/ Archived Race Coverage / One Heck of a Race!

One Heck of a Race!

Dateline 08:00:00

by Staff

03/13/2006

If you like drama, and you like close finishes, take a look at the Iditarod trail Sled Dog Race leader board. Right now the top three making their way up the Gold Coast toward Nome are separated by a hand full of hours. The race is definitely on!

Jeff King seems to be maintaining his lead over Doug Swingley, and between the three, Dee Dee Jonrowe had the fastest time from Unalakleet to Shaktoolik. Dee Dee gained precious time in her hunt for her very first Iditarod Championship. But if you look a little further down the field… oh my my!!!

Bjornar Andersen, John Baker, and Paul Gebhardt (in fourth, fifth, and sixth place respectively) left Unalakleet within 22 minutes of each other. This pack of Iditarod high octane mushers are in a race that is definitely one to keep an eye on. Then look down the leader board a little further.

Right now Aliy Zirkle (seventh position) has about a two hour lead on the remainder of the field of top ten mushers, but take a look at the time differential between Aaron Burmeister, Jason Barron, and Mitch Seavey; FIVE MINUTES! Yup, this is turning out to be one heck of a race!