2005 Iditarod Race Coverage--Ultimate Iditarod

Ultimate Iditarod's EXCLUSIVE 2005 Iditarod Coverage

Special Report-- Why does the Iditarod have two starts???

Ultimate Iditarod's coverage of the 2005 Iditarod sponsored by:

By Ultimate Iditarod's Jim Gallea

The Iditarod has two starts: The ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday, where teams run only a short distance before stopping, and the re-start the following day, where the race begins in earnest, and the clock starts ticking. The start in Anchorage is good for race publicity and allows tens of thousands of spectators to see the teams as they make their way through town. However, after reaching the outskirts of Anchorage, the trail would have to cross a 6-lane highway leading into Anchorage and then run over tidal flats along Cook Inlet. These obstacles are difficult and dangerous to traverse. As a result, the teams go by truck to Wasilla where the race re-starts. This year, the re-start has been moved a few miles north of Wasilla to Willow. The reason is that trail conditions out of Wasilla are a bit dicey, and race coordinators are very careful to ensure the safety of drivers and teams, especially during the early miles of the race when the teams are so excited and powerful.

Here are a few more points to keep in mind:
The start out of Anchorage is not timed, and it has no bearing on the final outcome of the race. Additionally mushers have passengers on their sleds as they leave Anchorage. These passengers, known as "Idita-Riders," pay up to several thousand dollars for the opportunity to ride along out of the starting line in Anchorage. The seats are sold in an auction that takes place on the Iditarod's official website. The proceeds of the auction go toward the $750,000 of prize money paid out to all the race finishers.

The re-start is the "real" start of the race. This is when the clock starts ticking, and mushers have no assistance for the remainder of the race. The winners will arrive in Nome about nine days after the re-start. The last place teams will arrive about five or six days later.