Could be an early morning finish for the Kusko

Richie Diehl is the first to make it to the final stop before the finish. His official time in is 10:24pm AKST. He will take a mandatory 4 hour rest before he can continue. He can leave at 2:24am Sunday. There's 46-48 miles of trail left for his team, so that gets him into the finish in possibly five hours or less. Start watching around 7am AKST just to be sure.

Pete Kaiser looks to be the next team in followed by Father Alexander Larson and Nicolas Petit. An official press release posted tonight that earlier today Petit took a wrong turn coming into the halfway point and lost up to potentially 16 minutes. It was determined that his mistake was due to a poorly marked trail (reported by Richie Diehl) and race officials decided to "give back" 10 minutes to Petit who only had to take a 50 minute layover in Tuluksak #3 checkpoint this afternoon. 

Isaac Underwood rounds out the top five. It's anyone's guess who can push and make it into 2nd place. As with a lot of races, it seems 2nd is where the real excitement will be.

So get a couple minutes of shut eye and be ready for an early morning finish! Looks like another Homegrown Team will be taking this championship.

Diehl leads in the Kusko

 The newly crowned Bogus Creek 150 champ Richie Diehl blew past front runner Nicolas Petit earlier this evening to take the lead of the Kuskokwim 300 race. Diehl came in on the heels of Petit into Tuluksak #3, but Petit had a mandatory hour of rest left to take - Diehl's rest is up. After taking only a couple of minutes to leave a dog with handlers, Diehl and his team of 11 dogs left the checkpoint taking the lead. All Petit could do is watch.

Petit was not alone in his rest strategy. Former Kusko champ Jeff King also must take an hour in Tuluksak #3. Diehl has been joined by 5-time Kusko Champion Pete Kaiser, and Kusko 300 rookies Father Alexander Larson and Issac Underwood. Just recently Petit and King gave chase. Each team will have a 4 hour mandatory layover in Tuluksak on their return before running into the finish.

The race is far from over, buckle up. The finish looks to be dramatic. Still a lot of race left, but it's quickly being eaten up.

Who needs sleep?

2021 Kuskokwim 300 Race Preview

Mushers and teams arrived today in Bethel, Alaska ahead of the 2021 Kuskokwim 300. The race always boasts an impressive roster of competitive teams, and even in this year of Covid it's no exception. While normally run in January, with rising Covid numbers happening early in the New Year, the race organizers chose to push back the race date to February hoping that Alaska would get the numbers under control (and a vaccine). The Kusko has one of the most intensive Covid-19 mitigation plan of all of the mid-distance races. Being off the road system, the race wants to take every precaution to protect the peoples of Western Alaska. 

Even with all of the changes to make sure they keep the communities along the trail safe, the Kusko still plans to make this a party for the ages. The fireworks are still planned for Friday night after the teams take off, and there will be a pre-recorded virtual awards ceremony on Sunday after everyone completes their race. As always, Bethel knows how to throw a dog race.

With a roster of 16 teams (as of February 7), the race is a balance of top names most everyone recognizes and some local heroes all running their first Kusko. It's promising to be another stellar race and the only bummer is it has to share the weekend with the Summit Quest (the new name of the Alaskan Yukon Quest 300).

So, let's do as we always do and take a look at the teams that are a safe bet to be near the top...

Dave Turner - The 2019 Tustumena 200 champ made Rookie of the Year in last year's Kusko. Turner has already withdrawn from one race this season, and his social media has been quiet since Christmas. I'm unsure if he's actually gone to Bethel, but I look for that info to update by morning one way or the other. Still, if Turner starts on Friday, but sure that he'll once again challenge for a lead spot. 

Jeff King - the 9-time Kusko Champion (and 4 time Iditarod champion among countless other races won) has been busy behind the scenes of this year's race season. He hosted the Denali Doubles at the start of the season, and he's created a new mid-distance qualifier race to take place in March (called the Ididn'trod, because of COURSE he did). But Jeff is now ready to get on the back of a sled and no double cause some trouble for the young guns currently dominating the racing scene. I don't know that I will ever keep him off the "to be watched" lists. (I mean, he DID come in 4th last year. Not too shabby for the "old dawg".)

Matthew Failor - the 2019 Kusko champ came in second sandwiched between two homegrown heroes in last year's race, proving that his win two years ago wasn't an anomaly. Failor has also had an easier season - choosing to send his dogs off with other mushers, but I expect that he'll be ready to go for another title this weekend.

Nicolas Petit - Let's just dub him the King of the Mid-Distance race, okay? One of the few he hasn't won, however, is the Kusko. He should probably be considered an underdog for this race, but he's been hot (as always) in his earlier races. Expect him to start fast early and try to jump to the front and stay there.

Pete Kaiser - the 5-time and reigning champion (and 2019 Iditarod Champion) dominates his home-town race. The homegrown musher is the odds on favorite to make it a 6-Pete, but he'll have his work cut out for him. This is Pete's backyard and he owns it. Do not expect him to be far from first.

Richie Diehl - the other hometown hero, while he's yet to win the Kusko, he did just win the Bogus Creek 150. Do not count him out. His team came in third in last year's race. It would be a huge deal to see Richie and Pete charge to the finish in a 1-2 order. And it's kinda what I'm rooting for. 

How to Follow

Unlike the bigger races like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, there is very little promise of any video coverage. With the temps dropping so low, even the facebook live feeds we've grown accustomed to cannot be guaranteed. Cold air zaps batteries faster than lighting, and who has the time or ability to keep their fingers exposed long enough to even press "start"?! That being said, the Kusko crew do their best to give us a looksee into the start, fireworks, and finish. So, how can race fans follow along when a race doesn't have Iditarod Insider like coverage?

Official Website

The Kusko's website is pretty slick. You can follow all of the races, fundraising and news from their site. It's easy to navigate and they have great musher bios. Be sure to check it out.

