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Author Archives: Jon Little

King claims second in Iditarod 36

Date: March 12, 2008 at 4:48 am

NOME — Jeff King, one of only four Iditarod mushers to win this Last Great Race at least four times, came within tantalizing grasp of win number five, but could not overcome the relentless pressure, endless drive and a little trickery of Lance Mackey, who claimed his second win in as many years.
King’s large dog [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Double trouble; Mackey wins again!

Date: March 12, 2008 at 3:01 am

NOME — The incredible Lance Mackey has done it again.
“I feel like I earned this one a little more,” he said at the finish line of Iditarod 36 as thousands of fans flocked the burled arch on Front Street, cheering and chanting “Mackey! Mackey! Mackey!”
He crossed the finish line with a strong string of 11 [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Mackey sneaks out of Elim, gains edge

Date: March 11, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Race for third heats up between Gatt, Anderson and Smyth
WHITE MOUNTAIN — If Lance Mackey pulls off a victory, it may have been a little of that old Mackey magic — a recipe that includes a dash of mind games and a lot of old-fashioned hard work — that made the difference.
First, the head [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Owens takes lead in race for top rookie

Date: March 11, 2008 at 6:15 am

KOYUK — The race for rookie of the year is officially on, between the youngest rookie in this year’s race, Nome’s own Melissa Owens, and the race’s most grizzled rookie, Canada’s savvy William Kleedehn. They were sitting in 24th and 29th place on Tuesday.
Owens, 18, is the youngest woman ever to run the Iditarod. Kleedehn, [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Sled dog profile: Bugs

Date: March 11, 2008 at 6:15 am

Bugs is running for Ed Iten of Kotzebue, Alaska

Age: 5
Sex: male
Weight: 55 pounds
Breed: Husky/Dalmation
Where does the dog run? Lead
Race experience: Kusko 300, Kobuk 440, Iditarod. Finished all three races last two years in lead.
What makes this dog special?
“Bugs is my ‘Go to’ man in tough conditions. He’ll break deep trail until you tell [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Dog profiles, Race Coverage

Koyuk becomes Grand Central Station

Date: March 10, 2008 at 10:43 pm

KOYUK — Seven teams were all packed together in the space of about an hour as the world’s premier distance sled dog race nears the end of 1,000 miles of racing. Incredible. They poured up the street into this village in a stream, led by four-time champion Martin Buser at 8:44 p.m.
Close on Buser’s heels [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

One, two off the sea ice

Date: March 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm

Mackey and King less than a mile apart at Koyuk
KOYUK — Lance Mackey’s team was the first off the sea ice, leading Jeff King in the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race with only 150 miles to go. But you’d hardly know it by the way the two acted as they stripped off their [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Baker gets second wind on coast

Date: March 10, 2008 at 7:54 am

UNALAKLEET — There’s something about this stage of every Iditarod that’s just tough on the mushers and the dogs. More than usual this year. It’s a mental low point for many. They’d rather be sleeping, putting their feet up — just about anything but going on another run.
At least one of the top 20 drivers [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage

Sled dog profile: Smudge

Date: March 10, 2008 at 5:47 am

Smudge is running for Jon Korta of Galena, Alaska

Age: 5 1/2
Sex: M
Weight: 57 pounds
Breed: AK husky
Bloodlines: Village sprint / Jonrowe
Where does the dog run?: Lead / Swing
Race experience: Quest 250, Beargrease, Tustumena, Copper Basin, Iditarod
What makes this dog special?
“Smudge is one of seven littermates on our team that we have dubbed the Magnificent [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Dog profiles, Race Coverage

Chess game heads up the coast

Date: March 9, 2008 at 9:34 pm

Mackey cuts rest to leave Unalakleet ahead of King
UNALAKLEET — It was classic Lance Mackey, but with a new twist.
Here he was, loose and friendly as always, almost to the point of seeming like he hadn’t just run a dog team 800 miles, as he hung out for a couple of hours at this first [...]

Posted by Jon Little in Race Coverage