Iditarod Update #9 - Thursday Afternoon Gold Rush

The Gold Rush!

A race of sorts broke out for the $3,000 in gold nuggets awarded to the first team to the halfway point of Cripple. Jim Lanier and Trent Herbst chose not to take their mandatory 24-hour stop, but to continue on. However, the fresh teams coming off their 24 smoked down the trail, with Mitch Seavey nearly catching Lanier outside Cripple. Around 2:00pm local time, Lanier wins the gold!

With the two in front needing a rest, Mitch Seavey is the true race leader, followed by his son, Dallas. Behind them are John Baker, and the man who has made up a lot of time – Lance Mackey. Rounding out the actual Top Ten are Jeff King, DeeDee Jonrowe, Aliy Zirkle, Rick Swenson, Sonny Lindner and Sigrid Ekran.

All teams that are moving have finished their 24 but in the checkpoints, some teams are still resting.

Ryan Redington has decided to scratch in Takotna, saying he has some dogs that aren’t feeling well.

Brent Sass still leads the rookies, followed by Anjanette Steer and Josh Cadzow.

The back of the pack have all made it to McGrath.

UNOFFICIAL CURRENT STANDINGS as of 3:00pm AKST/7:00pm ET
(Based on tracker data and Official Standings):

Teams in RED have yet to 24, and there fore are not actually in 1st and 3rd.

In Cripple
1. Jim Lanier (3)
2. Mitch Seavey (35)

On the Trail to Cripple
3. Trent Herbst (16)
4. Dallas Seavey (34)
5. John Baker (11)
6. Lance Mackey (18)
7. Jeff King (10)
8. DeeDee Jonrowe (17)
9. Aliy Zirkle (14)
10. Rick Swenson (60)
11. Sonny Lindner (59)
12. Sigrid Ekran (24)
13. Aaron Burmeister (44)
14. Michael Williams, Jr (51)
15. Ray Redington Jr (2)
16. Hugh Neff (27)
17. Paul Gebhardt (25)
18. Ramey Smyth (21)
19. Brent Sass (50) {R}
20. Gerry Willomitzer (23)
21. Michelle Phillips (26)
22. Tom Thurston (5)
23. Ken Anderson (39)
24. Peter Kaiser (28)
25. Jake Berkowitz (29)
26. Anjanette Steer (32) {R}
27. Josh Cadzow (55) {R}
28. Jodi Bailey (6)
29. Cim Smyth (8)
30. Gerald Sousa (58)
31. Bruce Linton (36)
32. Kelley Griffin (20)
33. Martin Buser (41)
34. Rohn Buser (62)
35. Colleen Robertia (42)
36. Nicolas Petit (9)

In Ophir
37. Justin Savidis (38)
38. Braxton Peterson (63) {R}
39. Wade Marrs (7)

On the Trail to Ophir
40. Curt Perano (61) {R}
41. Ryne Olson (46) {R}
42. Zoya DeNure (53)


In Takotna
43. Mike Santos (22) {R}
44. William Pinkham (4)
45. Ed Stielstra (45)
46. Scott Janssen (37)
47. Lachlan Clarke (66)
48. Karin Hendrickson (43)
49. Anna Berington, (33) {R}
50. Kristy Berington (31)
51. Michael Suprenant (13)
52. Kelly Maixner (12)

On the Trail to Takotna
53. Matt Failor (57) {R}

In McGrath
54. Pat Moon (15) {R}
55. Matt Giblin (52)
56. Travis Cooper (19) {R}
57. Hank Debruin (48) {R}
58. Karen Ramstead (56)
59. Art Church, Jr (64)
60. Jaimee Kinzer (30) {R}
61. Kirk Barnum (47)
62. Jan Steves (40) {R}
63. Bob Chlupach (49)
64. Dan Seavey (65)

Scratched
Ryan Redington (67)
Silvia Furtwängler (54) {R}


Bib Numbers (X)
Rookie {R}