Iditarod

LATEST

The 2012 Iditarod Sled Dog race began March 3 at exactly 10:00am AST from
Anchorage with 17 of the 66 mushers (26%) women. The race concluded on 3/19 with Rookie Jan Stevens and her 9 dogs bringing in the Red Lantern in 53rd at 2:57a (AST), one minute and 53 second behind 52nd place and his 14 dogs.

Keep track here  http://bit.ly/yMYKCH

Background
Race and Results -
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Iditarod Women
Iditarod Winners
Jr. Iditarod
Riddles' win opens the door for Women
Women Who Have Run the Iditarod (1974-2002) - Help!
Schedule
Snippets
Related Issue: Iditarod Women, Women Racers Directory, Women in Racing, Women Racers, More Women in Racing, Race Schedules, Notable Women Contact: www.iditarod.com

Background: The Last Great Race on Earth


You can’t compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race over 1150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska.

From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover over 1150 miles in 10 to 17 days.

It has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth” and it has won worldwide acclaim and interest. German, Spanish, British, Japanese and American film crews have covered the event. Journalists from outdoor magazines, adventure magazines, newspapers and wire services flock to Anchorage and Nome to record the excitement. It’s not just a dog sled race, it’s a race in which unique men and woman compete. Mushers enter from all walks of life. Fishermen, lawyers, doctors, miners, artists, natives, Canadians, Swiss, French and others; men and women each with their own story, each with their own reasons for going the distance. It’s a race organized and run primarily by volunteers, thousands of volunteers, men and women, students and village residents. They man headquarters at Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome and Wasilla. They fly volunteers, veterinarians, dog food and supplies. They act as checkers, coordinators, and family supporters of each musher.

The Spirit of Alaska! More Than a Race… a Commemoration

The race pits man and animal against nature, against wild Alaska at her best and as each mile is covered, a tribute to Alaska’s past is issued. The Iditarod is a tie to — a commemoration of — that colorful past.

The Iditarod Trail, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west coast communities of Unalakleet, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and Nome. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled. Heroes were made, legends were born.

In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be brought in; again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs.

The Iditarod is a commemoration of those yesterdays, a not-so-distant past that Alaskans honor and are proud of.

An Event for All Alaska

Anchorage is the starting line — a city of over 250,000 people, street lights, freeways and traffic. From there the field of dog teams which grow in number each year, runs to Eagle River, Checkpoint # 1. After a restart in the Matanuska Valley at Wasilla, the mushers leave the land of highways and bustling activity and head out to the Yentna Station Roadhouse and Skwentna and then up! Through Finger Lake, Rainy Pass, over the Alaska Range and down the other side to the Kuskokwim River — Rohn Roadhouse, Nikolai, McGrath, Ophir, Cripple, Iditarod and on to the mighty Yukon — a river highway that takes the teams west through the arctic tundra.

The race route is alternated every other year, one year going north through Cripple, Ruby and Galena, the next year south through Iditarod, Shageluk, Anvik.

Finally, they’re on the coast — Unalakleet, Shaktoolik, Koyuk, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and into Nome where a hero’s welcome is the custom for musher number 1 or 61!

The route encompasses large metropolitan areas and small native villages. It causes a yearly spurt of activity, increased airplane traffic and excitement to areas otherwise quiet and dormant during the long Alaskan winter. Everyone gets involved, from very young school children to the old timers who relive the colorful Alaskan past they’ve known as they watch each musher and his team. The race is an educational opportunity and an economic stimulus to these small Alaskan outposts.

The “I” logo, a trademark of the Iditarod Trail Committee, Inc. and the Iditarod Race, was designed by Alaskan artist Bill DeVine in the early years of the race. The design is done on a white background with blue thread for the dog and inner outline. The Outer outline is done in red. The design is used on a shield in some instances and that variation was used on wooden trail markers in the earlier races.

On the Trail

Every musher has a different tactic. Each one has a special menu for feeding and snacking the dogs. Each one has a different strategy — some run in the daylight, some run at night. Each one has a different training schedule and his own ideas on dog care, dog stamina and his own personal ability.

