Patrick Yack, Alaska Public Media

Dallas Seavey maintained his lead over Aliy Zirkle and Aaron Burmeister Sunday night in the Iditarod and was the first to reach Koyuk early Monday morning. He arrived about about an hour and a half sooner than Zirkle. Last year's champion, John Baker was just outside of Koyuk at 7 am.

After giving up the lead position Friday morning, Aliy Zirkle was back in the lead position in the Iditarod by early Friday afternoon. She recaptured her lead by giving her team a rest 30 miles south of Ruby. She reached the Ruby checkpoint after the morning leader, Mitch Seavey, but she spent only a few minutes there. She dropped one dog in Ruby and is now racing with 14 dogs westward along the Yukon River.

Jim Lanier and Trent Herbst were nearing Cripple about noon on Thursday and leading the field in this year's Iditarod. Mitch Seavey was moving up rapidly in third place and gaining on Lanier and Herbst. Aliy Zirkle, who had led early on, was in fourth position. Chasing those four leaders were defending champion John Baker and Aaron Burmeister. Ray Redington, Jr., Paul Gebhardt and past champion Lance Mackey were running together and chasing the leaders. Cripple marks the official halfway point in the race. The first team to reach Cripple wins a trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets.

Veteran musher Jim Lanier took the lead in the Iditarod late Wednesday night leaving Ophir just before midnight. He was being trailed by Trent Herbst. Lanier was racing with 13 dogs, Herbst with 15. Neither musher had taken a 24-hour required stop. Mitch Seavey, Aliy Zirkle and Dallas Seavey took their 24-hour stop in Ophir and were following the leaders Thursday morning. Past champion Jeff King and defending champion John Baker also had taken their long stop in Ophir and were trailing Dallas Seavey. Fan favorite Lance Mackey was out of Ophir about 6:30 this morning and was racing to catch up with the leaders.

Martin Buser and his son, Rohn, stopped for only a few minutes in Takotna and bolted into the Iditarod lead Wednesday morning. Martin Buser arrived in Takotna about 8:30 am, stopped a few minutes and then headed towards the ghost town of Ophir. Rohn, who won the Kusko 300 earlier this year, reached Takotna about 9:45 am and left almost immediately. As of 11:30 Wednesday morning, Aliy Zirkle, who had led much of the race, was still in Takotna.

Leaders in the 40th Iditarod were in Rainy Pass late Monday morning, including Ray Redington, Jr., Hugh Neff, Aliy Zirkle, Paul Gebhardt, Jim Lanier and Cim Smyth. The group also included past champions Lance Mackey and rival Jeff King. Defending champion John Baker was out of Finger Lake and not far behind the leaders.