It was a day for champions Saturday at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, where six past winners were among the 54 who signed up for the 2013 sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome.
Reigning champion Dallas Seavey was among those entering the race, as were four-time winners Lance Mackey, Martin Buser and Jeff King, 2011 champion John Baker and 2004 champion Mitch Seavey.
Also entered is the sport's top couple -- Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore, runners-up from last winter's two big distance mushing races -- Zirkle placed second in the Iditarod and husband Moore finished second in the Yukon Quest.
A number of the Iditarod's emerging mushers -- Pete Kaiser, Mike Williams Jr., Jake Berkowitz and Rohn Buser -- also signed up. They're roughly in the same age group as Dallas Seavey, who at 25 was the youngest champion in race history.
Returning to the field is Jamaica musher Newton Marshall.
The sign-ups were part of a busy day at race headquarters, which hosted the annual volunteer appreciation picnic. In a drawing at the end of the picnic, King and Cim Smyth won back their $3,000 entry fees.
At its annual membership meeting, the Iditarod Trail Committee elected John Handeland of Nome, Stan Foo of Anchorage and Rick Swenson of Two Rivers to three-year terms on the board of directors.
2013 Iditarod entries
Christine Roalofs (r), Anchorage;
Newton Marshall, Jamaica;
Ken Anderson, Fairbanks;
Michelle Phillips, Yukon;
DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow;
Gerry Willomitzer, Whitehorse;
Scott Janssen, Anchorage;
Pete Kaiser, Bethel;
Gerald Sousa, Talkeetna;
Jesse Royer, Darby, Mont.;
Michael Suprenant, Chugiak;
Kelly Maixner, Big Lake;
Robert Bundtzen, Anchorage;
Luan Ramos Marques (r), Willow;
Paul Gebhardt, Kasilof;
Mike Williams Sr., Akiak;
Mitch Seavey, Sterling;
Bob Chlupach, Willow;
Ray Redington Jr., Wasilla;
Martin Buser, Big Lake;
Rudolph Demoski Sr., Wasilla;
Jason Mackey, Wasilla;
Cim Smyth, Big Lake;
Susie Rogan, Yukon;
Paige Drobny, Fairbanks;
Joar Leifseth Ulsom (r), Roros, Norway;
Curt Perano, Christchurch, New Zealand;
Angie Taggart, Anchorage;
Ed Stielstra, McMillan, Mich.;
Jan Steves, Edmonds, Wash.;
Kristy Berington, Kasilof;
Jodi Bailey, Chatanika;
Jerry Joinson (r), Fort St. James, B.C.;
Cindy Gallea, Wykoff, Minn.;
Jeff King, Denali Park;
Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers;
Travis Beals (r), Seward;
Allen Moore, Two Rivers;
Karin Hendrickson, Wasilla;
Mike Ellis (r), Two Rivers;
Nicolas Petit, Girdwood;
Linwood Fiedler, Willow;
Mike Williams Jr, Akiak;
Rohn Buser, Big Lake;
Ramey Smyth, Willow;
Lance Mackey, Fairbanks;
Aaron Burmeister, Nome;
Jake Berkowitz, Big Lake;
Charley Bejna (r), Addison, Ill.;
Justin Savidis, Willow;
Dallas Seavey, Willow;
Anna Berington, Kasilof;
Kelley Griffin, Wasilla;
John Baker, Kotzebue.
(r) donates rookie
Anchorage Daily News