GPS Tracker

Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (I blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. You can follow the trackers here, but they won't go live until closer to go time on Friday.

Radio Broadcast

KYUK Radio will broadcast the start which begins at 6:30pm (start listening at 6pm for pre-race info). You can listen to the broadcast online through this link.

Social Media

Updates will most likely be posted on the race's facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. Photo updates should come from Instagram. They typically try to have a facebook live feed. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.

KYUK is also plans to post updates on their facebook page, including facebook interviews with the mushers from the last week or so.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, February 10
2pm - Covid Tests for Mushers

Thursday, February 11
11am - Food Drops
2pm - Covid Testing
6pm - Musher Meeting (Bib Draw?) 

​Friday, February 12
6:30pm - 2020 Kuskokwim 300 START
8pm - "The Lead Dog Light Show" presented by First National Bank Alaska

Saturday, February 13
2pm - Akiak Dash Mass Start

Monday, February 14
7pm - Virtual Awards Ceremony via Facebook

Which teams are you cheering for? Comment with your thoughts and questions below.

2021 Willow 300 Race Preview

Mushing fans are excited that, once again, we have a mushing weekend to celebrate. Covid-19 will not win against the sled dog season as  another race with a very healthy roster is set to get underway on Thursday. The Willow 300 in a relatively new race, but very popular among veteran and rookie mushers alike. The race came to be after several mid-distance races stopped running due to funding and lack of interest. They've had no problems filling their roster each season.

There were concerns the race would not run this year due to a lack of volunteers (a struggle this race has had since its inception), however an early season plea by the race saw a good number of people sign-up. With Covid-19 still a concern, the race adopted a similar mitigation plan to what the Copper Basin 300 implemented earlier in January. 

Because of construction at Willow Lake, teams will leave from Deshka Landing just a little way up the trail. With this change comes the change from starting with a Mass Start to the more traditional staggered start with teams leaving in two minute intervals with a mandatory rest with time differential. For a full look at the rules for this year's race you can read up at this link. 

As stated, the 2021 Willow 300 has a healthy (and FULL) roster of 45 teams. A good mix of veterans and rookies grace the list, so the Iditarod/Quest qualifier will be an exciting race to follow. As with most of the mid-distance races we can't be 100% sure who will show up on race day, but don't expect a lot of changes past today as they closed the window to switch out names at Noon. 

With so many teams, it makes it interesting for who will come in the top spots, but let's shake out a few of those teams that could easily take the top prize.

Aaron Burmeister - Burmeister is one of those solid teams who you can count to challenge for first place in many races. He's come close in the Iditarod several times in the last 10 years, and manages top ten finishes. Burmeister has a "puppy" team in this race as well so it's unsure if he'll hold back to keep an eye on his "rookie" musher or if he'll be racing, but I expect if things are going well Aaron will work to take the lead.

Cim Smyth - Never, ever, ever count out a Smyth. No one can close out a final leg like Cim (okay, except maybe his brother Ramey), it's been said he trades out his boots for running shoes. Cim is a five-time Tustumena 200 champion, so he's very capable of winning mid-distance races. Never, ever, leave him off of a prediction list. (I'm also wildly biased as I just think he's one of the really good ones all the way around.)

Dave Turner - Dave is also a former Tustumena 200 champion (winning the very last running of that race) and has steadily risen up the ranks of other mid-distance races. Expect him to run for the lead and stay there. He's run against and beaten several of the teams listed here, so it's anyone's guess how he'll do in this race.*

Julie Ahnen - It's not every day you want to put a rookie musher who's working on qualifying for the BIG race up as a team to watch to win, but she's proven that she has a team and the knowledge to be right up there with the big names. Running Jessie Holmes' team doesn't hurt either. Ahnen really challenged Nic Petit in the Copper Basin 300 and had the possibility of beating him if not for a mistake in calculating her differential (a classic rookie mistake). Do not expect her to make that mistake a second time.

Nicolas Petit - Another speed demon on the trail, Nic just won his fourth consecutive Copper Basin 300. He's almost always near the top when he's racing. Look for Nic to continue that streak in this race. There's not much more to say, he seems to be the king of mid-distance right now, and it's doubtful to change any time soon.

Travis Beals - Travis is part of that up and coming now they're here group of mushers proving time and again that you don't have to be an old dog to win these races. The musher from Seward named his kennel Turning Heads, and he certainly has over the years. Expect Travis to be near the top at the finish.

Wade Marrs - New Dad Wade Marrs is looking to start his season off strong in his backyard. Another solid front of the pack team, expect Wade to be there with the others and could easily take a win away from anyone who makes even the minor-est of mistakes. (Plus he has this super cute puppy named Stitch so he wins all the awards from me!)

How to Watch

Unlike the other races that have established media sources and big sponsorships that garner attention from outside media, the Willow 300 runs mainly by its volunteer staff to keep fans updated. Here are the links you need to know to be able to follow the race.

Official Website

Unlike the other races, the Willow 300 just has a web page as part of the Willow Dog Musher Association's website. It holds links to the official rules, the tracker map, the forms and applications for mushers, and ways to sponsor the race (including purchasing a mile of the trail for $30.)

GPS Tracker

Where would we be without our wonderful GPS trackers from TrackLeaders.com?

Social Media

For the Willow 300, Social Media is the race's life blood. They post mainly to their Facebook Page, but are also active on their Twitter account at race time. They also share a few photos and posts on their Instagram Page. Expect a live feed for the start and finish on their facebook page - though they have not announced that to be planned. 

Start begins at 11am (a one hour difference from years past) on Thursday, February 4, at Deshka Landing up in the Willow, Alaska area. As with all of the races during Covid all other festivities have been canceled and they ask that spectators keep away from all official checkpoints and staging areas.

So there's your 2021 rundown, hopefully this helps a little in choosing your Fantasy Mushing team. Who are you cheering for? Comment below with your favorites.

