Iditarod teams enjoy ceremonial start before challenging race begins

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Eighty-two teams and about 1,000 howling dogs lined up Saturday in downtown Anchorage for the ceremonial start of the 35th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race – the longest sled dog race in the world.

Defending champion and four-time winner Jeff King looked relaxed, sending his daughter to the coffee shop around the corner to get him a latte as he waited for his turn to let his dogs loose on the Iditarod trail.

Given the tough trail conditions this year – hard-packed snow and bare ground – King said he expects a bumpy ride. That’s not a problem, he said.

“The Iditarod trail will never be easy,” the 51-year-old King said.

Too little fresh snow shortened the ceremonial start to an 11-mile run ending in Anchorage. The restart, where the mushers get serious about racing, begins today in Willow, about 50 miles northwest of Anchorage.

This year’s race carries a $795,000 purse for the top 30 finishers. The winner will get approximately $69,000 and a new pickup truck worth about $41,000.

The mushers who finish out of the money will receive about $1,000 each to help with the cost of flying their dogs home.

King finished the 1,100-mile race last year in 9 days, 14 hours and 11 minutes. Four-time winner Martin Buser holds the 2002 race record of 8 days, 22 hours and 46 minutes.

Almost half of the mushers this year are rookies.

The field includes three four-time winners who hope to join Rick Swenson as the race’s only five-time winner. Doug Swingley, 53, the other four-time winner, placed second last year.

Swenson, 55, said he’s not afraid.

“They’re not going to get it. I’m going to get six,” said Swenson, who last won in 1991.

The ceremonial start is a festive affair where thousands of people line up to get autographs and cheer on their favorite mushers.