Iditarod Update #13 - Monday Morning Across the Sound

Leaders are crossing the frozen Norton Sound.

Race leader Dallas Seavey has crossed the ice of the Norton Sound to arrive in Koyuk. That stretch of trail can often be difficult, flat and white and seemingly endless. Fortunately, there was no severe weather to hamper the teams’ progress.

Aliy Zirkle is a couple of hours behind, followed by Aaron Burmeister, John Baker and Mitch Seavey all on the ice, with Peter Kaiser and Ramey Smyth out of Shaktoolik.

The rest-run strategy along the coast will determine the winner, as teams run the 90-plus miles to White Mountain and the final mandatory 8-hour stop, before the 77-mile last leg to Nome.

On Sunday, an unusual number of teams ended their race:
Just before 2:30pm, Lachlan Clarke scratched in Galena. Clarke made the decision to scratch because he was down to a small number of dogs. He had 8 dogs on his team when he made the decision.
At 4:00pm, Jake Berkowitz was withdrawn by Race Marshal Mark Nordman in Unalakleet, with a severely injured hand that needed stitches and would prevent him from properly caring for his team. He was in 6th place at the time.
Twelve minutes later, Pat Moon scratched in Ruby because he was down to 7 dogs and felt he shouldn’t continue with so few. Unfortunately, it was his 2nd scratch in as many attempts, the first in the 2010 race.
Approximately 4:40pm, Jeff King made the tough decision to scratch his team in Unalakleet, after his dogs stopped on the trail and refused to continue.
Nearly simultaneously, rookie Josh Cadzow scratched in Kaltag, saying his team wasn’t enjoying themselves and he felt it was in their best interest to scratch.

In the rookie race, Brent Sass has a sizable lead over Anjanette Steer and Braxton Peterson.

The back of the pack of Dan Seavey, Jan Steves and Bob Chlupach are in Ruby, still needing to take their mandatory 8.

UNOFFICIAL CURRENT STANDINGS as of 4:20am AKDST/8:20am EDST
(Based on tracker data and Official Standings):

In Koyuk
1. Dallas Seavey (34)

On the Trail to Koyuk
2. Aliy Zirkle (14)
3. Aaron Burmeister (44)
4. John Baker (11)
5. Mitch Seavey (35)
6. Peter Kaiser (28)
7. Ramey Smyth (21)

In Shaktoolik
8. Ray Redington Jr (2)
9. Sigrid Ekran (24)
10. Sonny Lindner (59)

On the Trail to Shaktoolik
11. DeeDee Jonrowe (17)
12. Ken Anderson (39)
13. Michelle Phillips (26)
14. Michael Williams, Jr (51)
15. Brent Sass (50) {R}

In Unalakleet
16. Paul Gebhardt (25)
17. Rick Swenson (60)
18. Hugh Neff (27)
19. Martin Buser (41)
20. Rohn Buser (62)
21. Anjanette Steer (32) {R}
22. Colleen Robertia (42)

On the Trail to Unalakleet
23. Braxton Peterson (63) {R}
24. Gerry Willomitzer (23)
25. Jodi Bailey (6)
26. Lance Mackey (18)
27. Nicolas Petit (9)
28. Ed Stielstra (45)
29. Kelley Griffin (20)
30. Mike Santos (22) {R}
31. Bruce Linton (36)
32. Ryne Olson (46) {R}
33. Jim Lanier (3)
34. Gerald Sousa (58)
35. Cim Smyth (8)
36. Tom Thurston (5)

In Kaltag
37. Scott Janssen (37)
38. Curt Perano (61) {R}
39. Kelly Maixner (12)
40. Justin Savidis (38)
41. Karin Hendrickson (43)
42. Matt Giblin (52)

On the Trail to Kaltag
43. William Pinkham (4)
44. Anna Berington, (33) {R}
45. Kristy Berington (31)

In Nulato
46. Trent Herbst (16)
47. Karen Ramstead (56)
48. Hank Debruin (48) {R}
49. Travis Cooper (19) {R}

On the Trail to Nulato
50. Jaimee Kinzer (30) {R}
51. Art Church, Jr (64)

In Galena
52. Michael Suprenant (13)
53. Matt Failor (57) {R}
54. Kirk Barnum (47)

In Ruby
55. Dan Seavey (65)
56. Bob Chlupach (49)
57. Jan Steves (40) {R}

Scratched
Josh Cadzow (55) {R}
Jeff King (10)
Pat Moon (15) {R}
Jake Berkowitz (29)
Lachlan Clarke (66)
Zoya DeNure (53)
Wade Marrs (7)
Ryan Redington (67)
Silvia Furtwängler (54) {R}


Bib Numbers (X)
Rookie {R}