*Edited to acknowledge that Dave Turner has withdrawn from the race.

Nicolas Petit is your 2021 Copper Basin 300 champion

They done did the thing! pic.twitter.com/Tcd4MndsyG

— Jess ☞ Black Lives Matter (@fartsock) January 11, 2021

In a finish that surprised really no one, Nicolas Petit and his team of 9 dogs stormed the finish of the Copper Basin 300 at 11:48am Monday to take his fourth title. According to KCAM Radio, Nic is the first musher to ever win four Copper Basin races in a row. Nic left Chistochina with 10 dogs on the line, but had to put one in his sled due to the dog tiring early in the run. Due to Covid-19 there will not be an awards ceremony and the teams are going to receive any prizes at the finish. Also due to Covid-19 there are no large crowds to welcome them. 

In a battle for second Joar Leifseth Ulsom has a narrow lead over Gunnar Johnson, both teams are less than 5 miles from the finish line and should be in in time for lunch. Joar is technically a rookie in this race as the other time he competed in the Copper Basin 300 the race was stopped mid-race over concerns of brutally cold temperatures. 

There is a live video feed of the finishes provided by the Copper Basin 300, as well as radio broadcast through KCAM radio. 

With 7 mile lead Petit looks to finish strong

Nicolas Petit at the ReStart of Iditarod 47
March 3, 2019.

It ain't over til it's over, but in all likelihood Nicolas Petit is running into the finish of the Copper Basin 300 to win his fourth consecutive title. Gunnar Johnson and Joar Leifseth Ulsom have given chase, but sit seven miles behind the leader who has kicked it into high gear. It seems Petit owns this race. Of course, stranger things have happened and it isn't a given that he's won until he wins, but be on the look out for Nic Petit to come into the finish around 11:30am AKST (could be earlier, more likely later. Check the GPS to make sure you don't miss him come across the finish line.) 

Overnight three more teams scratched from the race, including Shaynee Traska who was one of the leaders of the chase pack yesterday. It was reported by fans who watched over night that Shaynee left Meier's Lake and ran a few miles before turning back and returning to the checkpoint. There's no official report on any of the race scratches, so we will only know what happened if the musher(s) decide to make a statement on their own social media pages. Scratching is a very emotional and personal decision for mushers and sometimes they remain silent. Jeff Reid and Allen Dunn also scratched last night at Meier's Lake.

ATAO kennel reports that the trail is not the best condition with a lot of sugar snow. Sugar Snow adds friction to the sled and also makes for a very unstable/soft trail which only gets worse the more teams go over it. 

It does appear that Julie Ahrens did not complete her mandatory six hour plus differential and has had to take another 6+ rest in Chistochina. The rookie musher had a phenomenal race and should be very proud of what she and her team accomplished. Every team has made the differential mistake, it wouldn't be a "rookie mistake" if they hadn't. This was Ahren's first Iditarod qualifier and above all that is the goal.

The champion finish is always celebration worthy, but the true excitement comes from battle for placement. second place and fourth place look at being closely contended. Teams must give the right of way to the team coming up faster behind them UNTIL "no man's land" (typically the last mile to the finish) then it's every team for itself. Watching teams come in seconds after each other always gives for a fun little jump in excitement.

Get ready for an exciting afternoon of finishes, race fans. CB300 had announced they planned to go live for the finish and I believe the link will be shared on their website. You can also listen to the finish on KCAM online. 

Ulsom and Hall giving chase towards the final checkpoint

Nicolas Petit at the ReStart of
Iditarod 48. March 8, 2020.

Petit might need to look over his shoulder from time to time. What was once a challenge of two is now a challenge of potentially four as Matt Hall and Joar Leifseth Ulsom have made a move to join Gunnar Johnson and Julie Ahren in chasing Petit. Of the top five out of Meier's Lake, only Ahren has yet to take their six hour plus differential mandatory rest (though a refresh does show her staying for 6.5, they don't have it down as completed). Ahren will have to take it at the final checkpoint at Chistochina (unless the notation is . With the rest having just the final few hours to take, Ahrens is all but out of contention (we've seen some weird finishes, so never say never). Gunnar Johnson led for most of Saturday and has been hot on Petit's heels when not in lead.

For Joar Leifseth Ulsom it looks like plans from when he made his racing schedule for the season have changed. While he posted on his site that this would be treated like a training run - it seems he's making a run that's more competitive than training. Matt, too, has a young team that apparently has shown they're ready to race and he's let up on the brake to let them have that experience. Hall's team has reported through out the Copper Basin how GREAT the team is doing. Always good to read that the coach is happy with his team.

If Ahrens has taken her mandatory, she and Gunnar both have a half hour less rest to take than Petit. Ulsom also has just 3.5 hours to take. Hall, like Petit, has four hours left to take. It should be an interesting night, especially since both Matt and Joar's trackers seem to not want to refresh. The current leg for the front runners have a lot of river crossings and potential for overflow is high. There are also some intense (for this race) elevation changes. It could be slow going for a while depending on trail conditions.

Nic's got about 90 miles until the finish. 40 to his final checkpoint and mandatory four hours of rest. His moving average speed according to trackers is 9mph. I don't expect that for this current run, but he'll punch it out of Chistochina. If we give him an 8.5mph average we could see a finish tomorrow around 11:30am or Noon - if all goes well and speed improves from what it is at the moment. We're probably looking closer to 1pm (IFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF my math is correct at all which we all know I'm the worst at this). I just encourage everyone to be ready for a late morning early afternoon finish.

This is not saying that it couldn't change up and we could see someone else take the title away from the reigning champion, but for now Nic has command of the trail and without a trail report we don't know if he will be hindered by being so far up ahead or if this will see a four-peat for the speedy musher.

Petit charges into lead over night

 

Nicolas Petit's team at the Ceremonial Start of
Iditarod 48. March 7, 2020.

