing a significant role.

The statement read in part that the difficult decision was made due to the irregular ability to hold a race with safe trails. The chances of both the lake being frozen and there be enough snow on the trails was "about 50/50". They canceled the last three years in a row for just those reasons. The statement said that in seven years they have only been able to hold three races.

"What keeps us grateful is knowing the joy the Klondike brought to this community," the race wrote. "Whether you were a sponsor, volunteer, musher or spectator, your smiles and enthusiasm drove us forward each year. We all have so many incredible memories from the Klondike that we will carry in our hearts forever."

This is just the latest dissolution of a sled dog race in the last few years. Since Covid Alaska, Canada, and the Northern MidWest have seen a number of races end due to inconsistent weather patterns since Covid. Even races like the Yukon Quest saw the threat of forever ending - Canada did not hold a Quest race this year, but a new board hopes to revive it in 2027. The decision is never easy, but sometimes Mother Nature makes the decision for us. Watch, next year they'll have cold and lots of snow. Just seems to how things be.

"We are planning a farewell event to gather with our Klondike family and honor everything this race has meant," the board added. "We’ll also host a Klondike merchandise giveaway and raise a toast to what truly was the “coolest thing that happened in winter” in the Twin Cities. Please stay tuned for more details."

The Klondike Dog Derby was last run in 2023, Dave Hochman was the winner.

Holmes leads early in Kobuk 440

It should shock no one to see Jessie Holmes take an early lead in a race. It has worked out for him well this season, and has worked in his past wins in this race. Holmes isn't alone, though. Kevin Hansen, the hometown team, is hot on his heels running just about a mile behind the reigning champ. 

Hansen ran a solid race in his rookie Iditarod where he lead for a good portion of the race and gave his fellow rookies a run for their money for rookie of the year. Hansen ended up coming in the third highest ranked rookie in Iditarod. He's also been pretty consistent in the Kobuk over the last few years. These are his stomping grounds, and it looks like he wants to take advantage of the trails and having such a solid team to challenge Holmes.

Behind the top two are about five more teams on the trail between Noorvik and Selawik. While everyone chose to spend time in Noorvik, there are significantly different strategies in rest schedules early in the race. Every team must take a combined total of 20 hours of mandatory rest, and the race keeps track on their leaderboards for fans and officials alike can keep track on who really is where on the mushing math side of things.

The weather seems to be "perfect" for a dog race. Bluebird skies wished the mushers well as they took off on the sea ice at 12:30pm Thursday. The mass start went off without a hitch and the mushers so far have been all smiles in photos and video shared.

The 440 is one of the longer mid-distance races (some call it long distance even though it is under the 500 mile mark), so it's still anyone's race at this point, but Holmes is going to make them pry it out of his hands.

2026 Kobuk 440 musher roster & race preview

And now, the end is near, and so we face the final curtain. Yup, it's that time of year. The last "big race" of the season is upon us and that means it's truly Springtime in Alaska (where it has been 40 below). The Kobuk 440 kicks off Thursday afternoon and it's going to be another exciting race that's seen some pretty epic runs the last few years.

Eleven teams are set to hit the trail at 12:30pm Thursday, with snow forecasted Wednesday (only an inch) and mostly clear skies Thursday with highs in the mid twenties, it's going to be a much warmer run than what the Iditarod teams faced a few weeks ago. Accuweather also forecasts a steady 8mph wind, which sounds pretty mild for this part of Alaska, so it should be an overall plesant race this weekend.

Of the eleven teams, eight are teams lead by women. There are also three teams that ran the Iditarod (four if you count that Sadie Lindquist's team will be with the Daugherty mushers). Two-time Iditarod Champion (and four-time Kobuk champion) Jessie Holmes is back to try and keep his streak going (he's won the last three races in a row). Local Kotzebue musher Kevin Hansen is the lone hometown team this year.

This is one of the races this year that has a mass start - there's no time differential at play, no two minute intervals at the start. The race says GO and teams can all take off at the same time, though some hold back a beat or two to keep from getting caught in a traffic jam. The race starts on the ice so there's a lot of space. It's an exciting start to watch and it's over almost as quickly as it begins.

Teams can start with a max of twelve dogs and must finish with five dogs pulling in harness. Teams have a mandatory total of 20 hours of rest. Teams must complete the race by 2pm on April 6. A full list of rules can be found on the race's website.

But enough about all that let's take a look at the roster. As always the post will be edited after the bib draw (which takes place later today).

Musher Roster

Bib	Musher	Kennel	Link	Link	Link
1	Virag Racz	Mille & Co	Website	Facebook	Instagram
2	Sam McLain	Skookum Expeditions	Website	Facebook	Instagram
3	Kevin Hansen	Hansen Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
4	Jessie Holmes	Can't Stop Racing Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
5	Kristy Berington	Hansen Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
6	Calvin Daugherty	Seavey's Ididaride	Website	Facebook	Instagram
7	Jody Potts-Joseph	Raven Clan Kennels	Website	Facebook	Instagram
8	Jennifer Nelson	Northern Lone Star Mushing		Facebook	Instagram
9	Annette Llanes	Honky Tonk Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
10	Larry Daugherty	Seavey's Ididaride	Website	Facebook
11	Jessi Downey	Aimaagvik Kennel		Facebook	Instagram

*Roster as of April 2, 2026 at 7:30am AKDT.

You know who's racing, but how are you going to watch if you can't get up to Kotzebue? So glad you asked!

How to Watch

Unlike what we just had with Iditarod (if you paid for Insider), the Kobuk like most of the mid-distance races relies more on social media posts and radio updates than they do video. Depending on weather and internet connection there may be live video of the start and finish. A frozen feed (pun somewhat intended) is possible, though the volunteer social media crew have gotten pretty good at making videos happen even if the livefeed doesn't. Along with the video feeds there are ways to keep up with the race happenings, so let's make sure we have all of the links you need.

Official Website
You can find the rules, links to all ways of following the race, and the history of the Kobuk 440 here. Musher bios are also available. The official website may have links to live feeds, so also keep a look out for that. Click here for the link.

GPS Tracker
We're all attached to this bit of technology. If you wonder where the term "tracky boi" came from, you can thank the Kobuk 440. Their social media team were the first to coin the phrase... the phrase that sets some fans' teeth on edge, but it's becoming more endearing each year. Once again, you can follow the race thanks to TrackLeaders. Beep-boop-beep.

Radio Broadcast
Race updates throughout the weekend will be broadcast over on KOTZ-AM. They have a livestream. They may broadcast the start, but it's unclear. Click here to listen in. (If that link doesn't work, try this one.)

Social Media
This is where it's at. The most entertaining race has to be the Kobuk 440 for their amazing social media team. The volunteers know how to get and keep your attention. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter where they are most active as well as Instagram. KOTZ-AM also has a Facebook page that should share some race info throughout the weekend.

You know HOW to watch, but let's make sure you catch all the action by giving you the days and times of what is planned.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, April 1
1:00pm - Meet the Mushers (Radio Interviews)
5:00pm - Musher Meeting
6:30pm - Bib Draw & Dinner

Thursday, April 2
12:30pm - Race Mass Start

Monday, April 6
2:00pm - Finish Cutoff
6:00pm - Awards Ceremony

Who are you excited to follow? Thoughts on who may take home the top prize? Comment with your thoughts below!

And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.