Former Iditarod Champion Reflects On Women Of The Iditarod
This year's running of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race will soon have a winner. Back in 1985, Libby Riddles - who's lived in Homer for the past decade - was the first woman to win the race. KBBI's Marcia Lynn recently talked with Riddles about the role of women in the Iditarod and how things have changed over the years.
Dallas Seavey Out First of White Mountain
Dallas Seavey continued his quest to win the 40th Iditarod leaving White Mountain about 8:22 this morning. Aliy Zirkle took off after Seavey who had about an hour head start. Seavey is racing with nine dogs. Zirkle has 10 in her team.
Dallas Seavey First to White Mountain
Dallas Seavey kept his lead in the Iditarod and was first into White Mountain just after midnight Tuesday morning. Aliy Zirkle who had competed for the lead much of the race was second into White Mountain arriving about 1:25 am. Ramey Smyth, who climbed into contention on Monday, was third. Aarron Burmeister was fourth. Peter Kaiser was just outside of White Mountain on Tuesday morning and in fifth place.
Dallas Seavey Hanging On To Small Lead
Dallas Seavey is hanging onto a narrow Iditarod lead. He pulled into the Elim checkpoint at a little before 4pm this afternoon. Aliy Zirkle joined him there soon after. Just a mile or two separated them on the run from Koyuk. Aaron Burmeister, Ramey Smyth and Pete Kaiser are chasing the leaders.
Dallas Seavey Leading Zirkle to Elim
Dallas Seavey and Aliy Zirkle were racing neck and neck towards Elim on Monday just before noon and were distancing themselves from the rest of the Iditarod field. Seavey reached Koyuk early Monday morning and left about 8:29 am. Zirkle took a shorter rest period in Koyuk and left right behind Seavey a few minutes before 9 am. Aaron Burmeister was racing third and out of Koyuk.
Dallas Seavey Reaches Koyuk in First
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.
Dallas Seavey Moves to Front in Iditarod
Dallas Seavey moved past Aliy Zirkle on Sunday to take the lead in the Iditarod. Seavey, the son of race veteran and past champion, Mitch Seavey took charge after leaving Unalakleet. He was on the edge of Shaktoolik early Sunday evening. Aaron Burmeister was racing second and Zirkle third. Last year's champion John Baker was racing fourth, just ahead of Mitch Seavey.
Zirkle is First to Unalakleet
Aliy Zirkle maintained her lead in the Iditarod early Sunday morning arriving first in Unalakleet. She won an award and $2,500 in gold nuggets for being the first to arrive. Dallas Seavey bolted into second place and arrived about 45 minutes later, about 8:20 am. Aaron Burmeister also was into Unalakleet Sunday morning.
Reporter’s Notebook – Galena – March 10, 2012
After the first few mushers come through a checkpoint, the Iditarod begins to feel more like a parade or a traveling circus than a race. And like all parades or circuses, there is lots of stuff left over when the show is over and the action has moved on. Someone has to clean it all up and figure out what to do with it.
Zirkle Out of Kaltag with Iditarod Lead
Aliy Zirkle continued her quest to become the first woman in more than two decades to win the Iditarod. She spent much of Saturday afternoon in Kaltag resting her team almost six hours. She left Kaltag with 12 dogs shortly before 5 pm and raced towards Unalakleet where the temperature already was minus nine degrees.
Lance Mackey Interview – March 10, 2012
Lance Mackey describes the many health problems experienced by his dogs during the 2012 Iditarod. His main lead dog, Maple, has been in heat and the males in the team have been more interested in her than in moving down the trail. Mackey also talks about the whereabouts of his famous lead dog Larry, and his ultimate Iditarod goal.
Aliy Zirkle Interview – March 9, 2012
Aliy discusses her run/rest schedule after completing her 24 layover at Takotna, which had her skipping through each checkpoint until Galena. She also talks about her young lead dogs, and the relative smallness of the dogs on her team.
Zirkle into Kaltag with Iditarod Lead
Aliy Zirkle continued her charge to win this year's Iditarod reaching Kaltag a little after 11 am Saturday morning. Should she reach Nome first, she would be the first woman to win the race since Susan Butcher won in 1990.
Zirkle Maintains Iditarod Lead; King Moving Up
Aliy Zirkle maintained her Iditarod lead Saturday morning racing in and out of Nulato. She was being trailed by Dallas Seavey and past winner Jeff King. Mitch Seavey, who was contending for the lead position on Friday, had fallen behind King. John Baker, last's year's champion, and Aaron Burmeister trailed Mitch Seavey.
Zirkle First Musher To Reach Galena
Aliy Zirkle is the first Iditarod musher to pull into Galena, arriving shortly before 4 this afternoon. She is followed by Mitch and Dallas Seavey, who are running around 8 miles apart between the Ruby and Galena checkpoints.
Zirkle Resumes Iditarod Lead
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.
Mitch Seavey First To Reach Ruby
This could be a Seavey year in the Iditarod. Mitch and Dallas Seavey have stayed out front, along with a few others, through the halfway point. Mitch Seavey was the first to reach the Yukon River at Ruby. Here is how it rolled out. Veteran musher Jim Lanier put off his mandatory 24 hour layover and collected the halfway gold nuggets at Cripple. Mitch Seavey nearly caught up with him. Aliy Zirkle decided not to rest in Cripple when she arrived four hours later and blasted on ahead, the first to leave Cripple. In between were Trent Herbst, not having taken his 24, Dallas Seavey, John Baker and Jeff King.
Team Zirkle Musher Cam
Last year, Aliy Zirkle and her team allowed us to attach a camera to one of her sleds during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. This year, they let us attach it to her second musher during the start, and that was none other than her husband and fellow musher, Allen Moore.
Reporter’s Notebook – Ruby – March 8, 2012
There are changes in the air here in Ruby. The weather has been switching between clear and stormy several times over the past two days. I came up by snowmachine from my home in Galena on Wednesday afternoon – departing under bright blue skies and driving into a gray wall of snow about halfway into my trip.
Mushers Reflect On Past Lessons Learned
Jim Lanier was the first Iditarod musher to reach the Cripple checkpoint at just before 2 this afternoon. He has not yet taken his 24-hour layover though, so Mitch Seavey – who arrived in Cripple 20 minutes later, is leading the race. Dallas Seavey is also in Cripple. According to GPS, John Baker, Lance Mackey, Jeff King and Aliy Zirkle are close behind.