It should surprise no one that Team Petit currently leads - mile-wise - the Copper Basin 300. The three-time and reigning CB champ is known for his aggressive racing strategy of get out ahead of everyone and keep the lead. Nic often accounts his racing style to just letting the dogs set their pace and if that means they lead, they lead, but to me it feels far more like that's just where the musher likes to keep his team. It's a good strategy if you can keep it, and so far in the mid-distance races it works for him (still waiting to see it truly work for him in the Iditarod). 

Keeping Petit company is rookie Julie Ahren who is running a team of dogs belonging to Reality TV Star Jessie Holmes. Holmes is playing handler while Ahren runs the dogs and she has consistently stayed with the lead pack. Rounding out top three is Gunnar Johnson who is kind of a surprise through all of this and one wonders if he can keep the pace for the whole course. Johnson is running his Iditarod 2021 season with the goal of bringing more awareness to Suicide and Suicide prevention, so it's nice to see him rocket up the trail with confidence. (I believe he is running Jim Lanier dogs? I could be wrong.) 

The chase pack is large but full of a lot of well known names as well as a few up and comers many may not be aware of. Hunter Keefe looks to really improve his standing over last year's Copper Basin. Joar Leifseth Ulsom's "puppy team" that was just using this race as a "training run" seems to be more into racing than his website led on (also he has a lot of veteran dogs on his team for a "puppy team" but who am I to judge). Matt Hall is reportedly very excited that his young team seems to be "getting it" in their first major race, and Jeff Deeter's team is also performing strongly. 

Three scratches happened overnight. The first sign of "trouble" was Falk Huettman's tracker starting and stopping multiple times in the first leg and falling very much behind. Suddenly his tracker pinged going 41mph and that was almost a total giveaway that someone decided to throw in the towel. The scratch wasn't made official until this morning, but it came as no surprise. John Lloyd, running a puppy team for Team Petit, chose to scratch when the group of young dogs decided they were done. The whole goal of a puppy team is to get them used to the schedule of racing, the energy of a race, and to make sure they have fun. From John's wife's report it sounds like by the end of the night neither team or musher was having much fun. Elisha Rutledge rounds out the list of scratches, but no word on reason.

Several teams chose to do their mandatory 6 hour (plus differential) layover in Lake Louise, the front runners were not among them. Teams must have a mandatory 18 hours of rest over the course of the race. Nic has 8.5 hours tallied so far. 

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.

Iditarod 2020 Top Ten

Each year it's harder to choose a top ten for the Iditarod, there are so many quality top teams it can be very hard to narrow down who has the best chance. Time and again we see that the slightest blip can control the race. A star lead dog has to go home unplanned. A freak snow storm blows in. A musher cuts their hand or severs their finger... or falls asleep and lets their team take the wrong turn and run the wrong way for over an hour.

It's cliche but the trick to winning the Iditarod is run your race, have everything go right for your plan and have things go wrong with everyone else's. It's not just skill involved, but luck. Weather, trail conditions, it all plays its part and it's completely out of everyone's control. Nearly 50 years into the Last Great Race and even with all of the improvements to training, trail, dog care, equipment... it still comes down to Mother Nature calling the shots.

So which teams have the best shot? It's hard to say, but here are ten that should be right up there.

Aaron Burmeister - Most years I put Burmeister in the "honorable mentions" because he's always a contender, and last year he came in 10th. Burmeister's team is a solid team, and he's a fantastic dog driver. Nome's "hometown hero" would need a lot to go right for him to be the top team to finish, but it's not too much of a stretch to see him challenge for that title. Deeper snow trails seem to be a game changer for Burmeister, and Alaska has had a fairly decent snow season. Expect Burmeister to hang back a bit until the halfway mark before turning up the speed.

To learn more about Aaron Burmeister check out his Iditarod Bio, and Facebook.

Aliy Zirkle - The overwhelming fan favorite, and for good reason, Aliy Zirkle is still a top ten team. Though her best finishes came in 2012-2014, she has consistently been top 10 for the last ten years. She is one of the few mushers to never have a scratch to their name since starting her first Iditarod 19 years ago. As has been her team's schedule, they once again ran the Yukon Quest with Aliy's husband Allen Moore and placed a very respectable 4th on a very difficult trail. Aliy CAN go all the way and make it first to Nome. Is this the dog team to run her there? Time will tell.

You can learn more about Aliy and SPKennel through her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jessie Royer - I have to apologize to Jessie for counting her out last year. Royer was the first woman to Nome last year coming in third behind Pete Kaiser and Joar Leifseth Ulsom. Royer is a solid dog musher, and even though she didn't hit any of the big races in Alaska this season until Iditarod, she's not sat back and let everyone else have all the fun. Jessie just won Race to the Sky in Montana - again - and is no doubt on the road to Alaska to get the team acclimated for their 10 day trek across the state. Do not be surprised if Royer once again is one of the top teams in Iditarod.

To learn more about Jessie view her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - The 2018 Iditarod Champion narrowly missed out on his second title last March, coming in just twelve minutes after Champion Pete Kaiser. Joar has run the Iditarod 7 times and has NEVER BEEN LOWER THAN 7TH. He is one of the safest bets to make the top ten, and the silent threat for first. Joar's team isn't *slow and steady* but they definitely give off that vibe of quiet calm. Look for Joar to make his move once they hit the coast.

You can learn more about Joar from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Michelle Phillips - She was just 4 hours behind Brent Sass in the 2020 Yukon Quest, and for most of the race had people convinced she'd come out the winner. Phillips did not run last year, opting instead to cheer her husband Ed Hopkins along his first Iditarod. She's not cracked the top ten in Iditarod, but that could very well change this year. The only question is if her dogs have enough rest on them after a very challenging Quest.