The rules of the race lay out certain regulations which each musher must abide by. There are certain pieces of equipment each team must have — an arctic parka, a heavy sleeping bag, an ax, snowshoes, musher food, dog food and boots for each dog’s feet to protect against cutting ice and hard packed snow injuries.

Some mushers spend an entire year getting ready and raising the money needed to get to Nome. Some prepare around a full-time job. In addition to planning the equipment and feeding needs for up to three weeks on the trail, hundreds of hours and hundreds of miles of training have to be put on each team.

There are names which are automatically associated with the race — Joe Redington, Sr., co-founder of the classic and affectionately know as “Father of the Iditarod.” Rick Swenson from Two River, Alaska, the only five time winner, the only musher to have entered 20 Iditarod races and never finished out of the top ten. Dick Mackey from Nenana who beat Swenson by one second in 1978 to achieve the impossible photo finish after two weeks on the trail. Norman Vaughan who at the age of 88 has finished the race four times and led an expedition to Antarctica in the winter of 93–94. Four time winner, Susan Butcher, was the first woman to ever place in the top 10. And of course, Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditarod in 1985.

There are others — Herbie Nayokpuk, Shishmaref; Emmitt Peters, Ruby, whose record set in 1975 was not broken until 1980, when Joe May, Trapper Creek, knocked seven hours off the record… the flying Anderson’s, Babe and Eep, from McGrath.. Rick Mackey, who wearing his father Dick’s winning #13, crossed the finish line first in 1983, making them the only father and son to have both won an Iditarod… Joe Runyan, 1989 champion and the only musher to have won the Alpirod (European long distance race), the Yukon Quest, (long distance race between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, YT) and the Iditarod… Terry Adkins, retired from the United States Air Force, the only veterinarian on the first Iditarod and one of the two musher to have completed 20 out of 23 Iditarods. (The other is Rick Swenson.) The list goes on, each name bringing with it a tale of adventure, a feeling of accomplishment, a touch of hero. Each musher, whether in the top ten, or winner of the Red Lantern (last place) has accomplished a feat few dare to attempt. Each has gone the distance and established a place for their team in the annals of Iditarod lore.
Source: www.iditarod.com/learn/

Snippets


The 2012 Iditarod Sled Dog race began March 3 at exactly 10:00am AST from
Anchorage with 17 of the 66 mushers (26%) women. The race concluded on 3/19 with Rookie Jan Stevens and her 9 dogs bringing in the Red Lantern in 53rd at 2:57a (AST), one minute and 53 second behind 52nd place and his 14 dogs.

*     *     *

The 2012 Iditarod Sled Dog race began March 3 at exactly 10:00am AST from
Anchorage with 17 of the 66 mushers (26%) women.

*     *     *

The winner of the 2011 Iditarod Sled Dog race was John Baker on 3/15/11 at 9:46am. Ramey Smith was 2nd. Three women arrived early Wednesday morning. Jessie Royer in 10th, Aliy Zirkle in 11th, and Dee Dee Jonrowe in 12th. The race concluded on 3/20 with Ellen Halverson bringing in the Red Lantern at 10:45a (AST)

*     *     *

The toughest race around (1112 miles in 10 days). The re-strat begins March 6, 2011 at 2pm AST, 6pm EST. 24% of the field are women. The Iditarod.

Iditarod Winners


Of 658 mushers who have run the Iditarod, only15 have won as of 1/2/03

  • Rick Swenson 5 times
  • Martin Buser 4
  • Susan Butcher 4
  • Rick Mackey 1
  • Jeff King 3
  • Doug Swingley 4
  • Emmitt Peters 1
  • Jeff Riley 1
  • Joe Runyan 1
  • Dick Mackey 1
  • Joe May 1
  • Libbe Riddles 1
  • Dean Osmar 1
  • Karl Huntington 1
  • Dick Wilmarth 1

