4-time champ Dallas Seavey signs up for his 1st Iditarod since 2017 doping controversy

Four-time Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey, who skipped three straight races following the 2017 dog-doping controversy involving his team, is among 57 mushers who have signed up for next year’s race.

He’s part of a strong field that includes six champions -- among them, defending champion Thomas Waerner of Norway -- and eight top-10 finishers from this year’s 1,000-mile race to Nome.

Not among the early entries is three-time champion and 2020 runner-up Mitch Seavey of Seward, who in late April announced he would skip the 2021 race and let son Dallas run the top dogs from both kennels. Dallas, 33, relocated his kennel to Talkeetna from Willow since his last Iditarod.

The Seaveys finished 1-2 in the 2017 Iditarod, with Mitch taking the victory to end a three-race winning streak by Dallas. It was later revealed that four of Seavey’s dogs tested positive for a banned substance.

Seavey said he had nothing to do with the doping, and in December 2018, the Iditarod board of directors absolved him of any blame without saying who administered the drugs to the dogs.

Seavey skipped the three Iditarods after the controversy. He twice entered Norway’s 750-mile Finnmarkslopet, finishing third in 2018 and scratching in 2019, and he provided television commentary for the 2020 Iditarod.

Seavey’s return to the Iditarod gives him a shot at what has so far proved to be an unbreakable record -- Rick Swenson’s five victories. Six mushers have won the race four times apiece -- Susan Butcher, Doug Swingley, Martin Buser, Jeff King, Lance Mackey and Seavey.

Buser and King are both among the early entries for the 2021 race. Other champions also entered include Waerner, 2019 winner Pete Kaiser and 2018 winner Joar Leifseth Ulsom.

Signups continue through Nov. 30. With 57 teams already entered, the race has surpassed the number that started the 2019 race (52) and equalled the number that started the 2020 race.

Iditarod signups through Sunday

Paige Drobny, Cantwell

Jason Campeau, Canada

Jennifer Campeau, Canada (R)

Martin Buser, Big Lake

Riley Dyche, Fairbanks

Dan Kaduce, Chatanika

Ryne Olson, Two Rivers

Sebastien Dos Santos Borges, France (R)

Joanna Jagow, Fairbanks (R)

Dennis Kananowicz, Tolsona

Jeff Deeter, Fairbanks

Michelle Phillips, Canada

Matt Hall, Two Rivers

Ryan Redington, Knik

Gunnar Johnson, Minnesota

Brent Sass, Manley Hot Springs

Linwood Fiedler, Willow

Marcelle Fressineau, Canada

Karin Hendrickson, Willow

Lev Shvarts, Willow

Wade Marrs, Willow

Jeff King, Denali Park

Aaron Peck, Canada

Nicolas Petit, Girdwood

Josi Thyr, Montana (R)

Gabe Dunham, Willow (R)

Cody Strathe, Cantwell

Susannah Tuminelli, Willow (R)

Mats Pettersson, Sweden

Will Troshynski, Two Rivers (R)

Chad Stoddard, Anchorage (R)

Ramey Smyth, Willow

Anna Berington, Knik

Kristy Berington, Knik

Christopher Parker, Fairbanks (R)

Thomas Waerner, Norway

Dakota Schlosser, Willow (R)

Aaron Burmeister, Nome/Nenana

Hal Hanson, Kenai (R)

Dallas Seavey, Talkeetna

Jessie Royer, Fairbanks

Richie Diehl, Aniak

Joar Leifseth Ulsom, Norway

Paul Gebhardt, Kasilof

Shaynee Traska, Two Rivers

Pete Kaiser, Bethel

Brett Bruggeman, Montana

Matt Failor, Willow

Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers

Travis Beals, Seward

Alan Eischens, Wasilla

Sean Williams, Chugiak (R)

Joshua McNeal, Fairbanks (R)

Mille Porsild, Denmark

Severin Cathry, Switzerland (R)

Quince Mountain, Wisconsin (R)

Sarah Stokey, Seward

[Because of a high volume of comments requiring moderation, we are temporarily disabling comments on many of our articles so editors can focus on the coronavirus crisis and other coverage. We invite you to write a letter to the editor or reach out directly if you’d like to communicate with us about a particular article. Thanks.]