Bill Gallea forUltimateIditarod

The sun sets over the Bering Sea in Nome, backlighting the “Nome National Forest.

Tipp looks back at Robert Sorlie after leading his team into Unalakleet. He would have to remain here with a sore shoulder, but he didn’t show it.

THE START OF THE FINISH
THE HERO WHO DIDN’T GET TO NOME
SECOND PLACE, SECOND TIME
OUR FOUR


THE START OF THE FINISH

Two teams have passed under the Burled Arch on Front Street in Nome. Forty-seven remain out on the cold, windy trail: running barefoot (or with socks at most), eating raw meat, and sleeping on straw on the snow. Fifteen of the world’s best athletes are snoozing in the Nome dog lot, having pulled Robert Sorlie and Ramy Brooks to the finish line of Iditarod XXXI. Hundreds more are trying to get here as fast as they can.
You would be upset to hear how many people around here, especially the media, can be heard to say “Glad this race is over”. Yes, it’s been sometimes grueling to follow it closely and bring it into your computers, radios, or TV sets. But we know the race is not over…not even close.

Your Ultimate Iditarod crew will stay on assignment as long as we possibly can, bringing you the stories not only of the first teams to cross the finish line, but also as many as we can throughout the middle and back of the pack.


THE HERO WHO DIDN’T GET TO NOME

Tipp couldn’t be with his teammates as they trotted down Front Street last night at about 1:45 AM. He had to stay back in Unalakleet, because of a sore shoulder, and let the other superathletes on Robert Sorlie’s team press on to an historic first place finish. So you’ll see Takk and Blue wearing the yellow roses. But those two know it should be Tipp who is in the limelight.

We got to know Tipp along the trail, as he seemed to be always in lead for Robert as he led his buddies down a path where there were almost no other paw prints. For Tipp’s team was almost always in first place in this Race. There were a couple of times when there was some scent of other dogs on the thin white line of packed snow from Fairbanks to Nome. Once Jeff King’s huskies were ahead, but it was only because Jeff forged on to Anvik to take his twenty-four. A couple other times they could smell Ramy’s dogs when they leapfrogged ahead at Koyuk and briefly after Elim. But most of the time Tipp led his teammates swiftly along a path where no Iditarod dogs had gone before this year. So we’ll give him the credit that he deserves.

Robert’s team mushed under the Burled Arch at 1:47 AM today, nine days, 15 hours, 47 minutes after leaving Fairbanks. They led their Norwegian coach to a bit of fame, and maybe a little bit of fortune. Robert finally has the truck he was hoping for. There can be no question that they deserved to win. They proved they were the best team in the Iditarod this year. Jeff King knew he couldn’t beat them, or he would have tried. Ramy Brooks tried valiantly, but couldn’t do it.

Robert’s wife, Elin Pedersen, hugs the champion under the burled arch. She was flown in to Nome as a surprise to her victorious husband.

Ramy Brooks mushes the last few yards of the Iditarod Trail 2003.

SECOND PLACE, SECOND TIME

Ramy Brooks held on to second place in Iditarod XXXI. His seven huskies came to Nome from White Mountain almost as fast as Robert’s dogs. They were more tired than Robert’s, because they were pushing harder, trying to wear those yellow roses, and get their picture in the history books.

But I give Ramy lots of credit. Many other dog drivers wouldn’t be willing to press on as he did, for fear their teams would say: “enough”. But Ramy knows his dogs so well, and is so savvy as a dog driver, that he could push the ‘red line’, and still keep his the speed and attitude of his team, right to the finish line.

I respect and admire him for another reason. When he arrived in White Mountain yesterday morning, one of the first things he said was: “wow, what a team Robert has!! You wouldn’t believe how fast they ran past me out of Elim”. I was close to Ramy at many points along the last half of the trail, and I never detected even a hint of bitterness, jealousy, or condescension in his demeanor. He remained totally focused on getting the most out of his dog team, so they could be in a victorious position, if Robert’s team should falter.

And I think Mark Nordman, Race Marshal, said it best when he told Roxy Wright, Ramy’s mom, about his positive attitude. “Maybe this wasn’t his year, but his time will come.” Definitely keep your eyes on Ramy Brooks in future Iditarod’s.


OUR FOUR

As of now, Mitch Seavey is out of Elim with nine dogs, in twelfth place. Cindy is holding on to 32nd place, and got into Shaktoolik about 5 AM, still with ten dogs. Go Willow!!

Tyrell and Jim are both out of Kaltag. Ty left at about 6:30 PM, Jim at about 9 PM. The word is that the young men are in fine shape, and their dogs are even better. At this point in the Race, many officials, volunteers, and veterinarians are getting into Nome as their checkpoints close down. For example, yesterday, veterinarian Jean Dieden, from Washington, flew in after wrapping up the checkpoint in Anvik. She specifically mentioned how well the youngsters leading youngsters down the trail are doing.