Source: www.geocities.com/taekwondoman2002/rankings.html

2012 17 women in the field of 66 (25.8%)
2011 15 women in the field of 62 (24.2%)
2010 15 women in the field of 71 (21.1%)
2009 13 women in the field of 67 (19.4%)
2008 22 women in field of 96 (22.9%)
2007 12 women in field of 82 (14.6%)
2006 15 women in field of 83 (18.1%)

Snippets


2012 Jr. Iditarod - XXXV, 2/25-26, 2012
2012 Iditrod - XL - 3/3/12

Iditarod Trail Committee announced that 74 mushers have signed up to run the 975 mile 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race including 18 women, three more than last year. 68 mushers started the race including 17 women. At this time 6 of the 22 rookies entered in Iditarod XL are women.

*    *    *

2011 Jr. Iditarod - 2/26/11
2011 Iditrod - 3/5/11

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Iditarod Trail Committee announced that 72 mushers have signed up to run the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race including 16 women, the same as last year. At this time 7 of the 22 rookies entered in Iditarod XXXVIII are women.

2010 Jr. Iditarod - 2/27/10
2010 Iditrod - 3/6/10

*     *     *

Iditarod Trail Committee announced today (December 5, 2008) that 71 mushers have signed up to run the 2009 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race including 16 women. At this time 5 of the 16 rookies entered in Iditarod XXXVII are women.

2009 Jr. Iditarod - 2/28/09
2009 Iditrod - 3/7/09

*     *     *

2008 is the 36th running of the 1,100 mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Click Status of the Women as of 20:36:12 on 3/17/08. The race started on March 1st and the first person finished on 3/12/08 at 2:46:48. Deborah Bicknell, a rookie, was the Red Lantern crossing the finish line in the 78th spot at 20:36:12 on March 17. Seventeen musher scratched and one withdrew.

2012

40th (XL ) running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - 2012
Northern Route
Standings on AKDT
Keep track here  http://bit.ly/yMYKCH
Direct shortcut to this spot:
http://bit.ly/ymqVJG

Place

As of 3:32

3/3

3/5

3/6

3/7

3/8

3/9

3/10

3/11

3/12

3/13

3/14

3/15

3/16

3/17

Musher
Finish

Comments

6

14

35

25

30

32

32

32

25

25

21

23

23

23

Jodi Bailey

23

3/15 11:19:53

33

55

52

50

42

50

51

47

45

45

43

43

43

43

Anna Berington

43

R 3/16 17:16:30

31

54

51

51

43

49

50

48

44

44

44

44

42

44

Kristy Berington

44

3/16 17:17:13

53

37

47

46

52

48

46

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Zoya de Nure

S

10:59 at Cripple

24

27

24

19

24

10

12

15

11

10

11

11

11

11

Sigrid Ekran

11

3/14 06:50:16

54

62

62

62

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Silvia Furtwangler

S

R 21:17 at Nikolai

20

22

2

32

45

26

24

27

26

29

24

26

27

27

Kelly Griffin

27

3/15 13:29:06

43

40

41

47

41

46

45

44

41

38

36

35

36

36

Karin Hendrickson

36

3/16 09:32:36

17

21

23

12

17

8

7

12

12

11

10

10

10

10

Dee Dee Jonrowe

10

3/14 05:43:15

30

35

59

60

59

60

58

55

51

51

49

50

48

47

Jaimee Kinzer

47

R 3/17 06:58:30

46

56

28

45

35

39

43

38

33

33

25

33

31

31

Ryne Olson

31

R 3/15 16:33:40

25

26

6

13

18

13

13

8

13

15

17

16

16

16

Michelle Phillips

16

3/14 23:18:01

56

48

56

58

57

51

52

51

47

47

47

47

46

50

Karen Ramstead

50

3/17 15:21:30

42

36

38

34

47

31

31

28

22

24

27

21

21

21

Colleen Robertia

21

3/15 11:04:19

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

Tamara Rose

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

Jessie Royer

W

W

32

30

25

28

33

33

27

25

21

19

26

24

26

26

Anjanette Steer

26

R 3/15 13:02:45

40

64

63

64

63

62

62

61

57

57

53

52

52

52

Jan Steves

53

R RL 3/19 02:57

14

11

1

1

6

1

2

1

2

2

2

2

1

2

Aliy Zirkle

2

3/13 at 20:29:10

Legend: R - Rookie; RL - Red Lantern (last), S - Scratched; W-Withdrew.

