Join hosts Robert Forto and Toni Reitter as they re-cap the Jr. Iditarod
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Saturday, February 25, 2023
2023 Iditarod top ten (ish)
With those thirty-three teams we have a highly competitive field as well as the potential for many teams to jump up in standings and make themselves known. Time will tell how the rosters of the future shake out and whether or not we'll have an uptick in entries. But, for now, we have a strong roster of newbies and veterans. Only two teams have won Iditarod previously, so it is a true dawning of a new era in the sport.
Even though it's a small roster it's a competitive one. So many strong teams with the ability to take the top prize are in this race. It's time to do a rundown of who has the best chance to be in the top ten.
Matt Failor, Matt Hall, Richie Diehl, Wade Marrs - I really could do a top fifteen but I'll just add these four names to the tenth spot because I believe we'll see a combo of this quartet in the top ten, but I can't place my finger on which of these teams has the best shot. Failor and Hall should see their standings in the Last Great Race rise due to the shorter roster as well as they're both having really great seasons. And Marrs is back to Iditarod after having to take time away due to the Covid-19 vaccination policy. Richie Diehl is another consistent top 20 team who knows how to manage a race. Marrs was running a great Yukon 550 until his dogs decided that they wanted to make puppies more than they wanted to run a dog race, that shouldn't be an issue now for Iditarod.
It also should be noted that while there isn't a Seavey on the roster, their dogs are running. Mitch Seavey's "A-Team" is being run by Christian Turner (who ran his rookie race with Dallas Seavey's puppy team), though the team was trained mostly by Mitch and crew in Sterling before Turner could make the trip over from Australia. Dallas Seavey has leased a team of A-list dogs to friend and former competitor Kelly Maixner. Maixner used to run dogs out of his own kennel and has hit the top 10 in the past. Kelly did train with the team on most weekends, but again the majority of the training went to Dallas's crew in Talkeetna. Still, both mushers and teams are pros and it will be interesting to see what they come up with on the trip to Nome.
In all honesty, the majority of the thirty three name roster have a great shot at being in the top ten and it will come down to strategy, weather, and trail conditions. It's a heavy snow year for most of Alaska and mother nature's had a lot of ups and downs lately temperature wise so I expect this race to throw a little bit of everything at the teams. As always, Iditarod will no doubt give much drama and excitement over their 10-14 days of racing. Time will tell how it all shakes out, of course, but for now we choose our fantasy teams and discuss what may happen.
Who do YOU have in your top ten? Thoughts on who maybe shouldn't be on this list and who should be there instead? Comment below with your take on Iditarod 51!
*Thanks to those who caught my adding a name to the roster that wasn't on there, and to those that noticed I didn't make mention of the Seavey teams.
As always, if you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).
Monday, February 20, 2023
2023 Iditarod musher roster
Fifty one races, fifty years of long distance mushing. It's the dawn of a new era judging by the small entries with many familiar faces choosing to step away from a race they've dominated for - at least this blogger's - lifetime. Gone from the roster are the names King, Buser, Zirkle, Jonrowe, and even Seavey. Sure, we still have Redingtons, Smyths, and there's a Mackey in the mix, but none have captured the same amount of media and fan attention and now they're in the spotlight by default. New names, up and comers, and perennial hopefuls are all poised to take their mushing to the next level in a competitive field all its own.
In the days ahead will discuss and analyze the field, but for now let's just run down the entire roster with links to their websites and social media.
Thirty-three teams are currently prepped and drop bags delivered for the race with twenty-four veterans and nine rookies in the mix. There are twenty-five men, and eight women in that pool. Among the veterans are two past Iditarod champions (including the reigning champ). Three of this year's rookies have unfinished business with the race having had to scratch in the Topkok Hills last year.
The bib draw is on March 2, so until then the mushers are listed in sign up order. I will be in Anchorage March 2 so the list with bib numbers may not be updated right away depending on how strong our wifi is (AND where we are/what we're doing that night as I will not be at the banquet). I've done my best to connect the musher with the kennel they're running out of. Most are running their own dogs but there are still that handful of mushers who have leased a team or are handlers being sent out to take another musher's team to Nome. As always if you see something that needs correcting let me know so I can keep everything as accurate as possible!
Oh, and don't forget to research these teams as you pick your Fantasy Mushing team - if you're looking for a pack to join you can always join the Iditafans pack! Alright, without further adieu, here's our class of 2023 Iditarod mushers!
Musher Roster
Who are you cheering for? Who do you have on your fantasy team? Comment below with your picks and your favorites! And, as always, if you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).
Friday, February 10, 2023
2023 Race to the Sky musher roster and race preview
The last race of the Rocky Mountain Triple Crown, the Race to the Sky is one of those races you hear often listed under accomplishments of lower 48 mushers coming to race the Iditarod. Montana, of course, has similar trail and weather to that of Alaska and it's just an overall really well run organization.
This year the 300 has a very small roster of just four mushers. The 100 boasts far more entries but still seems rather small. It's that point of the year where some are heading to Alaska and Canada to run the other big races, plus new short distance races were added this year that are hitting around the same time. Busy year for mushers and trying to figure out just where they want to race.
Race to the Sky has produced names like Doug Swingley, Brent Bruggemann, and of course Jessie Royer (produced probably isn't the best choice of words... boasted?) over the years. Only Jessie remains active in the sport (Swingley got out of dogs many years ago, Brent was forced to just two years ago due to a heart condition). Speaking of Jessie she has FOUR TEAMS between the two classes of race this year. Today I learned she has a large group of race ready dogs.
How to watch
The Race to the Sky has a fairly decent online presence. You will for sure want to checkout their website that has mini musher bios, the schedule of events, etc. Their Facebook page will also have race communication posted. And they will most likely have a trackleaders link up and running tomorrow. To follow the trackers, trackleaders.com once again has us covered.
So you've got the basics on how to follow along, let's make sure you know who's running. Bib draw should be today but honestly I'm not sure I'll make it back to edit this any time soon. Y'all I'm running on empty! Anyway, the rosters:
300 Roster
Charmayne Morrison (Morrison Racing Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Clayton Perry (TSA Kennel) - Facebook
Erik Oline (The J Team) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Jessie Royer (The J Team) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
100 Roster
Adrian Lopez (The J Team) - Website
Aidan Torres (Whiteout Racing) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Bucky Hasty (Morrison Racing Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Chris Adkins (Mo Betta Sled Dog Racing) - Facebook
Christina Gibson (Whiteout Racing) - Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Hunter Hale (The J Team) - Website
Jesika Reimer (Reimer Pack) - Website / Facebook / Instagram
Kevin Daugherty (??) - Facebook / Instagram
Maddie Longpre-Harrer (TSA Kennel) - Facebook / Instagram
Nicole Lombardi (??) - Cannot find her online
Shane Pearson (??) - Facebook
Thomas Blackham (??) - Facebook
Wade Donaldson (??) - Facebook
Schedule of events
Friday, February 10
1pm-3pm Vet Check
6pm Musher Dinner
Saturday, February 11
2pm START (300 first, followed by 100)
Sunday, February 12
Finishes for 100 throughout the morning
Tuesday, February 14
1pm Award Ceremony
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)