To learn more about Michelle and the dogs of Tagish Lake Kennel visit her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Mitch Seavey - The three-time Iditarod Champion (and record holder for fastest time and oldest champion) had a bit of a difficult race last year and ended up 9th after several wins in the top 3 over the last few years. The second generation Iditarod musher (his dad, Dan, is one of the original Iditarod mushers known as the Trailbreakers who helped to start the race) is your classic dog musher... but he's also proven you can teach an "old dog new tricks" and that's why he's finding himself consistently vying for the title - keeping all the "young guns" at bay. Don't expect this year to be any different. He's in it to win.

You can find Mitch all over the internet, check out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, Tour Facebook, Instagram, Tour Instagram, and Twitter.

Nicolas Petit - This guy's only real kryptonite seems to be the run from Shaktoolik to Kaltag. Nic has easily taken the lead for most of the last three Iditarods only to have something go wrong as he heads up the coast. In 2018 he got lost following the wrong markers, and ended up losing his lead to Joar Leifseth Ulsom. Last year his dogs altogether stopped in the same section, and Nic suspects they had remembered too much of what had happened in '18 and didn't want to repeat it so they sat down. Nic has had a far easier race schedule than in previous years as well, so maybe 2020 is his year?

To learn more about Nic and "the kids" visit his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Pete Kaiser - The reigning Iditarod Champion is still riding high after making history in 2019. Pete also regained his Kusko 300 Champion title after losing it to Matthew Failor last year. Last year I made the statement that it wasn't a question of if Pete would win the Iditarod but when... and so it was not surprising to see him running first down Front Street in a snow and windstorm in Nome. It's hard enough winning the Iditarod more than once, back to back is an even bigger challenge, but Pete has a solid team and a good strategy. It would not be surprising.

To learn more about Peter Kaiser check out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Ramey Smyth - Can I just point out that Ramey beat Mitch in last year's Iditarod? Smyth is known for his fast finishes, and is a force out on the trail. He charged up the trail nearly catching Dallas Seavey and Aliy Zirkle in 2012, and he seemingly came out of nowhere to do it. While we shouldn't expect him to do that again and win, do not count this team out ever. Even when the race starts off on the wrong foot, Ramey pulls it together like no other. Expect him near the top again. (Oh and he's another one of those 2nd generation mushers, his dad ran the first Iditarod, his mother ran in the 2nd Iditarod!)

To find out more about Smyth check out his Iditarod Bio, and Facebook.

Travis Beals - The last two years Travis has been in the top 10, and if you go by the pattern you could maybe thing he will be in the top 3 this year as he seems to be improving his placement with that big a leap each year. There's a reason why they named their kennel "Turning Heads". Travis' goal from the start was to be one of the top kennels in the world, and he's well on his way. It will be interesting to see what 2020 has in store for Beals.

To learn more about Travis and Turning Heads Kennel read his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.



But I can't stop at 10. The field is so deep there are so many incredible teams, and the littlest things on the trail can turn the race on its head. So let me give you five "honorable mentions" who could really blow apart the predictions above.

Jeff King - It's hard not having King in the top 10, and he's my best bet to actually be one of the "honorables" to crack the top 10 and even challenge for the lead. 4-Time Iditarod Chamion Jeff King was a late entry for this year's race due to his not being sure he'd be recovered from shoulder(?) surgery in time for training and the race. Everything seems to be going well, and King entered a couple of mid-distance races and did quite well. It's hard to say where Jeff will end up, but I don't expect him to be out of the top 20.

You can read more about Jeff and the Husky Homestead from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Matthew Failor - The 2019 Kuskokwim Champion didn't crack the top 10 in the 2019 Iditarod, but that doesn't mean he isn't on the upswing. Many teams had their race slow when the snow storm blew in as they ran up the coast, and he still managed a top 20 finish. He's yet to crack the top ten, but he's gotten close a few times. He could sneak in this year.

To learn more about Matthew Failor and his dogs, check out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Paige Drobny - Not going to lie, I'm starting to feel like I should put Paige in the top 10. She's another one that could definitely jump to the top this year, or any year. The Top Dawg at Squid Acres Kennel, Paige came in seventh in the 2019 Iditarod and it would not be surprising to see here there again - it's just such a competitive field it's hard to know just who will rise above the rest. The dogs of Squid Acres managed a third place finish in the Yukon Quest with Cody Strathe, so this could be another year Drobny is top 10.

To learn more about Paige and the dogs of Squid Acres click on her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Richie Diehl - Diehl nearly chased down Matt Failor in the 2020 Kusko 300, barely missing out on a second place finish. Diehl is another Western Alaska musher who has really made a mark on the sport of long distance mushing. In 2018 Richie managed a top 10 finish and barely missed out on the top 10 last year. Like Drobny he should probably be in the top 10 predictions, but the field is so strong that some mushers just ended up down here because there wasn't room!

To learn more about Richie you can check out his Iditarod Bio, and Facebook.

Wade Marrs - Stump Jumpin' Kennel has three top ten finishes under their belt, but Wade's last two Iditarods have been especially tough. He was unable to complete the 2018 Iditarod, scratching on the Coast, and last year's difficult trail saw the team finish in 14th. However, Wade could very well break the top 10 again with his team. Wade grew up watching and learning from many of the best dog drivers, and has applied all he's learned to his own kennel. He was president of the Iditarod Finisher's Club, and is very active with the continued positive advancement of the sport.

To learn more about Wade Marrs visit his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.


As I noted, this field is incredibly strong. There are other names like Brent Sass, Jeff Deeter, Jessie Holmes, Kelly Maixner, Jason Campeau, Linwood Fielder, and Ryan Redington (to name a few) could easily blow apart these predictions. So much of it comes down not only to talent and experience but luck of the bib draw, the weather, etc. Every little factor becomes a big factor in how this all shakes out. No matter what, this is looking to be an incredibly challenging and exciting race and I'm here for it. Are you?

