Iditarod Report - 2 Mushers, 77miles, 13 minutes

The top two mushers, Mitch Seavey and Aliy Zirkle are finishing their final mandatory 8 hour rest in White Mountain, with only 77 miles separating them from Nome. Mitch will leave 13 minutes before Aliy. Jeff King will start about an hour and a half behind, only weather or some unforeseen trouble could hold the leaders up enough to make him a factor. Stay tuned for an exciting sprint to the finish!

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On the trail to Nome

1.     Mitch Seavey (36)

2.     Aliy Zirkle (27)

In White Mountain

3.     Jeff King (18)

4.     Dallas Seavey (19)

5.     Ray Redington Jr (52)

6.     Joar Leifseth Ulsom (32) {R}

7.     Nicolas Petit (16)

8.     Jake Berkowitz (44)

9.     Aaron Burmeister (24)

10. Sonny Lindner (67)

11. DeeDee Jonrowe (28)

12. Ken Anderson (6)

Iditarod Update #4 - In Iditarod

Lance Mackey won $3,000 in gold by winning the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award for being the first musher to the historic ghost town of Iditarod. Joining him are Sonny Lindner and Jeff King. While those three appear to be taking their mandatory 24-hour rest, Martin Buser has joined them. With his 24 out of the way, any distance he puts between them will be the actual race lead.

Aaron Burmeister is 10 miles out of Iditarod, and should also be passing the others on their mandatory stay.

The back of the pack is primarily in McGrath taking their 24, with Newton Marshall resting in Nikolai.

Reports of high winds limiting visibility, with the prospect for high temps and rain, are the cause of concern for many of the teams.

Unofficial Standings as of 4:30pm ET:

In Iditarod

1.     Lance Mackey (5)

2.     Sonny Lindner (67)

3.     Jeff King (18)

4.     Martin Buser (2)

On the trail to Iditarod

5.     Aaron Burmeister (24)

6.     Jason Mackey (12)

7.     Mitch Seavey (36)

8.     Jim Lanier (59)

9.     Aliy Zirkle (27)

10. Peter Kaiser (10)

11. Jake Berkowitz (44)

12. Joar Leifseth Ulsom (32) {R}

13. Ken Anderson (6)

14. Nicolas Petit (16)

15. Paul Gebhardt (11)

16. Jessie Royer (30)

17. Ray Redington Jr (52)

18. DeeDee Jonrowe (28)

19. Dallas Seavey (19)

20. Michelle Phillips (7)

21. Cim Smyth (51)

22. Matt Failor (61)

23. John Baker (13)

24. Brent Sass (62)

25. Gerry Willomitzer (21)

26. Ramey Smyth (38)

27. Kelly Maixner (25)

28. Kelley Griffin (9)

29. Justin Savidis (34)

30. Robert Bundtzen (23)

31. Michael Williams, Jr. (46)

32. Josh Cadzow (55) {R}

33. Jessica Hendricks (54)

34. Allen Moore (48)

35. Aaron Peck (58)

In Ophir

36. Jodi Bailey (4)

On the trail to Ophir

37. Mike Williams, Sr. (35)

38. Wade Marrs (57)

39. Curt Perano (45)

40. Mike Ellis (50) {R}

41. Paige Drobny (14) {R}

42. Linwood Fiedler (42)

43. Karin Hendrickson (29)

In Takotna

44. Kristy Berington (20)

45. Anna Berington (31)

46. Richie Diehl (65) {R}

47. Cindy Gallea (17)

48. Louie Ambrose (53) {R}

On the trail to Takotna

49. Mikhail Telpin (63) {R}

50. Travis Beals (22) {R}

51. Gerald Sousa (49)

52. Matt Giblin (64)

In McGrath

53. Rudy Demoski, Sr. (39)

54. Charley Bejna (15) {R}

55. Luan Ramos Marques (47) {R}

56. Angie Taggart (40)

57. Michael Suprenant (33)

58. Jan Steves (26)

59. Bob Chlupach (43)

60. David Sawatzky (56)

61. James Volek (66) {R}      

62. Christine Roalofs (37) {R}

63. Cindy Abbott (60) {R}

In Nikolai

64. Newton Marshall (8)

SCRATCHED

Ed Stielstra (41)

Scott Janssen (3)

Iditarod Update #3 - In Ophir

The race frontrunners have reached Ophir, where the trail splits into Northern and Southern routes. This year, being an odd number, the trail turns South towards the race namesake of Iditarod, where some will take their mandatory 24.

