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.

Meet the 2020 Iditarod Rookies

We're into the middle of February, just a couple weeks away from the start of Iditarod 48, so that means it's time to take a look at the mushers planning to tackle the Last Great Race. While everyone is wondering which team will cross under the burled arch first, there are a number of mushers just hoping to finish for the first time with happy, healthy dogs.

The 2020 Iditarod has twelve rookies listed on their roster, 10 male and 2 female. There will be some history made when teams leave the chute in downtown Anchorage and again in Willow, with the hopes of history being made all the way to Nome. Several teams are from established kennels, while others are dogs the rookie has cared for and trained from the start.

Some names are familiar to race/mushing fans. Some even have strong followings on social media. Some rookies are known for previous races where they turned heads, while others quietly qualified without much fanfare. They all have the same goal in common - to get to Nome and receive the finisher's belt buckle. The most important goal, though, is to run with a string of happy, well cared for, super canine athletes. So let's take a look at the Class of 2020 hopefuls.

Damon Ramaker - This Minnesota Musher established his Kennel in 2016 after getting involved with dog sports through skijoring in 2007. Ramaker spent the last two seasons working on his qualifiers in the Lower 48 and Canada. He cites Iditarod Finisher Cindy Gallea as his mentor who encouraged his love for dog sports. The family man lives in a yurt he built with his wife and three children and dogs. When not mushing, he is an ER Nurse and runs a Non-Profit organization encouraging kids to dream big and pursue them with skills to attain the goal. He is also working with an organization to build a sled that will give accessibility to riders with disabilities to be able to participate in the sport he's grown to love. You can learn more about Damon Ramaker and his Deep Root Kennel by visiting his Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.

Deke Naaktgeboren - The owner of Nautique Sky Kennel out of Fairbanks started his kennel like most. He fell in love with adventure with his dog in college, met a musher and got the mushing bug. Originally from Iowa, he studied in Colorado where he befriended his beloved Siberian Husky Nautique. From there he made his way to Sweeden where he learned more about the sport he was quickly falling in love with and soon found himself in charge of a 45 dog kennel. Upon his return to the States he moved to Seward, Alaska taking a job as a Law Enforcement Officer in the National Parks. Then it was back to the Lower 48 to work as an LEO in the Everglades before trekking back up to the Interior of Alaska to start living his dream. He's in his 7th year of owning his own sled dog kennel, and ran the Yukon Quest in 2019. Now, Naaktgeboren says, he's ready to tackle the Iditarod Trail. You can learn more about Deke and the dogs of Nautique Sky Kennel by visiting his Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.

Fabio Berlusconi - Don't look for long flowing hair, or a dude riding a white horse... Berlusconi is just another musher. Fabio hails from Italy, learned to mush in Sweden from Iditarod Veteran Mats Pettersson. In 2018 he moved to Alaska to run dogs with 2018 Iditarod Champion Joar Liefseth Ulsolm. For Iditarod, however, Fabio will be running a team of dogs out of Iditarod Veteran Linwood Fiedler's kennel. Fabio does not have his own kennel, and as such does not have a large footprint online. However he does have a personal Facebook page. Linwood's Wayfinder Kennel has a Facebook page that doesn't see a lot of updates, and the Website does not mention Fabio, they also have an Instagram account. You can learn more about Fabio from his Iditarod Bio.

Gabe Dunham - Alaskan turned Montanan, Gabe Dunham began mushing in 2000. Learning from Linwood Fielder, she now has her own kennel of 30 dogs at her home in Montana. Gabe runs a sled dog tour experience out of her kennel in Darby, Montana, and is taking a leave of absence from her tour to travel to Alaska to follow her dream of Iditarod. She just finished Montana's Race to the Sky race coming in second place. You can learn more about Gabe through her Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.

Grayson Bruton - If you are a fan and follower of Team Seavey, you'll want to keep an eye on Grayson's Iditarod team as he is the musher taking Mitch Seavey's Puppy Team on their run down the Iditarod trail. Grayson has handled for Seavey for the last few seasons, and works as a tour guide for their glacier sled dog experience in the summer. Bruton grew up in the heart of dog mushing country (Willow, AK) and helped his dad as a volunteer for Iditarod from a young age (sounds familiar). Iditarod is a lifetime dream for Grayson. With Bruton running Mitch's future Iditarod racing team, do  not expect him to be competing for top rookie in the race, his goal is to get as many dogs to Nome for their first time as possible. Grayson is on Facebook and Instagram, and while they typically focus mainly on the A-Team you can find information on the teams from the Ididaride Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram. You can also learn a bit more about Grayson from his Iditarod Bio.

