Complete Junior Iditarod Race Coverage

Eighteen Mushers Are Ready to Go

10 PM, Friday, February 22, 2002

Nineteen mushers drew for starting positions this evening at the Jr. Iditarod pre-race musher meeting at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska.  The meeting was also a chance for mushers to review the race rules with the race officials, ask questions, and double-check that they have all the required gear and equipment as stipulated by the race rules. 

This year's field is quite large for the Junior Iditarod, and consists of 8 veterans of previous Jr. Iditarod races, and 11 rookies.  Defending Champion Tyrell Seavey will be racing in his fourth and final Junior this year.  Tyrell won last year's race, beating Cali King, daughter of Iditarod Champion Jeff King, by only sixteen seconds.  He was second place in his first two runnings of the Junior Iditarod in 1999 and 2000.  Hannah Moderow of Anchorage is also running in her fourth and final Junior Iditarod.  Hannah has done very well in this race, but is also a veteran of this year's Pedigree Stage Stop Race in Wyoming.  With such a large field, and with a mix of very good veteran mushers and rookie mushers who "could be full of surprises," the 2002 Junior Iditarod will be full of great competition.

We'll have lots more as the race gets underway tomorrow morning.

Reporting Exclusively for Ultimate Iditarod, Jim Gallea

© 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