Iditarod 2019 fini
The “widow’s lamp” was extinguished yesterday at 4:51:49 PM CDT [1:51:49 PM AKDT] when Victoria Hardwick & team ran under the Burled Arch in Nome. The Red Lantern Award is given to the final finisher of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The musher receives a red lantern trophy.
As this year’s Iditarod Champion, Peter Kaiser received $50,000 and the Official Truck Award – a 2019 Ram 1500 4×4 truck valued at $40,000. He completed the race in 9 days 12 hours 39 minutes and 6 seconds.
Morrow, Peter Kaiser’s lead dog, a 7-year-old female who has led Kaiser’s team into Nome three years in a row, was chosen by mushers to receive the City of Nome Lolly Medley Memorial Golden Harness Award as the most outstanding lead dog. She received an embroidered gold-colored harness.
As the top placing rookie, Ed Hopkins received Rookie of the Year honors: a $2,000 check & a commemorative trophy.
As the musher who bettered her previous finish by the most places, Paige Drobny received the Most Improved Musher Award: $2,000 in cash & a commemorative trophy.
Mats Pettersson was chosen by fellow mushers to receive the Sportsmanship Award: a $3,000 check & a commemorative trophy.
Mushers selected Lance Mackey as the Most Inspirational Musher Award: a paid entry fee for the 2020 Iditarod.
Mushers gave Golden Clipboard Awards to both Rohn and Eagle Island as outstanding checkpoints. They received commemorative plaques.
Aaron Peck was selected for the Herbie Nayokpuk Memorial Award as the person who emulates “Herbie: The Shishmaref Cannon Ball” in his attitude on the trail. Aaron received $1,049 in “pocket change” inside a Northern Air Cargo jacket.
The race veterinary team selected Aliy Zirkle to receive the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for outstanding dog care while remaining competitive throughout the race: a paid entry fee for the 2020 Iditarod & a commemorative trophy.
Below the fold the checkpoint awards:
McGrath – Spirit of Alaska Award: Nicolas Petit received Beaver mitts made by Loretta Maillelle of McGrath & a musher hat made by Rosalie Egrass of McGrath.
Iditarod – Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award: Aliy Zirkle received $3,000 in gold nuggets & a commemorative trophy.
Anvik – First Musher to the Yukon Award: Nicolas Petit received receives a five-course, gourmet dinner prepared at the checkpoint, $3,500 in one-dollar bills, & a bottle of Dom Pérignon.
Kaltag – Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award: Peter Kaiser received a $2,000 check, a certificate for 25 pounds of fresh-caught, Bristol Bay salmon fillets, & a wood-burned art piece by Apayo Moore.
Unalakleet – Gold Coast Award: Nicolas Petit received $1,500 in gold nuggets & a carved ivory dog sled team made by Leonard Savage of Holy Cross.
White Mountain – Achieve More Award: Peter Kaiser received a check for $2,500 & a one-of-a-kind print by Anchorage artist Marianne Wieland.
The Nome Kennel Club Fastest Time from Safety to Nome Award: Wade Marrs had the fastest time from the Safety checkpoint to the finish in Nome and received a $500 check.
Note: a paid entry fee to the Iditarod is worth $4000.
2 comments
Bryan, thanks for the overview of the finish. I had to abdicate my viewing for the past few days, life intervened again, and it was great to be able to come here for the highlights!
At the price of today’s salmon, the award that Pete Kaiser received is worth a lot more than one would think at first. That’s probably close to $750 of salmon!
I don’t think I was even aware that there was a “Most Improved Musher” award. lol. I must have missed that one before.
The link you posted for Blair’s children’s book was fun. She’s an interesting person, and she should have some great stories come out of this trip.
He can be sure that it was wild-caught and never frozen 😉
It turns out that Nicolas Petit’s team went on strike on the sea ice and refused to move. It’s the wind. When it blows in their faces, they lay down with their backs to the wind and cover their noses with their tails. You have to have a weather leader like Silver to move that team, or do what Sarah Stokey did and become the lead dog. Wade Marrs ran Safety to Nome, about 22 miles, in 2 hours 38 minutes. It took Sarah 16 hours 58 minutes.