Brent Sass has been disqualified from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The musher was informed by race Marshall Mark Nordman after he arrived in Tanana that he will not be able to continue the race because the Eureka-based musher violated a rule about using a wireless communication device on the trail.
"I didn’t use it and I had zero intent of using it for a wifi connection in checkpoints, but I was just completely clueless. I mean I gave my dad my cell phone because I knew you couldn’t have cell phones on this race specifically and I was just ignorant.”
Many mushers use iPods along the race trail, but because the iPod touch is capable of two-way communication, it is prohibited on the Iditarod trail.
A tearful Sass says he’s in shock.
"The biggest thing is I want my fans to know I was not cheating in any way or form. I was just stupid and completely ignorant to the fact that the iPod touch has a wifi connection. I even knew that, but we can use them in the Quest and the rules here are different.”
Sass is currently resting in the Tanana checkpoint. He says the Iditarod race organization understood his situation, but also had to enforce the rules.
Sass was running in 5th place when he was disqualified.