The 2021 Kobuk 440: A race pummeled by storms
The 2021 Kobuk 440: A race pummeled by storms The Kobuk 440 is named the toughest dog race above the Arctic Circle for a reason. The race takes teams from the coastal town of Kotzebue across Kobuk Lake and up the Kobuk River to the village of Kobuk and back. Mushers of 2021 Kobuk […]
Dallas Seavey notches fifth Iditarod win
Talkeetna musher Dallas Seavey crossed the finish line at Deshka Landing on March 15, a Monday morning, at 5:08 a.m. winning his fifth Iditarod, and thus tying Rick Swenson for the distinction of holding five Iditarod championship titles. Seavey had 10 dogs in harness when he came across the finish line to win the Iditarod […]
Iditarod changes course in light of COVID considerations, loses Exxon’s sponsorship
In December the Iditarod Trail Committee announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 49th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race will follow a different course, one that won’t lead dog teams up to the Bering Sea and ultimately to Nome. Instead, the Iditarod will be run from the usual start at Willow […]
So, you want to race?
The following wise words are from longtime race marshal Michael McGowan who most recently gave a rookie orientation to new racers at the Alaska Dog Mushers Association in Fairbanks, Alaska. This is the Golden Rule: Leave your ego at home. It does not belong anywhere near a dog race. Your dogs deserve and require your […]
2021 Iditarod won’t be coming to Nome
On Friday Dec. 18, the Iditarod Trail Committee announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 49th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race will follow a different course, one that won’t lead dog teams up to the Bering Sea and ultimately to Nome. Instead, the Iditarod will be run from the usual start […]
A handler’s journey on the Yukon Quest
The Yukon Quest is regarded as the most grueling thousand miles by dog sled in the race world, but did you know that this goes beyond the mushers and the incredible canine athletes? Some races on the road system require handlers. What do handlers do? They drive from one checkpoint to the next to make […]
WINDS OF CHANGE: 2009 IDITAROD PROMPTS NEW REQUIREMENTS TO BETTER PREPARE ROOKIES
Since its inception in 1973, the Iditarod has undergone nothing short of a complete metamorphosis in terms of the time it takes to get to Nome, the style of dog run, the type of gear used to get there, and the skills of the competitors making the attempts. Gone are the days of true woodsmen […]
Brent Sass back with his second Quest victory in crowded field
At his first rest stop of the 2019 Yukon Quest in Carmacks, defending champ Allen Moore was feeling pretty good about his first tactical decision to run the ninety miles without a stop. Was that too much for the defending champion team? “I don’t think so or I probably wouldn’t have done it,” he said […]
Pete Kaiser wins 2019 Iditarod
Wind-driven snow blowing through Front Street and the late hour did not keep throngs of Iditarod fans from coming to the finish line in Nome as Bethel’s Pete Kaiser, 31, became the 2019 Iditarod champion at 3:39 a.m. on March 13. To the drums of the Nome St. Lawrence Island drummers and dancers, an emotional […]
Anny Malo wins 2019 Pedigree Stage Stop race
In 1996 Frank Teasley, with the help of public health nurse Jayne Ottman, launched the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race to showcase the beautiful state of Wyoming and to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. In addition, the race committee worked to spread the word about the need for childhood […]