Date: July 6, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Wasilla Alaska, THE IDITAROD TRAIL COMMITTEE is proud to announce that the 2008 Seppala Heritage Grant recipient is Melissa Owens from Nome Alaska. The 17 year old Alaskan musher has been a part of mushing since she was a young child, and has been a part of the Jr Iditarod since she was old enough to run in 2004. Melissa finished in first place in 2005 at the age of 15. She has also completed the Jr Yukon Quest, along with a number of short and mid distance races including the Dow Bowers 200.
The Seppala Heritage Grant is specifically designed to help fund the efforts of mushers who aspire to run the “Last Great Race to Nome” for the first time. Applicants have to demonstrate a commitment to work with, train and race sled dogs, and show value traits of generosity of spirit, courage, integrity and love for the dogs, land and people of Alaska.
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Date: June 30, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Wasilla, Alaska - The 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race contains a field of World Class competitors and a number of new faces. A record number 56 mushers were on hand at the Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters today to sign up for Iditarod XXXVI. They are joined by 15 other mushers who mailed in their applications before the official sign up today. (June 30, 2007) The sign ups were part of the 2007 Volunteer Picnic Celebration.
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Date: June 28, 2007 at 4:12 pm
The 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Volunteer Picnic is scheduled for Saturday, June 30th, 2007 at the campus of the Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters (Mile 2.2 Knik Road, Wasilla). Activities of interest are as follows;
- The General membership meeting will be conducted at 10 am at Race Headquarters.
- The 2008 Board of Directors will be announced at the conclusion of the general membership meeting.
- The Volunteer Picnic is scheduled to begin at 12 noon on the campus of the Iditarod Trail Headquarters.
- The 2008 field of mushers will begin signing up beginning at 1pm.
At this time ten mushers have mailed in their 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race applications. For more information about the picnic and musher sign ups, please contact Chas St.George at 907.232.0503.
Date: June 26, 2007 at 4:15 pm
It is hailed as the highest award in sports… the ESPY. On June 25th ESPN announced the nominees for 2007 ESPY, and the “incredible” Lance Mackey made the list in the category of Best Outdoor Athlete of the Year! Mackey’s accomplishment as the only musher to ever win both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year was cited in the nomination.
Other nominees in the Best Outdoor Athlete of the Year category are Bass angler Mike Iaconelli, mountaineers Samantha Larson and Ian McKeever, along with runner Dean Karnezes.
The winners of the ESPY Awards will be aired live on ESPN July 15, 2007.
Date: June 5, 2007 at 4:17 pm
WASILLA - The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) was front and center during the 44th annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards at the Jonas Jensen Fremont Studios and Theatre in Seattle on Saturday, June 1st 2007. Iditarod Trail Productions won an Emmy Award for its documentary depicting the 2006 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
“Iditarod 2006: Mother Nature’s Turn to Dance,” was the Iditarod Trail Committee’s first attempt at producing its own documentary, and was nominated for an Emmy Award by the Regional Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on April 13 2007.
The 95-minute documentary was the compilation of more than 130 hours of video shot during the 2006 Iditarod. The production team embedded within the infrastructure of the Iditarod Air Force, and got an up close and personal account on the race from start to finish. The documentary won the award in the category of program achievement in the best news special category.
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Date: May 30, 2007 at 4:19 pm
PALMER ALASKA - For the love of dogs, The Iditarod Trail Committee, Inc., is teaming up with the Mat-Su community to help benefit the proposed $5 million upgrade of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough animal shelter.
“As Tough As They Come” will air for the first time before a Mat-Su audience this Friday at the Machetanz Theatre at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm.
The documentary follows the magical victory of musher Lance Mackey in the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Mackey not only won a battle with cancer, but also became the first-ever to win the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year.
The $10 ticket price will help furnish the Animal Adoption Center, what will become the heart of the newly restored shelter, where residents will get to know a potential life-long pet in attractive surroundings.
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Date: May 21, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Visits the Iditarod Store!
WASILLA, ALASKA - Lance Mackey… The 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion will make a special appearance tomorrow (Tuesday) May 22nd at the Iditarod Gift Shop in the 5th Avenue Mall, Anchorage Alaska.
Lance will be on hand between 2:30 and 4:30 pm to greet Iditarod fans and to talk about the significance of the number13. He will also be available to sign autographs.
The Iditarod Gift Shop is located on the first floor of the 5th Avenue Mall in Downtown Anchorage. Bring along your favorite Iditarod memorabilia and have it autographed by the 2007 Iditarod Sled Dog Race Champion Lance Mackey.
Date: May 18, 2007 at 4:27 pm
WASILLA, ALASKA - The Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors convened a special board meeting on Friday, May 18 to hear the findings of an independent investigation conducted by the Anchorage law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine related to allegations that Ramy Brooks abused members of his team in Golovin on March 15, 2007. The Board issued the following statement;
Today is a difficult day for all of us. But what it does do is provide us with some closure after 2 difficult months. It’s been a difficult time for the people of Golovin, the Iditarod Trail Committee, Ramy Brooks and his family.
The Board would like to recognize the Race Marshal and Judges swift and decisive action during the actual race in regard to disqualifying Ramy for the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race after he admitted to striking his team with trail marking lathe.
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Date: May 17, 2007 at 4:21 pm
WASILLA, ALASKA - The Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors will convene a special board meeting on Friday,(tomorrow) May 18 beginning at 9 am (Alaska Time) at the Courtyard by Marriott, 4901 Spenard Ave., Anchorage Alaska.
The Board of Directors is expected to hear the findings of an independent investigation conducted by the Anchorage law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine related to allegations that Ramy Brooks abused members of his team in Golovin on March 15, 2007.
The Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors is expected to issue a statement after the meeting is adjourned.
Date: May 14, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Iditarod 2007.. As Tough as They Come…
Eighty Two teams left the comforts of civilization on March 4th, 2007 from Willow Lake Alaska with their eyes set squarely on Front Street in Nome. What lay between the start and the finish was a virtual nightmare for some… but for all it was a race that tested their metal on a trail that definitely was “as tough as they come.” For one team, the finish line in Nome was life changing. Lucky number 13 will forever be the brand associated with Lance Mackey’s 2007 victory. His team’s unbelievable win shattered myths and raised the bar at a level that will definitely stand out as one of the most historic years in Sled Dog Race history.
The First Leg…
The first hundred fifty four miles from Willow to Rainy Pass provided the very toughest of trail conditions. Teams cruised through Yentna and Skwentna checkpoints and then began the climb into the heart of the Alaska Range (North America’s largest mountain range) more than 3000 feet higher than where they started. Along the way the lack of snow between Finger Lake and Rainey Pass caused fourteen teams to scratch. Glare ice on top of frozen ground combined with a number of other “natural obstacles” to create situations that led to a number of serious injuries for some mushers like four time Iditarod Champion Doug Swingley, and perennial favorite Dee Dee Jonrowe. Others like Melanie Gould couldn’t go forward because the trail tore their sleds to shreds.
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