Comment below with your thoughts, who are YOUR top ten and how do you choose? Are you running a Fantasy Mushing team? Let me know your hopes for this year's Iditarod in the comment section below.

Iditarod 47 - Top Ten

As the clock winds down ever closer to the start of the 47th Iditarod, thoughts are turning to who will become the next champion. The pool is growing larger for potential champions. Knowing who is going to take the top prize is more difficult every year. In fact, this year's top ten is really a top fifteen since I just can't seem to narrow it down further. So, yeah, I have a few honorable mentions.

Top Ten

Aliy Zirkle - SPKennel's top dawg, Zirkle is the 2000 Yukon Quest Champion who has been so close to the Iditarod Championship she could taste it. Aliy is everyone's favorite. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone - fan or competitor - who could say a bad thing about her. But enough about why we all love Aliy. She is a true dog woman. Her dogs just ran the Quest with her husband Allen Moore and gave it a good go, but tapered off during the final push. Aliy's team struggled last year during the Iditarod when a storm blew in early on in the race and she finished out of the top ten. That being said, I'm not ready to count Aliy out yet, and last year's finish might be the push she needs to come back "with a vengence".

Jeff King - King is a four-time Iditarod champion who is still gunning for another. While his fellow four-timers seem to have conceded that the race has changed since they won their races, Jeff hasn't given up on the illusive number five. King was just hours away from number five in 2014 when a storm blew him off course and he was forced to scratch. Jeff has proven that he is willing to take chances, but not ones that will do wrong by his dogs. He's an old hat at this race, and that experience comes in handy. His dogs come from a long line of champions. Everything is there to come together, the problem is that a lot of other teams have grown up studying "the winningest musher" and now he has more teams threatening to dethrone him. I was *this close* in bumping him down, but you can't count out Mr. The King.

Jessie Holmes - Many counted out the rookie last year, chalking him up as nothing more than a reality TV star, but Holmes came to play. He not only won Rookie of the Year, he broke the top ten. Jessie's got speed on his side, and he has the right kind of ego to get him to the finish in first. He definitely believes in himself and his dogs. But ego is most definitely a two edged sword and it can cloud judgement. Push too soon and the dogs will slow on the coast. They did incredibly well last year, but a storm helped a lot keeping many of the veteran teams at a slower pace. It will be interesting to see what Jessie Holmes and team will be capable of this year.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Can Joar repeat? Repeat wins are difficult. Even if every dog is the same, the elements and trail change from hour to hour and there is no guarantee that you will have even close to the race you had last time. Joar quickly climbed the standings in his Iditarod career, now he has to maintain. That's hard to do in any sport, and especially in dog mushing. Joar had the perfect storm blow in to help him advance to the number one spot. I don't expect Nicolas Petit to lose the trail on the Norton Sound again. If Joar wants to become a repeat champion he is going to have to stay within striking distance and have enough gas in the tank to jump out ahead when the time is right.

Matt Hall - It's kind of mind boggling that this will only be Matt's third Iditarod, but the 2017 Yukon Quest Champion has made sure to keep his name in the running for top ten. He nearly missed out on a top ten finish last year, and was on his way to a strong lead in this year's Yukon Quest when he was sidelined (by choice) waiting for a diagnosis of one of his dogs (doggie cancer sucks). Even with having to make up quite a bit of time, Hall managed a very respectable fifth place finish on one of the most difficult Quests in memory. It is completely within reason to see Matt make the top ten, and I wager he could very easily challenge for first.

Mitch Seavey - "Da Man" or "Old Man" Seavey, depending on who you talk to, has found the fountain of youth and has kept many of the young guns at bay in the last 7 years. The Three-Time Iditarod champion has proven time and again that you can teach the... once around the block... guy new tricks. Master strategist, dog man, and just all around expert - you just don't want to count him out. But, like Zirkle, Mitch can sometimes be the "weak link", but more recently he has worked to improve his athletic ability to be able to do more behind the sled than we're used to seeing. I don't expect him to pull out the tricks from Dallas's books and run sprints up mountains with the team, but don't be shocked to see Mitch not only keeping up but surpassing known fast teams. It's all about "building the monster" as they say.

Nicolas Petit - Someone is starting to gain somewhat of a comical reputation as one who is directionally challenged. Last year Petit was solidly in the lead when he took a wrong turn during the run across the Norton Sound, he lost not only valuable time, but the extra work the dogs ended up dealing with as they backtracked slowed his team. The misstep cost him the win. He's had a few misdirections in several of his mid-distance races this season. Whether it's a loss of focus, or flat out being asleep, or something else - who knows. But it doesn't take much guessing to know that Nicolas is going to run this Iditarod like he has something to prove. Expect Nicolas to get up in front early and fight hard to stay there.

Peter Kaiser - The four-time Kusko 300 champion missed out on a fifth title this season, but not for lack of trying. Kaiser managed a fifth place finish in last year's Iditarod which threw many curveballs at the teams crossing the thousand miles of Alaskan wilderness. One of the strongest Western Alaska teams, Kaiser has steadily climbed the rankings and is poised to do well yet again. It's not a matter of if Kaiser will be an Iditarod champion, it's when. His dogs have it in them, and so does he, but just like all the other champions that have gone before, everything has to go very right for them, and other teams have to have something go wrong. Kaiser has the tools.

Travis Beals - This is another pick that I went back and forth on. When Travis is on, he is very very good, other times he's middle of the pack. Beals had a decent season again this year, and looks to have a solid team. Travis did very well in last year's snowmageddon Iditarod, so one would expect it to go well again this year. He is determined, and it would not be a surprise to see him crack the top ten again.

