Iditarod Race Updates and Coverage--Ultimate Iditarod

The Iditarod race clock started officially today. The first team left Wasilla at 10:00 a.m. and headed towards the Knik checkpoint. Since the racers were required to carry a handler from Wasilla to Knik, to help control the team, most mushers opted to pull a second sled on the first leg. Though most of the racers passed through Knik stopping only long enough to cut loose their 'whip-sled' some stopped long enough to change runner plastic or water their dogs. Bill and I left Knik at 2:15 p.m. and collected video and photographs as we passed teams running towards the Yentna checkpoint.

The day was clear and warm so many racers, including four-time defending champion, Doug Swingley, stopped after only a few hours of running to let the sun go down. Ultimate Iditarod musher Jim Gallea stopped after running 45 miles and was feeding his dogs when we passed him. We stopped and talked for a moment and it was very apparent Jim was enjoying himself. The dogs were running good and he was making good time. Parked on the trail next to Jim was five-time champion, Rick Swenson. Rick was booting his team in preparation to leave after an approx. two-and-a-half hour rest.

By the time we reached the Yentna checkpoint we had passed most of the remainder of the field either camped alongside of or traveling up the trail. Of the teams who decide to run non-stop to Yentna Kasilof's Jon Little arrived first, closely followed by past Yukon Quest champion Ramey Brooks. Ultimate Iditarod musher Mitch Seavey was third into Yentna and when I interviewed him he seemed quite confident in his team's ability, in fact, he said, "of all my nine Iditarods this was undoubtedly my best first run." Which is a good foot to start on.

While we talked, several teams went through the Yentna checkpoint. Among them were Alaskan favorites DeeDee Jonrowe and Linwood Fiedler. At this point in the race it is like a big game of leapfrog. If a team stops early on they appear behind, but if they continue through the next checkpoint with out stopping they appear way in the lead. The only way to really tell who is "winning" is to look both at the run times and at the actual dogs. You can tell a lot by a team's adittude. If the dogs are excited and fast they are bound to gain time, but it the are tired and depressed they better be looking over their shoulder.

Most of the competitive teams will be traveling on some kind of an equal run-rest schedule. Six hours on, six hours off is a favorite of many of the mushers. One advantage to the six-hour schedule is that you can arrange it so you are traveling between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. and midnight thus avoiding both the hot and cold times of the day.

Since the teams travel during the night we will be too. We would like to put in another hundred miles or so tonight so we can stay ahead of the racers. We will be updating regularly by satellite phone thanks to Global Communications.

Iditarod Race Coverage Made Possible Thanks to These Generous Sponsors

© 2002 Ultimate Iditarod, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team
Reproduction or distribution in any way or by any means prohibited without permission.
Ultimate Iditarod http://www.ultimateiditarod.com email: dogboy@ultimateiditarod.com