Iditarod rides new wave

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – It’s always been impossible to witness the entire length of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race except for the competitors. Many top contenders like it that way.

But organizers say fans will get the next best experience in the 36th running of the 1,100-mile race, which begins with a ceremonial start Saturday in Anchorage. Race buffs around the world will be able to follow online the virtual progress of 20 veteran mushers whose sleds are rigged with technology derived from instruments used to track oil-pipeline inspection tools.

IonEarth, a satellite race tracking company, is teaming up with the Iditarod and Iridium Satellite LLC for the test run they hope will become an annual feature involving all mushers.

This year’s experiment developed after IonEarth approached Iditarod officials, who quickly recognized the system’s applications for keeping fans up to the minute and alerting race supporters about the occasional lost musher. Among mushers and fans, the concept is generating some mixed reviews.