Wade Marrs - After last year's disappointing race where he scratched on the coast, Marrs is back and should be a contender. The face of Stump Jumpin' Kennel and the former ITC Musher Board Representative, Wade is one of the most exciting "up and coming" (though after this many years, is he really still up and coming?) teams. Marrs trained with some of the best in the sport while in the junior ranks, and he's shown to be a pretty quick study when it comes to racing against some of the best in Iditarod. While using his own methods, Marrs has picked up a few tricks watching how Dallas Seavey races Iditarod, and it's no wonder his schedule seems to match up with those of the Seavey teams. It will be interesting to see how a healthy Wade matches up with the pack this go around.


Dark Horses

I couldn't stop at 10. Honestly there's at least 15 teams that could easily be top ten depending on circumstance. This is a highly competitive field and it's exciting to see. So I have been stressing all week trying to justify my picks, and I can't so I'm adding a few more who could easily make it into the top ten.

Aaron Burmeister - No stranger to Iditarod, Burmeister has knocked on the door to the title for many years now. His short-lived retirement(s) proved that he isn't quite able to give up the dogs or the lifestyle. For some, the race just gets inside them and they have to continue on. Each time Burmeister comes back, he reminds everyone just how good he is. Last year he came 12th, in 2015 he was third. He has a very good chance of breaking into the top ten again. He just has to play his cards right.

Jessie Royer - I really wanted to put her in my top ten, but something tells me this is not her year. Jessie ran the Yukon Quest earlier this month, and she had a rough go of it. Not sure if it was just the extreme negative temperatures (likely) or if this is a team rebuilding year. So I have her as a dark horse this year. I'd love for her to wreck my top ten and make a high placement (or a win), but I'm going to hedge my bets on her.

Matthew Failor - Mattew just beat out Pete Kaiser last month in the Kuskokwim 300, a race Pete pretty much owns. A former handler for four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser before striking out on his own with his own team of dogs. It hasn't taken him long to become a true contender. The Kusko is just the first stepping stone on the way to the top. His race this year will be fun to watch as it plays out.

Ramey Smyth - One of the best finishers in the business, you don't want to ever have a Smyth team running up behind you. Ramey has come close to beating out champions in the past, and is always knocking on the door. In so many ways it feels like he should have "Iditarod Champion" next to his name, but he hasn't quite found the magic for it to happen. Still, don't be surprised to see his name creep up the standings, especially once his team hits the coast. Then all bets are off.






Thoughts on who might take the prize this year? Who do you have in your top ten? Comment below!

Iditarod BBQ 2018

Last night I was so tired after a long day of driving and "extroverting" that I did a very short blog post about the BBQ before passing out for the night. I live in Kenai which is a 4 hour drive (one way) to Wasilla... on a good day... without traffic... or a dad who wants to stop at Cabella's for a man's version of retail therapy... and who also drinks way too much fluids when road tripping if you get my drift. I guess he's getting me back for that summer of potty training when I'm pretty sure I waited until no bathrooms were in sight and I just had to go behind a bush on the side of the road.

But I digress, you're not hear to read about my road trip woes (it really wasn't that bad).

The BBQ was not as well attended as in year's past. Normally by noon the overflow parking is filled with dog trucks and volunteer cars alike, but when we got there only a handful were there. This is a huge field to park in, so it was a very noticeable difference. There is no doubt, to me, that the "woes of the ITC" in the last two years are starting to greatly affect the long standing fans and volunteers along with the mushers. You cannot have a race the size of the Iditarod without those, but it seems the ITC is still more concerned with protecting their seats than the race.

After parking we made our way to the gift shop, where I ran into my first musher - Iditarod Rookie Blair Braverman. As I said in a previous blog post, she flew in from Wisconsin to sign up for her first Iditarod. I've "known" her husband for 4 years as he followed me on twitter, and I think it was a year later he suggested I follow Blair - and I'm glad I listened. Blair is such a positive voice for the sport - she just makes it fun. She is a kick to follow on twitter, and if you like sled dog puppies (I love them) then you definitely want to follow her, too.

I didn't actually spot her, she spotted me as I walked into the gift shop and she shouted my name. It's a small room, but I think we were all shocked that we'd finally managed to be in the same place at the same time (we missed meeting up at the restart this year, her husband worked at Ididaride one summer and I never saw him, it's crazy!). After exchanging hugs and introductions to my dad, they pointed out that Mitch Seavey was in the room next door and so Q went to interview him, Blair and I chatted and realized he was never coming back so we went in search. It was an interesting conversation considering Mitch had let the world know just a few days before that he was considering sitting out next year's race. Mitch attended the meeting that morning in hopes of having his concerns listened do and addressed, we had a very interesting conversation (for instance they are changing the "dropped dog" term to "returned dog" and it sounds like that was a heated debate in what the new term should be).

Trying to convince the three-time champion that social media is a great tool.

I'm still very much Team Seavey so I am biased, but I do feel that Mitch - as always - has a really good perspective on the issue and that he's thought it through. A part of me wants him to run and just to hell with the rest of them, but another part of me wants him to stand firm. I don't know if there is a right answer. I'd like to think Mitch is right, because it's the closest to what I think, but I'm not sure. I do know that there's a lot of hurt, and a lack of trust, and it's not just Seavey... and they're not the ones who started it. There was a quietness to the event this year that just seemed to hang in the air.

It's an Upside Down World

Bradley Farquhar's lead dogs at the Ceremonial Start
of the 46th annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
March 3, 2018 Anchorage, Alaska

2018 will definitely go into the record books as one of the more exciting Iditarod races. Equally as exciting is the new found interest in the Norwegian long distance sled dog race the Finnmarkslopet. As standings currently sit, a Norwegian is set to take the top prize in the Iditarod and an American is leading the race in Norway.

Times they may be changing.