Jesse Salyer - Dallas Seavey might not be running Iditarod 48, but his handler Jesse Salyer is! Jesse signed up on opening day, and had a lot of buzz surrounding him just for wearing the Dallas Seavey Racing logo to the sign up. Jesse has been given the reigns of a very qualified dog team and it will be interesting to see if he's running a conservative run or if he'll be given the go ahead to compete (sorry, I have no insider information on this one!) Without knowing what the goals are for the dog team, it's hard to judge where Salyer will run in the race, but he has the goods to make a push if he so chooses. You can learn more about Jesse on his Iditarod Bio, he has a personal Facebook page, and Instagram (with no posts). Dallas Seavey's Facebook page may give updates on Jesse's race, and you can learn about Dallas Seavey Racing from their Website.

Kaci Murringer - Mushing since childhood, Kaci moved to Alaska to pursue her dream of running dogs. For her first Iditarod, she will be driving a "puppy team" for Matt Failor's Kennel. Kaci will turn 30 while on the trail. Look for a happy musher and some happy pups as they run to Nome. It's just a guess, but I would expect Kaci to be further down in the standings being a rookie with a rookie team. You can find out more about Kaci from her Iditarod Bio, Instagram, and the 17th Dog Kennel Facebook page.

Martin Massicotte - A long time musher who started in sprint as a teen and moved up to mid-distance mushing in the 90s, Martin Massicotte is no stranger to sled dog competition. He is a 10-time champion of the Can-Am 250, and has won several Hudson Bay Quest races as well. Being very competitive in mid-distance races, he managed a 6th place finish in the Yukon Quest in 2003. Now he has his sights set on Iditarod. You can learn more about Martin from his Iditarod Bio, or his Facebook page. 

Mille Porsild - Iditarod fans should know Mille already. For many years Mille gave great insight into the race as she worked along side Joar Liefseth Ulsolm during training, and reported on his races during the season. Her photos brought the process to life, and her good humor made for wonderful recaps of legs of the Iditarod trail. She was a fixture alongside Joar's team at the mid-distance races with camera in hand. But what fans may not know is that Mille is very much a musher in her own right. Now the head musher of Racing Beringia, Mille will be looking to make a mark in her rookie Iditarod. You can learn more about Mille from her Facebook page, Website, and Iditarod Bio.

Quince Mountain - Sometimes plans have a way of speeding up, and Quince Mountain's Iditarod 2020 run is one of those examples. Quince is one half of the BraverMountain Kennel team that was "made famous" through social media a little less than 2 years ago when Blair Braverman (Quince's wife) went viral with her sharing of the team photos and stories (oh and that memoir of hers). Quince worked on his Qualifiers in Alaska as Blair trained for her first Iditarod last year. After Iditarod, it was thought that Quince would run Iditarod in 2021. However, thanks to the generous support of the BraverMountain fans known as Ugly Dogs and Raymie Redington offering Quince the opportunity to run his dog team - Quince will be at the 2020 Starting Line. Quince Mountain will make history at the starting line as the first Transgender Man to run in the Iditarod. Mountain is not a stranger to adventure, and has more than enough grit and determination to have a solid race to Nome. Like all rookies the goal is to finish with a happy and healthy team, but also expect some wonderful tales from the trail when all is said and done. You can learn more about Quince from his Twitter, Facebook, Website, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.

Riley Dyche - The 2018 Yukon Quest Sportsmanship Award winner, Riley Dyche is no slouch on the trail. Having completed the Quest two years ago, his focus has been on Iditarod. He and his dogs tour in the summer out of Skagway with Alaska Ice Field Expeditions, and live and train in Fairbanks after tourist season closes. Dyche learned from Quest Champion Matt Hall, Copper Basin Champion Ryne Olson, and experienced dog musher Sven Haltman. He now owns a kennel of his own, and the dogs of Dark Horse Kennels are seemingly ready for their newest challenge. Look for Dyche to be running for Rookie of the Year, but ultimately he'll follow his dogs lead to see that they have a positive first experience on the historic Iditarod Trail. You can learn more about Riley from his Facebook page, Website, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.

