Iditarod Update 3/9/18

RACE UPDATE: Petit wins first to the Yukon Award in Iditarod lead

Start setting the table. For the second year in a row, Girdwood musher Nic Petit has won the First to the Yukon Award and a hearty gourmet meal [consisting of coconut & curry pork tenderloin soup,
mandarin salad, stuffed jumbo shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, pan-seared & flambéed bison tenderloin, and warm citrus dessert medley - Ed.].
Petit arrived at this Yukon River village at 5:21 a.m. while defending champ Mitch Seavey rested 26 miles behind in the previous checkpoint of Shageluk according to official race standings.

Petit made the 80-mile run from the ghost town checkpoint of Iditarod in 10 hours and 9 minutes. Along the way, he stopped for just 10 minutes in Shageluk.

Both Seavey, a three-time champ, and Petit, whose best finish was third place last year, said they feel confident about their dog teams.

"I'm happy with how they're doing. We're rolling," Petit said. "We came in here, two feet on the brake. They were charging, barking, screaming. I'm happy."

Seavey, who led earlier in the race, said in Takotna that he might relinquish the lead in favor of resting his dogs for the Bering Sea coast.

"When you get to the coast, if you're within striking range, he who has the best team wins," he said.

A veteran of seven Iditarods, Petit said the trail so far has "more snow than we've ever seen."


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