2013 Iditarod Sled Dog Race Gets Underway Today
Mar 2, 2013 12:12:18 #
Mar 3, 2013 09:33:26 #
dirtpusher wrote:
http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/02/the-2013-iditarod-sled-dog-race-gets-underway-today/
On a visit to Alaska my wife and I attended a talk by a lady who had won the Iditarod sled dog race. She wrote a book about it but, regretfully, I don't recall her name. She had a great punch line "In Alaska men are men and women win the Iditarod!"
Mar 3, 2013 12:27:30 #
AzGriz
Loc: Sedona, Arizona
Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the race in 1985. Susan Butcher won it he next year. She went on to win it 4 times, 1986, 87, 88 and 1990. Hence the saying, "Alaska, where men are men and women win the Iditarod."
Mar 3, 2013 14:58:16 #
I have been on the Iditarod Trail Committee since 1987, and here are just a few highlights. These are very inspirational people and dogs!
HIKE!
The first Iditarod race was run in 1973, on the 100th anniversary of the purchase of Alaska by the USA from Russia. The dog sled race commemorates a real race against time that saved lives threatened by disease.
In February 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened the isolated city of Nome, Alaska. This terrible disease, threatened the lives of many children in Nome especially those of the native Inuit children, who had no previous contact with diphtheria, and therefore, no immunity to it. The only way available to save the children was to transport the medicine 674 miles across land from Nenana (near Anchorage) to Nome, using dog sleds. Twenty teams of mushers and over 100 dogs delivered the medicine to Nome in about 5 1/2 days.
The lead dog of the final team of dogs was Balto, who became quite famous; the lead dog of the team that braved the toughest and longest part of the journey was called Togo. There are statues of Balto in Anchorage, Alaska, and in Central Park, NY, Balto died on March 14, 1933 at the age of 14 (which is quite old for a dog) and is now mounted and on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (in Cleveland, Ohio)
This years race is actually the 41st running and being an odd year (2013) they are running the Southern route. (998mi)
There are 66 mushers listed, both men and women from all walks of life.
Susan Butcher was the first woman to win the Iditarod and did so 4 times. (1986, 87,88,1990) Susan passed away in 2006 from cancer.
DeeDee Jonrowe is the foremost female dog musher competing in the world today. She has both the fastest time of any woman in the history of the Iditarod and 14 top ten finishes in her career. Her second place finish in 1998 was the fifth fastest Iditarod time ever recorded at that point. In July 2002, Jonrowe was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Three weeks after completing chemotherapy, she competed in the Iditarod, placing 18th. The story was widely publicized, and in 2003 she won the Most Inspirational Musher Award.
Lance Mackey wanted to win the Iditarod also. This dream almost ended when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001 and underwent extensive surgery as well as radiation treatment.
Again he beat the odds and did what was previously thought to be impossible, he won both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year and within two weeks of each other. He repeated that feat in 2008. In 2009 he won the Iditarod again, defeating intense competition and severe weather. Perhaps his greatest personal accomplishment is that he has been honored on both the Quest and the Iditarod for taking the best care of his dogs, who he considers to be the true champions.
Jeff King is often recognized as the Winningest Musher in the World. He holds four championship titles for the 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1993, 1996, 1998, and 2006.
For further information go to Iditarod.com and better yet become an Insider
So, you may be asking yourself What is an Insider. An Ultimate Insider gets the best coverage of this race anywhere, guaranteed.
So, what do you get?
You get commercial-free Video of the trail, the checkpoints, musher interviews and Race analysis.
You get GPS that lets you track the race. You also get Musher Tracking that will send you alerts when your favorite Musher reaches or leaves a checkpoint.
You get Race Analysis, Live video of the Start and the Finish.
You also get our commitment to provide content throughout the year.
Enjoy!
HIKE!
The first Iditarod race was run in 1973, on the 100th anniversary of the purchase of Alaska by the USA from Russia. The dog sled race commemorates a real race against time that saved lives threatened by disease.
