Anchorage Daily News -- 2012 Iditarod Sled Dog race

Mitch Seavey sues knife maker

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:38:31 AKDT

When Mitch Seavey nearly lost his index finger last year in Ophir, his Iditarod was over. In a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, the former champion now says the blame…

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Rookie Iditarod musher loses another dog during transport

() — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:59:52 AKDT

Silvia Furtwangler, the Iditarod rookie from Germany who lost her lead dog in Anchorage before this year's race, lost another one in the Cascade foothills east of Seattle weeks ago.

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Evolution of the Iditarod

comment (John Schandelmeier) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:03:35 AKDT

The changes in mushing affect the Iditarod at many levels. I would like to reflect on the evolution of running styles we have seen over the past 30-plus years.

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Iditarod ends with Steves taking the Red Lantern

Anchorage Daily News () — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:06:52 AKDT

Jan Steves crossed the finish line at 2:57 a.m. Monday to snag this year's Red Lantern award and bring the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to a close.

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Happy trails from ADN Iditarod team

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:42:50 AKDT

We're back in Anchorage Friday after a fantastic two weeks on the trail. A big thanks from photographer Marc Lester and I to everyone who followed along on the blog,

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Third-place Ramey Smyth: 'I almost didn't get to the start line'

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:35:15 AKDT

Willow musher Ramey Smyth is the only racer to finish in the top three of each of the past two Iditarods. A ferocious finisher known for surging on competitors late…

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Dallas Seavey claims victory in the 2012 Iditarod

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:33:47 AKDT

Don't say he didn't warn you. As early as the halfway mark of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, 25-year-old Dallas Seavey revealed the plan that would crown him the…

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Dallas Seavey closes in on Iditarod victory

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:33:08 AKDT

Dallas Seavey of Willow is just minutes from becoming the youngest Iditarod champion in race history. The 25-year-old, third-generation Iditarod competitor left Safety at 3:42 p.m. with nine dogs in…

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Zirkle profile: Two Rivers musher has rep for doting on her dogs

() — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:47:59 AKDT

Born in New Hampshire, raised in St. Louis and Puerto Rico and educated at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned degrees in biology and anthropology, Aliy Zirkle found her…

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Seavey profile: Athletic musher would be youngest Iditarod winner

() — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:25:45 AKDT

If anyone was born to run the Iditarod, it's Dallas Seavey. He's a third-generation musher whose grandfather is an Iditarod pioneer. His father is an Iditarod champion.

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Hard-charging Smyth roars into third place

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com () — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:26:06 AKDT

Ramey Smyth, famous for his finishing kicks, is steamrolling through the competition, grabbing third place Monday when he left Elim at 6:56 p.m. Ahead of him on the trail to…

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Sebastian Schnuelle: The push up the coast

() — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:49:18 AKDT

Trails have been very soft for the front-runners, so a few more of them have been taking shorts rests along the way.

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Iditarod takes its toll as 4 mushers scratch, 1 withdrawn

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:44:36 AKDT

The Iditarod trail took its toll on mushers Sunday. Five mushers -- including two running in the top 10 -- one of them four-time champion Jeff King -- dropped out…

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As end game nears, Dallas Seavey revs up

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:56:51 AKDT

This late in the Iditarod, the team that doesn't eat is the team that loses. That's why Dallas Seavey, 25, is happy to see his fleet huskies wolfing meals at…

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King, 3 others scratch; Berkowitz withdrawn with injury

() — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:32:57 AKDT

Four-time champion Jeff King, a veteran of 21 previous Iditarods, joined the list of mushers who are out of the race, scratching Sunday afternoon in Unalakleet.

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Dallas Seavey leaves Shaktoolik before pursuers arrive

() — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:09:10 AKDT

Nobody followed when Dallas Seavey left Shaktoolik with the Iditarod lead on Sunday night. Seavey left the checkpoint at 6:38 p.m., before anyone else had arrived.

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Iditarod becomes test of stamina for leaders

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 06:02:28 AKDT

The Yukon River can be dull. No twists and turns. Just a flat, snowy desert interrupted by islands of spruce and willow trees. Scenery that can lull a musher --

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Mackey dogs have romance, not running, on their minds

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:35:46 AKDT

Late Friday night, Lance Mackey was more than 50 miles behind Iditarod leader Aliy Zirkle. His go-to sled dog, Maple, was in heat and driving the rest of the team…

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Zirkle keeps lead by leaving Kaltag first

Anchorage Daily News () — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:43:20 AKST

Aliy Zirkle drove a team of 12 dogs out Kaltag at 4:55 p.m. Saturday, still in command of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Left behind at the checkpoint were…

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Zirkle pulls into Kaltag with 3-hour lead

() — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:00:33 AKST

Aliy Zirkle arrived in Kaltag with a lead of about three hours and intentions to stay awhile -- a change of habit for the Two Rivers musher. Zirkle has been…

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For front-runners, race strategy gets serious

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:11:09 AKST

For the leaders, the 975-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is more than halfway over. At this point, the race becomes a battle of sleepless gambits and counterattacks. Let the…

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Seavey regains lead by pushing past Galena

() — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:11:12 AKST

Iditarod pacesetters Mitch Seavey and Aliy Zirkle continued their game of leapfrog, only this time it was Seavey who blew through a checkpoint, leaving a resting Zirkle behind. Seavey arrived…

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71-year-old Lanier wins first gold in Iditarod career

(KYLE HOPKINS) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:28:18 AKST

Jim Lanier of Chugiak won a heaping tablespoon of gold nuggets for arriving first at the halfway point of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Thursday, a feat he…

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Zirkle roars through Cripple to regain lead

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:25:05 AKST

Just as it looked as if Mitch Seavey had turned in an epic, possibly game-changing run of nearly 100 miles on Thursday to seize control of the Iditarod Trail Sled…

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Leaders talk of smooth trail and warm days

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:31:44 AKST

As Iditarod front-runners Aliy Zirkle and John Baker waited out their mandatory 24-hour layovers in Takotna on Wednesday, they talked about everything from near error-free runs to listening to music…

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Schnuelle: Back-of-packers put dogs first

() — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:11:25 AKST

Dogs first. That seems to be the slogan of the back-of-the-pack mushers.

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Who will leave Takotna first?

() — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:57:56 AKST

We started crunching the numbers to figure out who truly will be the Iditarod leader tonight when the lead pack pours out of Takotna.

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Collapsed dog receives mouth-to-snout CPR

Anchorage Daily News () — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:55:52 AKST

One moment, 9-year-old Marshall was pulling hard at Iditarod sophomore Scott Janssen's sled, the tug line taut as a guitar string. The next, the husky was down on the snow.

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Iditarod front-runners put pedal to mettle

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:54:07 AKST

An uncharacteristically gentle trail and unprecedented lack of race-ending mishaps has brought smooth sailing to the front of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. While several big names are delighted…

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Three generations of Seaveys tackle Iditarod

Associated Press (MARY PEMBERTON) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:46:35 AKST

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ended last year for 2004 champion Mitch Seavey when he nearly sliced off one of his fingers while opening a bale of straw for…

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Zirkle pushes the pace and remains in lead

Anchorage Daily News () — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:56:48 AKST

Aliy Zirkle is pushing the pace in the Iditarod and remains in the lead out of Nikolai, along with defending champion John Baker. Zirkle is quick to remind that she…

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Race leader Zirkle pulls out of Nikolai

() — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:58:23 AKST

Leader Aliy Zirkle has left Nikolai as a train of teams pulls into the checkpoint, while the Iditarod's caboose is safe and sound in Rainy Pass. Dan Seavey, 74 and…

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Schooling puppies on the Iditarod Trail

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:20:59 AKST

For some young dogs, the 2012 Iditarod is triple-A training, not the big leagues. Iditarod mushers like rookie Matt Failor and veteran Dan Seavey are following race blueprints calling for…

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Feeding furry fuel tanks

COMMENT (John Schandelmeier) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:01:10 AKST

Racing dogs need to consume 10,000 to 12,000 calories every 24 hours, and the food Iditarod mushers provide the athletes is as varied as the dogs themselves.

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Zirkle leapfrogs Neff to lead pack out of Rohn

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:47:02 AKST

A wall of bad weather kept planes out of Rainy Pass for much of Monday, but the storm didn't stop the dogs on the first full day of racing in…

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Defending champ couldn't quit on Native people

Associated Press (MARK THIESSEN) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:47:26 AKST

It took John Baker 16 tries to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He had to think long and hard about coming back to defend his title.

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Leaders ride good trail into Rainy Pass

() — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:55:36 AKST

The Happy River Steps, which almost weren't part of this year's Iditarod, got good reviews from the first mushers to take the roller-coaster ride on Monday morning. Ray Redington Jr.,

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Iditarod begins with Redington Jr. out front

Anchorage Daily News () — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:24:19 AKST

After Sunday's restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, when racing begins in earnest, Ray Redington Jr. of Wasilla made it first through the first two checkpoints…

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2012 Iditarod under way from Willow

Anchorage Daily News (MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:14:58 AKST

Sixty-six mushers and more than 1,000 dogs set out from snowy, blue-skied Willow on Sunday afternoon, marking the official start of the 2012 Iditarod. Many of the mushers carried talismans,

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Young mushers are nipping at veterans' heels

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 23:14:55 AKST

While most eyes will be on the former champions in this year's Iditarod field, there's a host of 25-and-under mushers ready to step in. And judging from their recent results,

