One Good Joe Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Seen As Tribute To Founder
For 2-1/2 decades, Alaskans have marked the waning days of winter with an endurance contest played out across more than 1,100 miles of unforgiving terrain.
They will do it again today as 53 teams gather in downtown Anchorage for the start of the 25th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Leading the racers out of the starting chute will be Joe Redington, 80, the man who organized the race in 1973 despite critics who said it was impossible. The historic Iditarod Trail that crosses the heart of the state and ends in Nome hadn’t been used in more than 40 years. Even as mushers gathered at the starting line, Redington didn’t have the $50,000 purse he’d promised.
“This race is a tribute to Joe. It’s a testament to the strength of his personality,” Iditarod Trail Committee president Rick Koch said.
As the mushers head out this year, they’ll be racing for a $400,000 purse. They’ll travel on a trail meticulously groomed by snowmobiles and staked out with more than 9,000 markers.
It will be a sentimental journey for Redington, who is running his 19th Iditarod. He hopes to finish in the top 20.
Beyond the nostalgia, the race will be a showdown among the fastest professional distance mushers, including three who have won the past five races.
Jeff King will be defending his 1996 title with a team of dogs that carried him to victory in January in the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race. King, who also won in 1993, describes his team this year as “awesome.”
Rival Martin Buser, who won the race in 1992 and 1994, says he’s put together a team of dogs descended from past winning teams.
“The youngsters are representing the older generation. It’s really exciting,” Buser said.
The record finish time of 9 days, 2 hours, 42 minutes was set in 1995 by Doug Swingley of Lincoln, Mont., who expects to be among the frontrunners again this year.
“I’m going to get there as fast as I can. I’m not making any predictions,” Swingley said during a pre-race meeting in Anchorage. Swingley knows there are plenty of seasoned dog drivers in the race.
“It’ll take a while to shake them,” he said.
Among those he will be keeping an eye on is Bill Cotter, running his 11th Iditarod. Cotter has finished among the top six in each of the past three races, including a third-place finish in 1995.
Another musher expected to finish near the front of the pack is Tim Osmar, who has been in the top 10 for each of the past nine races. His highest finish was third in 1992.
Dee Dee Jonrowe comes to the finish line four months after being seriously injured in a car crash. But with nine top 10 finishes to her credit, including second in 1993, she is still considered a serious contender.
Beyond those aspiring to win are mushers hoping to place in the money and a dozen rookies anxious just to make it to Nome.
Most of the mushers are from Alaska, but a few are a long way from home. Among the countries represented are Norway, France, England and Canada.