While the race in Norway has seemingly gone off without a hitch, the Iditarod has had a tumultuous run. And we're not just talking politics. This year's Iditarod is giving long time fans all the feelings of a good ol' fashioned dog race in the 90s. We've had blizzard like conditions for most of the week. Just when teams think the worst is over another storm would blow in slowing them down once again. The Norton Sound proved to be the breaking point for Nicolas Petit's team as they were blown off course and ended up an hour and a half down the wrong trail only to find, once they backtracked, Joar Leifseth Ulsom's team in command of the race.

Joar entered the White Mountain Checkpoint at 7:52am, and so far no other team has joined him (though at 11:15am Nic is coming up on White Mountain and should be in fairly soon). He will have a substantial lead out of White Mountain (he can leave the checkpoint at 3:52pm). It's 77 miles to Nome from there. At the average speed he's going it may be a long night of mushing. Danny Seavey has him in at 1:30 or 2:00am. I'm going more conservative and saying closer to 4am. Until he starts running we won't really know what to expect.

Should Joar win he will be only the second Norwegian to win the Iditarod. Robert Sorlie is out on the trail via snow machine and cheered on his friend from the sidelines as he came into Koyuk yesterday. Sorlie won the race in 2003 and 2005.

And while all that unfolds, Dallas Seavey is showing that he's not just a force to be reckoned with on the Iditarod, the rookie in the Finnmarkslopet is so far commanding the race in Norway. Not that he wasn't expected to do well, but even he came out and said in the days leading up to the race that he had no idea what to expect but that "it's still dogs, and mushing, right?" And you'd be hard pressed to find an argument to suggest Dallas isn't one of the best (if not the best) mushers in the world right now. Yes I said it, please don't tell him I said it though!

When Dallas does get to the next checkpoint he will rest and then prepare to turn around and head back. Unlike the Iditarod and Quest where they start in one place and end in another, the Finnemarkslopet follows a loop. They will not take the exact same course, but some of the trail will be very familiar to the teams. This is not a foreign concept on a sled dog race. The Junior Iditarod runs similarly to this style, as do many of the mid-distance races in Alaska (for example the Tustumena 200 is also a loop, and this year was two shorter loops). This does not have the same effect on a team as does a course correction resulting in backtracking. There the dogs can sense that the musher "made a mistake" and they begin to second guess the musher.


So while the world of dog mushing seems to be on its head both in who's winning what and just the state of mushing politics in Alaska, one thing remains constant: the dogs. It doesn't matter where they are, or what the trails are like, it's just dogs and it's just mushing, and you can do that from anywhere.

Iditarod 46: Is Nicolas Petit really winning the race?

Joar Leifseth Ulsom at the Ceremonial Start of
Iditarod 46. Anchorage, Alaska, March 3, 2018

For the last two days, possibly more, Nicolas Petit has been in control of the Iditarod. Only two teams have had a chance of catching up with him: Joar Leifseth Ulsom and Mitch Seavey. At this point it's Petit to lose, however most race fans have considered the race leader to not be clear until the coast.

With the race becoming more and more about speed, with well groomed trails and lack of need for camping and snowshoeing, it feels almost foreign to have the race seemingly stall more than once. A huge storm front blew in early in the race, with most teams getting caught out in it. The three front runners, for the most part, have run ahead of the worst of it, but they too are dealing with a trail that has been snowed and blown over. The chase pack reported blizzard like conditions on their way to the Yukon, with many teams hunkering down in between checkpoints hoping the storm would pass. While it's a race, right now it's more of a camping trip for the teams not in the front.

Because of the weather, the checkpoint of Eagle Island is relegated to a "hospitality stop" - meaning there are no drop bags. Teams must now plan on taking as many supplies and dog food that they need to make the trip from Anvik to Kaltag - 120 miles. Back in the "old days" this is how this race was run. More camping between checkpoints and then again in them. We haven't seen a race like this - that I can remember - since the 90s. This is definitely not the "norm" of the last couple of decades.

As of now the GPS tracker shows Nic back on the move, but it's once again slow going. In most recent races, he'd be in Kaltag by now (but judging by the GPS he's about 50 miles away). He has an eleven mile lead over Seavey and Ulsom. Right now it looks like Petit's to lose, but he has been breaking trail for over two days. That takes a lot of energy out of a team and even the best lead dogs need a mental break when the trail is tough. Nic is known for pushing hard through the whole race, and his team responds fairly well to it, though by the time they hit the coast they have been known to slow significantly... and that's on good trail years. We've yet to really see what Petit's team can do on a thousand mile race where the going got tough for the majority of the trail.

Looking briefly at the analytics (my least favorite thing to do because I'm horrible at reading them, because I never pay attention to Danny Seavey's lessons) Mitch has the "winning team" still on paper. He's taking more rest and he's traveling at faster speeds... but Nic still has almost a two hour lead on the team. Likewise, Joar may have a slower team but he's running right along with Mitch.

Everything in recent memory says that Nic cannot keep his pace and his lead on the other two while continually breaking trail. But, the two following are playing a game of cat and mouse trying to get the other one to break trail. So far, it's been Mitch showing as being the one leading the two teams up the Yukon.

All the while, the chase pack is catching up. They may have gotten caught in the blizzard on their way to the Yukon, but now they're away from that, and someone else broke trail for them. The snow hasn't been as bad on the river, and neither has the wind, since Nic, Mitch and Joar went through which means the teams behind them are not working quite so hard. At this point they aren't in danger of being overtaken, but they can't sit back and relax anymore, either. The chase pack is 10 miles behind them. Their times to rest points are faster.

Expect all teams to take a nice long rest in Kaltag once they make it. Bruce Lee spoke this morning on Insider saying that it would make no sense for Nic to blow through and rest out on the trail again, but there again, we just cannot predict what Petit will do. He is a go with your gut kind of musher. The other teams need to just run their race, not try to catch someone else's race. It's worked many times before... on good trail years... it's the gutsy ones that normally win the bad trail years.

So, is Nic winning the race? Possibly. But SHOULD he be winning at this point? Time will tell how it pays off.