Tom Frode Johansen - Tom's sled dog team just finished the Yukon Quest with Nora Sjalin as the top rookie team! Though a rookie in this year's Iditarod, Tom is not a stranger to the sport, having begun mushing in 1984 and raced in Norway for decades. He ran the Yukon Quest in 2016, and now he's achieving his dream of running Iditarod. Johansen and the team run sled dog tours in Norway. Tom was Rookie of the Year in 2016 for the Yukon Quest, and will most likely make a run for the Iditarod Rookie of the Year in 2020. You can learn more about Tom from his Facebook page, Website, Instagram, and Iditarod Bio.



The Class of 2020 is an incredibly strong field filled with interesting characters and stories. It will be fun watching these teams attempt the most famous of sled dog races. Who are you most looking forward to following? Comment below!

2020 Willow 300 Race Preview

One of the newer races in Alaska, the Willow 300 came about as a way to give mushers another option to Qualify for the Iditarod after so many races were being called off due to poor weather conditions or cancelled entirely for lack of participation. Started in 2017, the Willow 300 quickly became one of the most popular races by rookies and veterans alike.

The Willow 300 has some unique qualities to their race, there is no Bib Draw - the order of registration & payment determines the bib number of each team. The Willow 300 is one of two Iditarod Qualifiers in Alaska to start with a Mass Start where all teams leave the starting line at the same time - no need to do math for time differentials. For teams not confident in a mass start, they have the option of waiting until the chaos clears and they will take off shortly afterward. There is no real advantage or disadvantage doing the start either way - it's all a matter of preference.

37 teams are set to leave Willow Lake at 10am on Thursday. For some of the big name teams this is another way to evaluate their A-listers to see who will make the final cut for Iditarod, others will use this as a training run for the more inexperienced pups. There are quite a few familiar faces in this weekend's line up, fan favorites, and a healthy list of names working to finish qualifying for the thousand mile races. So who are some of our front runners? Let's break it down.

Jeff Deeter - The frontman for Black Spruce Kennel wasn't originally signed up for the race, and his wife KattiJo was... however after watching their team run in the Copper Basin Jeff decided he wanted a crack at running the dogs before he takes them down the Iditarod Trail. Jeff is one of the young guys that was really made waves in the last few years in the sport, and could prove to be one of the top teams in this year's Willow 300.

Lance Mackey - Lance may have won the Red Lantern at this year's Kusko 300, but don't expect that to be the plan in Willow. While Lance may choose to take it easy again in this run, it's also foolish to count him out. It will be fun to see the four-time Quest and Iditarod champion in the mix.

Linwood Fiedler - With the roster that we have, I expect Fielder to have a solid run. Fielder is a consistent top 30 Iditarod finisher, with more top twenties than thirties.

Nic Petit - Not having the inside scoop on Petit's plan for the Kusko meant I guessed he'd be a front runner when that clearly was not his plan. This time, though, the team and musher have had sufficient rest and recoop before this race and I expect Nic to take command early and hold onto it.

Ramey Smyth - The Smyth teams are fast, strong, capable, and know how to win mid-distance races. Expect Ramey to stay with the leader and push strong at the end. Don't be surprised if he pulls off a win.

Cim Smyth - A late entry to the race, Cim Smyth is not expected to be late to the finish. Like Ramey, he knows how to get his team to kick it into high gear in the final push. Smyth is a multiple time champion in the difficult Tustumena 200. Look for him to have a strong race in Willow.

Kristy & Anna Berington - They are really coming together as a kennel with strong results last season. It's unsure what their plan is for the Willow 300, so they're my wildcard for this race. Most of the time the two race together, so that can sometimes hold them back from taking the top placements, but in a race like this I expect them to do very well.

Karin Hendrickson - Another wildcard. I expect her to be in the mix.

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
While they may not be "sophisticated" to have their own website and a lot of cool features, this race does have the beloved GPS Trackers by Trackleaders. Click here to see the GPS Tracker map.

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.

You'll also want to follow Kale Casey Live on Facebook because he will have a live feed of the Mass Start at 10am (AKST) on Willow Lake. Sled Dog News also plans to go live for parts of the race, so make sure to follow both.