In February 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened the isolated city of Nome, Alaska. This terrible disease, threatened the lives of many children in Nome especially those of the native Inuit children, who had no previous contact with diphtheria, and therefore, no immunity to it. The only way available to save the children was to transport the medicine 674 miles across land from Nenana (near Anchorage) to Nome, using dog sleds. Twenty teams of mushers and over 100 dogs delivered the medicine to Nome in about 5 1/2 days.
The lead dog of the final team of dogs was Balto, who became quite famous; the lead dog of the team that braved the toughest and longest part of the journey was called Togo. There are statues of Balto in Anchorage, Alaska, and in Central Park, NY, Balto died on March 14, 1933 at the age of 14 (which is quite old for a dog) and is now mounted and on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (in Cleveland, Ohio)
This years race is actually the 41st running and being an odd year (2013) they are running the Southern route. (998mi)
There are 66 mushers listed, both men and women from all walks of life.
Susan Butcher was the first woman to win the Iditarod and did so 4 times. (1986, 87,88,1990) Susan passed away in 2006 from cancer.
DeeDee Jonrowe is the foremost female dog musher competing in the world today. She has both the fastest time of any woman in the history of the Iditarod and 14 top ten finishes in her career. Her second place finish in 1998 was the fifth fastest Iditarod time ever recorded at that point. In July 2002, Jonrowe was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Three weeks after completing chemotherapy, she competed in the Iditarod, placing 18th. The story was widely publicized, and in 2003 she won the Most Inspirational Musher Award.
Lance Mackey wanted to win the Iditarod also. This dream almost ended when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001 and underwent extensive surgery as well as radiation treatment.
Again he beat the odds and did what was previously thought to be impossible, he won both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year and within two weeks of each other. He repeated that feat in 2008. In 2009 he won the Iditarod again, defeating intense competition and severe weather. Perhaps his greatest personal accomplishment is that he has been honored on both the Quest and the Iditarod for taking the best care of his dogs, who he considers to be the true champions.
Jeff King is often recognized as the Winningest Musher in the World. He holds four championship titles for the 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1993, 1996, 1998, and 2006.
For further information go to Iditarod.com and better yet become an Insider
So, you may be asking yourself What is an Insider. An Ultimate Insider gets the best coverage of this race anywhere, guaranteed.
So, what do you get?
You get commercial-free Video of the trail, the checkpoints, musher interviews and Race analysis.
You get GPS that lets you track the race. You also get Musher Tracking that will send you alerts when your favorite Musher reaches or leaves a checkpoint.
You get Race Analysis, Live video of the Start and the Finish.
You also get our commitment to provide content throughout the year.
Enjoy!
Mar 3, 2013 17:55:34 #
Sierracoyote wrote:
I have been on the Iditarod Trail Committee since ... (show quote)
Wonderful history and inspiring people. Thanks for posting, Sierracoyote.
Mar 3, 2013 19:10:07 #
THEY ARE OFF!
Watch Alley Zirkle & DeeDee Jonrowe & Dallas Seavey as they race to Nome. Experienced mushers and strong teams. There is a lot of talent on the trail this year. If conditions are good, it should be a record setting race!
Watch Alley Zirkle & DeeDee Jonrowe & Dallas Seavey as they race to Nome. Experienced mushers and strong teams. There is a lot of talent on the trail this year. If conditions are good, it should be a record setting race!
Mar 3, 2013 19:12:12 #
Mar 3, 2013 19:13:04 #
I was stationed at Fort Richardson 72-75, saw the iditerod leaving Anchorage in 73 WHAT AQ SIGHT, Fur Rondy was equally as exciting. Met some true gold folks.
Memories of a life time
Memories of a life time
Mar 3, 2013 19:58:03 #
John Baker took 1st place in the 2011 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. They set a new record by completing the race in 8 days; 18 hours; 46 minutes; and 39 seconds smashing the record by 4 hours.
Mar 3, 2013 20:02:41 #
Sierracoyote wrote:
John Baker took 1st place in the 2011 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. They set a new record by completing the race in 8 days; 18 hours; 46 minutes; and 39 seconds smashing the record by 4 hours.
WOW
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