Posts from — March 2023

Rookie Jennifer LaBar (13) made the decision to scratch at Rainy Pass last night because of an injured hand.

Standings at 9:30PM CST (6:30PM AKST):
At McGrath
1 Ryan Redington (5)
Beyond Nikolai
2 Brent Sass (14)
3 Jessie Holmes (2)
4 Richie Diehl (15)
5 Kelly Maixner (23)
6 Mille Porsild (4)
7 Peter Kaiser (33)
8 Matthew Failor (16)
9 Eddie Burke Jr (18)^R
10 Matt Hall (7)
11 Hunter Keefe (12)^R
12 Aaron Peck (31)
13 Riley Dyche (21)
14 Wade Marrs (28)
15 Christian Turner (30)
At Nikolai
16 Nicolas Petit (9)
17 Dan Kaduce (11)
18 Jessie Royer (26)
19 KattiJo Deeter (10)^R
20 Kristy Berington (6)
21 Anna Berington (8)
22 Michael Williams Jr (32)
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Brent Sass is running true to his form by taking off early.
Standings at 11:00PM CST (8:00PM AKST):
Beyond Rohn
1 Ryan Redington (5)
2 Jessie Holmes (2)
3 Brent Sass (14)
4 Kelly Maixner (23)
At Rohn
5 Nicolas Petit (9)
6 Richie Diehl (15)
7 Hunter Keefe (12)^R
Beyond Rainy Pass
8 Mille Porsild (4)
9 Peter Kaiser (33)
10 Matthew Failor (16)
11 Matt Hall (7)
12 Dan Kaduce (11)
13 Aaron Peck (31)
14 Eddie Burke Jr (18)^R
15 Riley Dyche (21)
16 Christian Turner (30)
17 KattiJo Deeter (10)^R
18 Ramey Smyth (24)
19 Jessie Royer (26)
20 Wade Marrs (28)
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The actual racing starts today at 5PM CST/2PM AKST as the teams leave the starting line at Willow every 2 minutes for little over an hour. The average team will have 14 puppies and the musher.

Standings at 9:45PM CST (6:45PM AKST):
Beyond Yentna
1 Ryan Redington (5)
2 Brent Sass (14)
3 Dan Kaduce (11)
4 Bailey Vitello (3)^R
5 Jessie Holmes (2)
6 Hunter Keefe (12)^R
7 Mille Porsild (4)
Beyond Willow
8 Kristy Berington (6)
9 Matt Hall (7)
10 Anna Berington (8)
11 Nicolas Petit (9)
12 KattiJo Deeter (10)^R
13 Jennifer LaBar (13)^R
14 Richie Diehl (15)
15 Matthew Failor (16)
16 Eric Kelly (17)
17 Eddie Burke Jr (18)^R
18 Bridgett Watkins (19)^R
19 Jason Mackey (20)
20 Riley Dyche (21)
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1 Jessie Holmes (2)
2 Bailey Vitello (3)^R
3 Mille Porsild (4)
4 Ryan Redington (5)
5 Kristy Berington (6)
6 Matt Hall (7)
7 Anna Berington (8)
8 Nicolas Petit (9)
9 KattiJo Deeter (10)^R
10 Dan Kaduce (11)
11 Hunter Keefe (12)^R
12 Jennifer LaBar (13)^R
13 Brent Sass (14)
14 Richie Diehl (15)
15 Matthew Failor (16)
16 Eric Kelly (17)
17 Eddie Burke Jr (18)^R
18 Bridgett Watkins (19)^R
19 Jason Mackey (20)
20 Riley Dyche (21)
21 Gerhardt Thiart (22)^R
22 Kelly Maixner (23)
23 Ramey Smyth (24)
24 Joanna Jagow (25)
25 Jessie Royer (26)
26 Jed Stephensen (27)^R
27 Wade Marrs (28)
28 Gregg Vitello (29)^R
29 Christian Turner (30)
30 Aaron Peck (31)
31 Michael Williams Jr (32)
32 Peter Kaiser (33)
33 Deke Naaktgeboren (34)
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Anchorage & Campbell Airstrip
Willow
Skwentna & Yentna, Finger Lake, Rainy Pass, Rohn
McGrath & Nikolai, Takotna, Ophir
Shageluk & Iditarod
Anvik
Grayling & Eagle Island
Kaltag
Unalakleet
Shaktoolik
Koyuk
Elim
Golovin
White Mountain
Nome & Safety

It’s the southern route that includes the namesake ghost-town of Iditarod as the midpoint. The Stepping Stones, the Burn, Rainy Pass, the Glacier, all of the hazards of the first half are still part of the race, as well as the long open stretch between Ophir and the Yukon. The route that is normally taken in odd years.

The day will be about 10 and a half hours at Anchorage and the moon is waxing with a full moon on March 7th. The temperature is in 4°F-14°F range in Anchorage, which is a welcome change from recent years.

Things start off today, Susan Butcher Day, with the ‘parade’ from Anchorage to the airport. The actual racing starts on Sunday at Willow.

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It is the first Saturday in March which is Susan Butcher Day in Alaska and marks the Iditarod ‘parade’ from Anchorage to the airport. The actual race is set to start on Sunday in Willow.

It’s Saint David’s Day, and, as he is their patron saint, it is a national holiday in Wales. The Welsh wear leeks or daffodils [called Peter’s leek in Welsh] on this day.