King, other multi-champs plan on making it a race in 2007
KASILOF, Alaska – It really doesn’t matter what your bib number is – starting positions don’t make or break the Iditarod – but that fact sure didn’t prevent 59 dog mushers from signing up at the earliest opportunity for the 35th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The race attracts about 100 entries by late fall, and about 85 of those teams make the start. Among the competitors planning to race in 2007 were the usual past champions, including the 2006 winner and four-time champ Jeff King. On hand for the signup festivities was virtually every musher who made 2006 so fascinating. They included Doug Swingley, Mitch Seavey, Paul Gebhardt, Martin Buser, Ramy Brooks, John Baker, Ed Iten, Aliy Zirkle and Jason Barron, among others. Rick Swenson signed up as well.
About 25 of the mushers spent at least one night sacked out in tents, cars and campers at the race’s headquarters in Wasilla; some, like Lance Mackey of Kasilof, camped in the parking lot for about 10 days. The big draw was the race’s first-come, first-served rule that allows mushers to pick starting positions based on the order they sign up. Mackey was first in line, so he’ll undoubtedly choose bib number 13, the same number his father, Dick, and brother, Rick, wore when each of them won the Iditarod on their sixth try. This will be Lance’s sixth race.
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