The race kicks off at 10am on Willow Lake, Teams will start showing up about two hours before that. Who are you cheering for? Comment below with your thoughts!

**Edited to correct information on the mass start - the Kobuk 440 also starts with a Mass Start - and to add Cim Smyth to the list.**

2020 Yukon Quest Musher Roster

 As with the last few races featured on this blog, I've decided to once again go down the musher list and link to their websites and social media so fans can be better acquainted with the teams. Because the Bib Draw isn't until later in the week, but Fantasy Mushing opened yesterday for the Quest, I'll go with the roster list and will update with bib numbers this weekend.

As always, if you catch a broken link or mistake let me know in the comments. What other features would you like to see on this blog? Give me a shout in the comments below!

Yukon Quest 2020 - 1,000mi Race Roster

Rob Cooke - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Brent Sass - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Richie Beattie - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Dave Dalton - Website / Facebook
Torsten Kohnert - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Cody Strathe - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Ryne Olson - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Denis Tremblay - Facebook
Michelle Phillips - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Olivia Webster - Facebook*
Nora Själin - Website / Facebook / Instagram***
Jason Campeau - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Pat Noddin - Website / Facebook / Twitter**
Chase Tingle - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Allen Moore - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

*Olivia Webster is Olivia Shank-Neff, but her passport has her as Webster which is why she is registered as such on the Quest's roster.
**Pat Noddin will be running a team for Atka Kennel. As such his links reflect that team's media.
***Nora Själin will be running a team from Tom-From Johnson's kennel so her links, except for facebook, are reflecting of that.

Yukon Quest 300mi Race

Nathaniel Hamlyn - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Vickie Justice - Facebook / Instagram
Dave Turner - Facebook
Misha Wiljes - Website / Facebook
Lauro Eklund - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Jennifer LaBar - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Karolyn Bristol - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram*
Chad Stoddard - Facebook / Facebook**
Benjamin Good - Facebook / Instagram
Joe Taylor - Facebook
Cody Waterbury - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram***
Ryan Freedman - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Leigh Strehlow Pagel - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Luther Buhr - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Claudia Wickert - Facebook
Sean Underwood - Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram***
Jeremy Traska - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Deke Naaktgeboren - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Tabitha Hughes - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Madeline Rubida - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Jacob Witkop - Facebook 

*Karolyn is running a team from Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore's SPKennel.
**Chad is running a team from Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel.
***Cody & Sean are running teams from Jeff King's Husky Homestead.
Strikeouts are last minute withdrawals.

2020 Yukon Quest Preview

Is it really that time already? The first of two major thousand mile sled dog races in North America begins later this week, with fifteen teams signed up and prepared to race. Equally as exciting is the super competitive field of twenty-one teams prepared to run the mid-distance Yukon Quest 300. The Quest is a unique race in that it starts in one country and finishes in another. The start and finish rotate back and forth between Fairbanks, Alaska (USA) and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory (Canada). 2020's start will take place on February 1 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The Quest boasts being the most difficult thousand mile race, and they have a lot of evidence to back it up. Known for its tough terrain, horrible weather, and frigid temps - the Quest tests even the toughest of teams. While Iditarod seems to encourage "bucket list" entries, the Quest favors the more hardcore (though many hardcore mushers have yet to enter, what are they waiting for). Both races offer fans a lot of emotion, excitement, and energy. Mushing is blessed to have two fantastic races in North America.

Due to a few last minute withdrawls in the thousand mile race - due mainly to rookies being unable to qualify prior to the start - the roster is one of the smaller ones the race has seen in recent years. Many familiar faces are back, some well-loved favorites, and three rookies. This should be a very competitive year for the race with past champions Brent Sass and Allen Moore the odds on favorites to go one and two again. There are several teams looking to move up in this smaller field like Torsten Kohnert, Dave Dalton, Jason Campeau, Ryne Olson, Michelle Phillips, etc. And, of course, the rookies are planning to finish; Swede Nora Sjalin is running a team of dogs for Tom-Frode Johanson (who is running his rookie Iditarod with the same team in March), Canadian Pat Noddin who is running a team from Atka Kennel (Quest Veteran Jason Campeau's puppy team), and Alaskan Olivia Webster whose Grandfather is one of the founders of the Quest (husband is Quest Champion Hugh Neff).