Jake Berkowitz and Nicolas Petit were the first to arrive in Ophir, with Sonny Lindner and Lance Mackey on their way in. The next group is in Takotna, possibly taking their 24. The back of the pack are all out of Rohn, with Newton Mashall, Cindy Abbott and Gerald Sousa camped along the trail outside of Rohn.

Ed Stielstra scratched after the ceremonial start, as he suffered head injuries while training at his home in Michigan. And last years' hero, the 'Mushing Mortician' Scott Janssen scratched at Rainey Pass, as he was concerned for the attitude of his dogs.

Unofficial Standings as of 9:30am ET (based on trackers and checkpoint reports)

In Ophir

1.     Jake Berkowitz (44)

2.     Nicolas Petit (16)

On the trail to Ophir

3.     Sonny Lindner (67)

4.     Lance Mackey (5)

In Takotna

5.     Aaron Burmeister (24)

6.     Aliy Zirkle (27)

7.     Mitch Seavey (36)

8.     Jessie Royer (30)

9.     Peter Kaiser (10)

10. DeeDee Jonrowe (28)

11. Dallas Seavey (19)

12. Paul Gebhardt (11)

13. Ray Redington Jr (52)

14. Joar Leifseth Ulsom (32) {R}

15. Michelle Phillips (7)

16. Ken Anderson (6)

17. Jeff King (18)

18. John Baker (13)

19. Cim Smyth (51)

20. Gerry Willomitzer (21)

21. Brent Sass (62)

22. Kelley Griffin (9)

23. Ramey Smyth (38)

On the trail to Takotna

24. Mike Williams, Sr. (35)

25. Allen Moore (48)

26. Michael Williams, Jr. (46)

In McGrath

27. Jason Mackey (12)

28. Justin Savidis (34)

29. Robert Bundtzen (23)

30. Kelly Maixner (25)

31. Josh Cadzow (55) {R}

32. Jim Lanier (59)

33. Aaron Peck (58)

34. Jessica Hendricks (54)

On the trail to McGrath

35. Wade Marrs (57)

36. Paige Drobny (14) {R}

37. Jodi Bailey (4)

38. Mike Ellis (50) {R}

39. Curt Perano (45)

40. Martin Buser (2)

41. Karin Hendrickson (29)

42. Linwood Fiedler (42)

43. Kristy Berington (20)

44. Anna Berington (31)

45. Travis Beals (22) {R}

46. Louie Ambrose (53) {R}

47. Rudy Demoski, Sr. (39)

48. Richie Diehl (65) {R}

49. Matt Giblin (64)

50. Charley Bejna (15) {R}

In Nikolai

51. Matt Failor (61)

On the trail to Nikolai

52. Cindy Gallea (17)

53. Luan Ramos Marques (47) {R}

54. Michael Suprenant (33)

55. Angie Taggart (40)

56. James Volek (66) {R}      

57. Jan Steves (26)

58. Bob Chlupach (43)

59. Christine Roalofs (37) {R}

60. Mikhail Telpin (63) {R}

61. David Sawatzky (56)

62. Newton Marshall (8)

63. Cindy Abbott (60) {R}

64. Gerald Sousa (49)

SCRATCHED

Ed Stielstra (41)

Scott Janssen (3)

Iditarod Update #2 - In Nikolai

As the race leaders arrive in Nikolai, the Top 5 are perennial front runners: Aaron Burmeister, Lance Mackey, Ali Zirkle, Paul Gebhardt, Jeff King. With Ali taking longer to get there, she might have a more rested team, and could lead the charge to McGrath. The standings will have more meaning as the teams take their mandatory 24 hour breaks somewhere in the next 3 or 4 checkpoints. Partial Unofficial Standings as of 1:40pm ET (Based on tracker and checkpoint reports): 1. Aaron Burmeister (24) 2. Lance Mackey (5) 3. Aliy Zirkle (27) 4. Paul Gebhardt (11) On the trail to Nikolai 5. Mitch Seavey (36) 6. Jake Berkowitz (44) 7. Jeff King (18) 8. Michelle Phillips (7) 9. Peter Kaiser (10) 10. Nicolas Petit (16)

Iditarod Update #1

The majority of the field has made it through the Alaska Range, down the Dazell Gorge to the Rohn checkpoint. Some teams, including pace-setting Martin Buser, are resting there, while others have moved outside the checkpoint to camp. Aaron Burmeister is taking the point, on the move through the Buffalo Chutes towards the Farewell Burn, on the trail to Nikolai. The standings don't mean much yet, with teams taking varying amounts of rest.