2011

39th (XXXIX ) running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - 2011
Southern Route
Standings on AKDT
Keep track here 
Direct shortcut to this spot:
http://bit.ly/fgEaOc

Place*

.

Bib
3/6
3/7
3/8

3/9

3/13

3/14

3/15

Musher
Finish

Comments

16

27

48

43

37

35

34

33

Jodi Bailey

31

R 3/17 4:30p

7

11

28

29

30

28

31

30

Kristy Berington

29

3/17 11:02a

29

13

18

21

40

S

-

-

Judy Currier

S

At Anvik 3/12

9

9

24

S

-

-

-

-

Zoya de Nure

S

At Rainy Pass

20

52

30

25

27

24

27

27

Kelly Griffin

26

3/17 4:03a

26

55

54

53

49

50

50

48

Ellen Halverson

27

RL 3/20 104a

36

30

39

S

-

-

-

-

Jessica Hendricks

S

At Nikolai

37

21

26

30

29

23

23

20

Karin Hendrickson

S

At White Mtn

2

3

21

14

17

8

10

10

Dee Dee Jonrowe

12

3/16 at 1:24a

12

2

42

S

-

-

-

-

Melissa Owens

S

At Rainy Pass

39

16

31

23

25

19

17

17

Michelle Phillips

17

3/16 11:22a

58

42

5

18

22

10

8

9

Jessie Royer

10

3/16 at 12:23a

50

62

53

54

50

48

49

47

Heather Siirtola

46

3/20 10:24a

19

29

55

52

48

44

45

44

Angie Taggart

43

R 3/19 4:49

18

24

6

16

20

11

13

12

Aliy Zirkle

11

3/16 at 1:27a

Legend: R - Rookie; RL - Red Lantern (last), S - Scratched; W-Withdrew. *End of day

2010

First woman to finish was Jessie Royer in 15th. Aliy Zirkle was 16th, Dee Dee Jonrowe in 22nd, and Michelle Phillips, the first female rookie, was 27th. The only two male rookies before her were in 21st and 26th. Then came Collen Roberth in 36th, Kristy Berington (R) in 39th, Cindy Gallea in 40th, Tamara Rose (R) in 43rd, Jane Faulkner (R) in 53rd and Celeste Davis (R) in 55th place carrying the Red Lantern representing the last of 71 mushers still in the race.

38th (XXXVIII)running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - 2010
Northern Route
Standings on AKDT
(Current as of 3/14/10)

Place

Comments

3/11
3/14
3/17
3/20
Musher
Finish

12
10
16

.

Aliy Zirkle

16

9:05.10

S

.

Karin Hendrickson

S

Out at Rainy Pass

60
57
56
53

Jane Faulkner R

53

17:51:50

20
14
15

.

Jessie Royer

15

7:04:40

33
33
S
.

Judy Currier

S

Out at Galena

26
25
22

.

Dee Dee Jonrowe

22

17:47.44

S
.
.
.

Kathleen Frederick R

S

Out at Rohn

51
47
43

.

Tamara Rose R

43

15:39:29

30
30
27

.

Michelle Phillips R

27

23:31:12

40
40
40

.

Cindy Gallea

40

23:12:01

S
.
.
.

Zoya de Nure

S

Out at Rainy Pass

S
.
.
.

Karen Ramstead

S

Out at McGrath

42
41
39

Kristy Berington R

39

21:44:02

58
56
54
55

Celeste Davis R

55

20:06:40 RL

45
36
36

.

Colleen Robertia R

36x

14:56:10

W
W
W
W

Sue Allen

W

.

W
W
W
W

Lynda Plettner

W

.

W
W
W
W

Nancy Yoshida R

W

.