So what about those teams hoping to come top ten? Just about all of the veteran teams have a very good chance to break top ten (I mean, there's only 12 veterans in the field so... good odds.) But who has a chance to crack top five or even win the whole thing? Let's take a look at some of the field.

Allen Moore - The three-time Yukon Quest Champion is back again with SPKennel's "Red Team", the A-list team of dogs that Aliy Zirkle will run competitively in the Iditarod in March. Allen and Aliy share a kennel of star athletes. Allen writes in his Quest bio that the majority of his dogs will be four-years-old or older. They are experienced. Last year his team came third, do not expect a much lower placement and don't be shocked if they are first into Whitehorse.

Brent Sass - The two-time and reigning Yukon Quest Champion took a short break from competitive racing a few years back to refocus and remind himself why he runs dogs. Sass came back to the sport and shocked even himself when he came first in a very cold and difficult race. The boost of confidence that a win like that brings makes Sass one of the top favorites to take the 2020 Championship.

Cody Strathe - Expect Strathe to jump up in the standings this year. His bio suggests he's running many of the same young dogs he ran last year, and with the smaller field, Strathe should climb placements. He's bringing along star lead dog Turkey who lead Paige Drobny's team to a seventh place finish in the 2019 Iditarod.

Jason Campeau - You may recognize Campeau's name from the drama on the Quest a couple years ago when he ended up with a double concussion and had to be medevacced off the trail. Campeau has a solid dog team, and is showing that he can be competitive... when he isn't injured. Expect Jason to be safe, but to push for a top five finish (at least).

Michelle Phillips - Not to jinx anything, but this could be a year we see a woman take the title, and it's likely it'd be Michelle Phillips is the one to do it. Only one woman has ever won the Quest (that'd be Aliy Zirkle in 2000), but Phillips has been consistently in the top ten when she's run the thousand mile race and has been one of the dominate forces of the 300. The dogs of Tagish Lake Kennel are the real deal and Michelle could take them all the way.

Ryne Olson - Ryno Kennel's Ryne Olson is another lady musher who could push it all the way. She's only be in the top 10 once for the thousand mile race, but don't count her out. This could be a top 10 or top 5 finish for her this year.

Torsten Kohnert - Another consistently top ten team, Kohnert could prove to be a spoiler in this year's race. It's a good bet that he'll be in the top ten, and who knows he could make top five. He has a strong team and trains for the Quest all year.

Fifteen rookies are running the Yukon Quest 300 this year out of a field of 21 teams. Many are using this as a qualifying race for future Quest and Iditarod runs. With so many rookies, its hard to guess just what will happen in this year's 300, but we have a handful of teams to watch that I want to highlight.

Benjamin Good - A former 300 champion, Ben could probably take this race again this year. It's difficult to know what to expect with the field that they have this year, but it's always a good idea to count on someone who's been first across the finish line before.

Chad Stoddard - Stoddard is a rookie, so don't expect anything one way or the other, however he ran a great race on the Copper Basin 300 this year in the brutal cold. Chad runs dogs out of Lance Mackey's kennel, so his team is a proven dog team and he's grown up in racing with this current crop of canines. Do not be surprised to see him stay mid to upper part of the pack.

Dave Turner - The sprint turned distance musher is the 2019 Tustumena 200 champion, and came in a very respectable 8th place in a very competitive field. It would not be surprising to see Turner compete for a top ten placement in his first YQ300.

Madeline Rubida - She was fourth last year, and it wouldn't be surprising to see her place at least that high again this year. Rubida runs dogs out of Tagish Lake Kennel (Michelle Phillips). Both Michelle and Madeline scratched in this year's Copper Basin 300, not because they couldn't run it, but that the CB300 was not the end goal and in those crazy temps they wanted to keep the dogs happy and healthy. The Quest was the goal.

Nathaniel Hamlyn - Another veteran who has been close to the top, should be able to do so again. There's nothing showing why he wouldn't be as high if not higher than his last YQ300.


How to Watch

Unlike the other thousand mile race in Alaska, the Quest is accessible to all without subscription fees. Most of the media focuses on the thousand mile race, but there will still be updates following the 300. Below are links to the best places to follow the race online.