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Odyssey begins for 66 Iditarod mushers

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS and CASEY GROVE) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:58:29 AKST

Sixty-six mushers passed under the banner on Fourth Avenue on Saturday for the ceremonial start of the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Among them were past champions, cancer survivors,

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Jonrowe understands her Idita-Rider's plight

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:02:09 AKST

Bev Nelms was back on Fourth Avenue on Saturday, hitching a ride in DeeDee Jonrowe's sled for the 15th time as an Idita-Rider and the first time as something of…

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Late route change adds back Happy River Steps

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:57:56 AKST

Shortly after the 66 mushers in the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race completed their ceremonial start Saturday from downtown Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip, race officials released this surprise: This…

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Mackey says he still has the desire to win

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:22:09 AKST

After an unprecedented four-straight Iditarod wins, Fairbanks musher Lance Mackey fell to 16th in the 2011 race. He vowed he'd be back. But is Mackey, who is running this year…

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Iditarod's sister act: Twins to hit the trail

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:30:52 AKST

As the 975-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins this weekend, Kristy and Anna Berington are the first twins to compete in the event's 40-year history, according to a race…

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Iditarod teams complete ceremonial start

Anchorage Daily News (BETH BRAGG) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:42:56 AKST

With thousands of fans lined up along snowy city streets and trails and Ray Redington Jr. leading the way, all 66 teams kicked off the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog…

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Iditarod's ceremonial start lights fuse for mushers, fans

(ON THE TRAIL By Sebastian Schnuelle) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:09:38 AKST

Before the real test begins, it?s showtime on Fourth Avenue: the ceremonial start. Sixty-six Iditarod mushers ? 15 rookies and 51 veterans ? will line up to run their teams…

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Redington Jr. will be first musher on trail

Anchorage Daily News (JOHN M. SWEENEY) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:07:06 AKST

Hugh Neff is back for his ninth Iditarod and drew No. 27 in Thursday night's 2012 Mushers Drawing Banquet at the Dena'ina Center.

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Iditarod dogs get one last checkup

() — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:19:04 AKST

Today is vet check day in Wasilla for all dogs running in the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Veterinarians give all dogs a physical checkup to make sure they're…

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New Iditarod rule mandates kennel cough vaccination

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:24:45 AKST

For the first time, Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officials are requiring all dogs in the race to be vaccinated for kennel cough. Several top mushers spotted signs of the…

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It takes a leader

Daily News correspondent (MELISSA DeVAUGHN) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:20:19 AKST

One of the best lead dogs Iditarod musher Jeff King ever had was also one of the best bargains of his mushing career. In exchange for 100 pounds of outdated…

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Moose attack ends one-eyed husky's Iditarod

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:17:26 AKST

Chaos erupted when an ornery moose stomped its way through the teams of Iditarod musher Karen Ramstead and her handler while on a training run outside of Willow earlier this…

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Enchiladas, roast beef aid in capture of runaway sled dog

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:37:19 AKST

Whistler, a lead dog for German Iditarod rookie Silvia Furtwangler, was found Monday morning in Anchorage near the Chester Creek Trail. He had been missing since early Thursday, when he…

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German Iditarod musher's lead dog missing in Anchorage

Anchorage Daily News (MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:37:02 AKST

A rookie Iditarod musher's lead dog is missing in Anchorage after escaping from a dog truck last Thursday, friends say.

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Iditarod critics again target sponsors over dog treatment

() — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:55:25 AKST

Two of the most aggressive Iditarod critics say two consecutive years without a sled dog death in the event hasn't cooled their objections to the race.

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Top 30 Iditarod mushers to split $550,000 purse this year

Anchorage Daily News () — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:43:15 AKST

The top 30 mushers in this year's Iditarod will split a combined purse of roughly $550,000, the race director said Thursday.

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On a roll: Kaiser wins first-ever Paul Johnson Memorial 450

() — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:42:12 AKST

Pete Kaiser of Bethel has won the first-ever Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450, the Norton Sound sled dog club says.

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A son replaces his father on the Iditarod Trail

() — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:42:45 AKST

Veteran musher Mike Williams has told Iditarod officials he is withdrawing from the race. It would have been the veteran musher's 15th Iditarod. Competing in his place: Williams' 26-year-old son,

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Quest mushers leave Fairbanks

Anchorage Daily News () — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:54:27 AKST

Yukon Quest veteran Brent Sass of Eureka charged into the early lead in the 29th running of the international sled dog race, leaving the race's first checkpoint late Saturday night…

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Iditarod Trail will be a little tamer for this year's race

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:54:06 AKST

Feared by rookie mushers and respected by veterans, the Happy River Steps live in Iditarod Trail infamy as a place of busted sleds and broken bones. This year, for the…

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