On Friday, before Aliy Zirkle and her team’s run-in with a person riding a snowmachine who, according to an Iditarod press release, deliberately tried to harm her and her team, KNOM’s Emily Schwing sat down with her in Galena during Zirkle’s mandatory 8-hour layover.
Zirkle has been racing a dog team in the Iditarod for the 15th time. In the last four years, she has finished in second place three times. On Friday, she came into Galena with a newer leader up front.