Official Website
All official releases/statements, in and out times, etc. will be posted on the official site. This is your race central when you can't get to a physical race central. There's a lot of great information on past races, on the mushers, etc. If you haven't already, give it a look see and make sure to bookmark it.

GPS Tracker
Unlike the Quest's "older sister", the tracker is not behind an iron curtain that you must pay to enter. It won't be live until closer to the start - once bibs are given, etc - but you can bookmark the link now so that you can pull it up on race day. Click here to see the GPS Tracker map.

Radio Broadcast
KUAC FM will have updates throughout the day during race week. They are one of three radio stations that are offiical stations of the Quest. Based in Fairbanks, they will cover the race from start to finish with musher interviews and stories from the trail. Their website provides a live stream. This SHOULD be where you can catch the live radio broadcast of the start.

KCBF Radio (ESPN Radio Fairbanks) will also have updates on the race. Their website also has a live stream. They have not published their race broadcast schedule.

For a radio broadcast of the Finish in Whitehorse, you need to look no further than CKRW - The Rush. You can listen live on their website.

Social Media
The Quest is active on both Facebook and Twitter, with very quick response time on the latter. Race updates and photo drops will happen throughout the days of the race. Any breaking news or press releases will be announced on both platforms. More photo updates will show up on Instagram, and they also have Flickr. The start and finish are normally shown by Facebook LIVE on their facebook page. The official hashtags for the races are #YQ2020 for the thousand mile race and #YQ300 for the 300mile race.

News Publications
The race has two official news partners. In Fairbanks we have the Faibanks Daily News-Miner, which shares a lot of terrific race coverage. They have recently gone to a subscription based service, so it is unknown how much will be available to the average follower.

In Whitehorse they have The Whitehorse Star, another fantastic resource. They do not seem to have a requirement for subscriptions, so it may be the better bet for fans to get printed media on the race.

Not an official partner, but another good source for coverage is the Anchorage Daily News. They are also subscription based and only allow a certain number of free reads before you get locked out... and they follow Iditarod more heavily. So, well, decide accordingly what you want to read where.

Television
KUAC has a TV station and will be broadcasting updates (or so their website says. They are not linked as a television partner with the race, however.

CBC North is the TV Station of the Yukon (Canada) and will have coverage. Look for updates throughout the race.

In Fairbanks, KTVF Channel 11 is your go to TV Station for all things Yukon Quest.


Schedule of Events

Wednesday, January 29
6:30pm Meet the Mushers (Alaska) @ LaQuinta Inn and Suites

Thursday, January 30
5pm Bib Draw and Banquet @ The Westmark Hotel

Friday, February 14
7pm Meet the Mushers (Yukon) @ Mt. McIntyre

Saturday, February 15
5pm Finishers and Award Banquet @ The Yukon Convention Centre


Did I miss anything? What are some of the things you're looking forward to with these races? Who are you cheering for? Comment below!

John Beargrease Live Feed from WDIO

2020 Kuskokwim 300 Bib Numbers

Since the Copper Basin list was so popular with the Musher List of websites and social media, I figured I'd do the same with the rest of the races I preview this year. They won't get their bib numbers for another couple of days, so I'll just go with the order on the website for now (order of sign up) and I'll reorder them when we get the bibs. Updated: Bib Numbers have been selected and reflected in this list.

You can view their short bios on the Kusko website here.

1. Dennis Kananowicz - Facebook 

2. Pete Kaiser - Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
3. Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Website / Facebook / Instagram
4. Dave Turner - Facebook
5. Wade Marrs - Website / Facebook / Instagram

6. Nicolas Petit - Website / Facebook / Twitter
7. Aaron Peck - Website / Facebook / Instagram

8. Matthew Failor - Website / Facebook / Instagram
9. Richie Diehl - Facebook
10. Jeff King - Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

11. Travis Beals - Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter 
12. Will Rhodes - Website / Facebook

13. Tony Browning - Facebook

14. Aaron Burmeister - Facebook

15. Ramey Smyth - Facebook

16. Jim Lanier - Website / Facebook

17. Dakota Schlosser - Website / Facebook / Instagram

18. Paige Drobny - Website / Facebook / Instagram

19. Joanna Jagow - Website / Facebook / Instagram

20. Matt Hall - Website / Facebook / Instagram

21. Lance Mackey - Facebook / Instagram


Who are you cheering for? Comment below with your picks!

