Zack Steer

Last night, the leading Iditarod mushers knew the power of nature at its worst. Jeff King of Denali Park, Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, and Dallas Seavey were not battling each other at the end of the race -- they were battling unrelenting wind and bitter cold.

Every year, the Iditarod trail is different -- temperatures, routes, snow conditions, and a host of other variables make each race unique. It is the reason veteran mushers return year after year for a new challenge. But the best prepared teams usually prevail.

The Iditarod race trail along the Norton Sound coast is icy and hard. Glare, windswept ice will challenge teams already fatigued by more than 800 miles of racing. Although challenging for the drivers, the icy trail usually proves to be easy pulling and fast for the dogs.

The top 10 Iditarod teams are all still in the hunt as they converge on Alaska's Norton Sound coast. From that point forward, the race becomes a match of will and determination. Expect more teams to fall off the torrid pace as trail conditions deteriorate.

Aliy Zirkle took advantage of great river trail conditions last night to extend her measured eight-hour runs all the way to Galena, temporarily taking over the overall race lead Friday morning; by midday, though, Martin Buser's calculated early run had put him back at the front of the pack.

We are seeing Iditarod strategies taken to both extremes this year in a race that's as much test of theory as much of sled dog performance. Will Buser’s early push prevail? Will King and Lindner’s long march to the Yukon be the ticket? Will a Seavey, Baker or Sorlie charge from behind in the final third of the race?

Aliy Zirkle reached Takotna more than four hours ahead of John Baker's 2011 record time. If trail holds up, and the Norton Sound coast is not as bad as feared, there could be a near-record time this year.

The four-time champion from Big Lake is hoping that he has picked the right plan for the right year. Last year, Buser ran into soft and wet trail conditions that contributed to his team's dive in the standings in the latter half of the race. This year’s hard-and-fast trail conditions suit him better.

Which Iditarod teams will make it unscathed through Alaska's infamous Happy River Steps? Whose sleds will be smashed to pieces, requiring time-consuming repairs and altered race strategies? Will this year’s hazardous trail injure mushers -- or dogs -- to the point that they cannot continue?

Sixteen rookies are among the 69 mushers starting this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. About half of them can be expected to finish the race in Nome, some 1,000 miles and up to 14 days away.

Mitch Seavey's insistence on congratulating his team first before accepting any personal accolades brought out the very essence of the sport -- a man or woman’s connection with and love of their dogs. Mitch called lead dog Tanner one of his best, ever.

Iditarod mushers Mitch Seavey and Aliy Zirkle have set themselves apart with a focused approach to their teams, executing a race plan that works best for their team -- while ignoring what the competition is doing.

Who has a chance to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race? Who doesn't? Mitch Seavey, Aaron Burmeister, Aily Zirkle, Jake Berkowitz, Joar Ulsom, Ray Redington, Jeff King and Dallas Seavey are all in contention.

After a slow, grueling run to Eagle Island during the day on Friday, Martin Buser's race for a fifth Iditarod crown may be toast. Other frontrunning teams sense blood in the water and are gaining on the Big Lake musher.

Iditarod mushers chasing leader Martin Buser appear to be slowly making up ground, with most teams making the run from the ghost town of Iditarod to Shageluk 30 to 45 minutes faster than he did in the dark of night.