Kaiser first into White Mountain for mandatory layover
ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - 8:10 a.m. Update:
Pete Kaiser appears to have reached the White Mountain checkpoint and is now resting,
according to the Iditarod trail tracker GPS system.
according to the Iditarod trail tracker GPS system.
There, Kaiser will take a mandatory 8 hour rest ahead of the final push to Safety and then,
ultimately, the burled arch finish line in Nome, Alaska.
ultimately, the burled arch finish line in Nome, Alaska.
Joar Leifseth Ulsom is trailing Kaiser by several miles, which means his 8 hour rest will end
after Kaiser, allowing him to push earlier on unbroken trail.
after Kaiser, allowing him to push earlier on unbroken trail.
In third is veteran musher Jessie Royer.
Original Story:
Following a tumultuous day of racing, which saw the race leader unexpectedly drop out of
the race, three mushers are dashing to the finish line.
the race, three mushers are dashing to the finish line.
According to the Iditarod GPS tracker, Pete Kaiser, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, and Jessie Royer
checked out of the Elim checkpoint, and are headed to White Mountain.
checked out of the Elim checkpoint, and are headed to White Mountain.
Closest in contention are Kaiser, an Alaskan musher, who is in the lead, and Leifseth Ulsom,
a Norwegian, who is close behind him. Royer is also on the way to White Mountain, but miles
behind the other two.
a Norwegian, who is close behind him. Royer is also on the way to White Mountain, but miles
behind the other two.
Previous race leader Nic Petit scratched yesterday after a disruption with his dog team. He
maintained a steady lead out of Shaktoolik before his dogs got into a fight, and then quit
racing. This was the same stretch of trail that Petit lost his commanding lead on in 2018.
maintained a steady lead out of Shaktoolik before his dogs got into a fight, and then quit
racing. This was the same stretch of trail that Petit lost his commanding lead on in 2018.
Now, leader Kaiser is looking to maintain the edge over 2018's champion, Leifseth Ulsom. The
next checkpoint the mushers will reach, White Mountain, has a mandatory 8 hour rest, before
racers can proceed to the finish line.
next checkpoint the mushers will reach, White Mountain, has a mandatory 8 hour rest, before
racers can proceed to the finish line.
Day 10 also marked scratches, when Iditarod rookie musher Niklas Wikstrand, of Nes,
Akershus, Norway, scratched at the Kaltag checkpoint just after midnight.
Akershus, Norway, scratched at the Kaltag checkpoint just after midnight.
Veteran musher Brett Bruggeman, of Great Falls, Montana, scratched at the Shaktoolik check-
point at 7:20 a.m. Tuesday.
point at 7:20 a.m. Tuesday.
Wikstrand had 12 dogs with him at the time he decided to scratch, and Bruggeman had 11.
In statements from the Iditarod, officials said Wikstrand and Bruggerman both "made the
decision to scratch in the best interest" of their teams. He had 12 dogs with him at the time he
decided to scratch.
decision to scratch in the best interest" of their teams. He had 12 dogs with him at the time he
decided to scratch.
6 comments:
Seems like Petit is jinxed.
Nothing against Norway; but go Kaiser!
It does make one wonder about him having "sorry, but your race is OVER" moments at the same point on the trail.
Sounds like it's time to take the team out for some training on that one section of trail. Or else not push quite so hard earlier so the dogs aren't so tired when they get to that section.
Suz, it’s hard to know what exactly went wrong with Petit’s dogs. It might well be that the training regimen is faulty, but I cannot say that for sure. Personally, I think you’re right about them having been pushed too hard, but it’s only an opinion.
A failure twice in the same area does suggest something is amiss. That said, how utterly disappointing it must be.
Agreed, TB.
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