2020 Kuskokwim 300 Race Preview

After a very cold Copper Basin 300, all eyes are now pointed west to the windy and cold Kuskokwim 300. The beloved race that runs out of Bethel, Alaska along the Kuskokwim River on the West Coast of Alaska is the most Rock Concert like atmosphere in the Alaska Sled Dog Race line up. It's nearly a week-long party for the fans of the Kusko area, that starts of with fireworks. This is the premiere event for the region, and they don't take it for granted. Mushers also enjoy this race due to the positive and enthusiastic volunteers and fans. The Kusko offers a wide range of challenges from wind, bad weather, over flow, and more. It's a good way for Iditarod teams to train for the third and final leg of the thousand mile race as they see similar conditions as they run up the coast to Nome.

The Kusko roster is stacked with a who's who of teams that Iditarod fans are very familiar with. Formidable teams who could all easily take the top prize. Last year, Matthew Failor and team pulled an upset winning his first Kusko 300 against the four-time and favored champion Pete Kaiser. Failor and Kaiser are both on this year's roster along with other past champions and hopefuls. Let's take a look at some of the top teams.

Dave Turner - The 2019 Tustumena 200 Champion has a solid, steady team that eats up trail. Turner has the ability to take the lead, though with this being a trail he isn't as familiar with he may take a little more conservative approach. It will be interesting to see how he plays this run.

Jeff King - Can you do a top ten and not have Mr. The King on the list? Possibly. King hasn't really dominated as the "winningest musher" in a while now, but he still has the goods. His dogs are running well on other teams, so it's most likely not the dogs that hold the team back. Like the Copper Basin the Kusko plays out as a training run for many of the teams, don't look for King to go balls to the wall, but don't expect him to sit back either.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - the 2018 Iditarod Champion should have a good run on the Kusko. Don't expect him to be outside the top teams. We'll see how he does this year against many of his main competitors for the "big one".

Matt Hall - The former Yukon Quest Champion and his Smokin' Aces team cannot be left off the list. Matt has the goods to take a win, if he plays his cards right.

Matthew Failor - The reigning Kusko Champion is coming off a very cold and brutal Copper Basin 300. Doing two three hundred mile mid-distance races can wear a team down especially since the Kusko is the one race that is not on the road system and most teams must be flown into the area. It doesn't mean Failor's team doesn't have a good chance of taking the prize again, but it could be more challenging.

Nicolas Petit - Team Petit is no stranger to back to back races where "dad" let's them run. Petit and crew just finished the Copper Basin 300, and here they are on the Kusko. Don't expect him to take it easy. Petit will get up front early and do his best to stay there. He just has to not take the wrong turn.

Pete Kaiser - The 4-time consecutive Kusko Champion didn't make it a 5-Pete, but that doesn't mean the era of Kaiser is over. He's the reigning Iditarod Champion after all, this team has just found its stride. Look for a strong, confident team who will be hunting for that win again. Expect them to take it.

Richie Diehl - Another team who are running in their backyard, Diehl wants this win and has the speeds and the knowledge to do it. It just has to come together for him. I almost put Ramey Smyth on here instead, but with it being Richie's stomping grounds I'm gonna give him the edge.

Travis Beals - While this is Beals' first trip to the Kusko, this is not his first sled dog race. Beals has steadily climbed the ranks in the sport and is another solid competitor in any race he enters. Don't expect the rookie to hold back, he'll be in the mix and I wouldn't be surprised to see him running close to the front.

Wade Marrs - Wade is another one of the younger mushers who has already made his mark. He's always in the mix and he just needs the stars to align for it to happen. Look for him to be in the lead pack.

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"?! 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, but if it stays cold that could become problematic. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.

KYUK is also plans to post updates on their facebook page, including facebook live feeds of the start.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, January 16
6pm - K300 starting position drawing
7pm - Bogus Creek 150 starting position drawing

​Friday, January 17
5pm - Bogus Creek 150 START
6:30pm - 2020 Kuskokwim 300 START
"The Lead Dog Light Show" presented by First National Bank Alaska

​Saturday, January 18
2pm - Akiak Dash Mass Start
7pm - K300 Concert (Co-sponsored by Bethel Council on the Arts)


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