W
W
W
W

Kim Darst R

W

.

Legend:: R - Rookie; RL - Red Lantern (last), S - Scratched; W-Withdrew

Results - 2009


While the scew is just slightly in favor of the women finishing and rookie women finishing, it shows that women and men are pretty equally matched in the Iditarod. And, with few exceptions, that sponsorship has a huge roll in how far up the finishing ladder you end up.

Mushers
Women
Men

Total (71)

16 (22%)

55 (78%)

Rookies (16)

5 (31%)

11 (69%)

Finished (52)

9

Rookies Finishing ()

1

Scratched/withdrew ()

4

Rookies scratched ()

2

Legend: R - Rookie; S - Scratch; W - Withdrawn

37th (XXXVII) running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - 2009
Southern Route
Standings on AKDT

( Women represent 13 of 67 mushers)

Date
Finish
Musher
Bib Number
3/19
17

Ally Zirkle

24
3/21
40

Karin Hendrickson (R)

29

?

Debbie Moderow

?

Francine Bennis

(S)

Melissa Owens

30
3/19
8

Jessie Royer

17
3/20
26

Judy Currier

22
3/19
13

Dee Dee Jonrowe

31

(S)

Nancy Yoshida (R)

3

(S)

Laura Daugereau

45

(S)

Kim Darst (R)

52
3/22
45

Rachael Scdoris

58
3/21
41

Cindy Gallea

49
3/23
51

Heather Siirtola

63
3/22
43

Jen Seavey (R)

61

?

Debra Glenn (R)

(W)

Sigrid Ekran

(W)

Silvia Willis

Legend: R - Rookie; S - Scratch; W - Withdrawn

 

Results - 2008


While the scew is just slightly in favor of the women finishing and rookie women finishing, it shows that women and men are pretty equally matched in the Iditarod. And, with few exceptions, that sponsorship has a huge roll in how far up the finishing ladder you end up.

Mushers

Women
Men

Total (96)

22 (23%)

74 (77%)

Rookies (33)

10 (30%)

23 (70%)

Finished (78)

18 (23%)

60 (77%)

Rookies Finishing

8 (31%)

18 (69%)

Scratched/withdrew (18)

4 (22%)

14 (78%)

Rookies scratched (7)

2 (29%)

5 (71%)

36th (XXXVI) running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - 2008
Northern Route
Standings early Sunday, 3/17/08 at 1051 AKDT

3/8/08
Finish
Musher
Bib Number

11

14 F

Jessie Royer

3

13

15 F

DeeDee Jonrowe

39

25

21 F

Aliy Zirkle

17

27

22 F

Silvia Willis

40

16

24 F

Sigrid Ekran

24

30

30 F

Melissa Owens (R)

59

41

39 F

Cindy Gallea

82

54

45 F

Kelley Griffin

86

51

50 F

Jennifer Freking (R)

60

57

53 F

Zoya DeNure (R)

89

58

56 F

Karen Ramstead

19

68

64 F

Laura Daugereau (R)

29

78

66 F

Anne Capistrant (R)

88

77

70 F

Sue Allen

27

81

72 F

Sue Morgan (R)

72

75

74 F

Heather Siirtola

47

88

77 F

Liz Parrish (R)

75

89

78 F

Deborah Bicknell (R) Red Lantern

21

40

S 3/16

Molly Yazwinski (R)

62

73

S 3/13

Rachael Scdoris

55

93

W 3/5

Kim Franklin (R)

79

91

S 3/4

Jessica Hendricks

23
Legend: R - Rookie; S - Scratch; W - Withdrawn

Source: www.adn.com/iditarod/interactives/story/333339.html

Women Who Have Run the Iditarod (1974-2002 + 2008-12)


I count 116 women who ran the Iditarod between 1974-2002 and 2008-12. Six of those are rookies scheduled to run in 2012. I'm missing additions for 2003-07. Have I missed anyone else? Do I have someone in here who I confused as a woman because of the name?

Source: www.geocities.com/taekwondoman2002/rankings.html

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