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NEWS RELEASE
Photos available www.flickr.com/acvbpr

Mushers Prepare for the Challenges of the Iditarod Trail, Anchorage Readies for the Start of the “Last Great Race”

Anchorage, Alaska – Feb. 3, 2010 – In just a few short weeks, months of training and years of dreaming will culminate in the start of the 38th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race®. On Saturday, March 6, at 10 a.m. more than 70 mushers and their dog teams will rush down Fourth Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, for the ceremonial start of the 2010 Iditarod. The scene is electric; spectators line the street as more than a thousand dogs bounce and bark in anticipation of the start of an epic journey to Nome. A diverse field of mushers will compete this year, drawn from Alaska and across the United States as well as Canada, Scotland, Belgium and even Jamaica.

After a mile and a half on city streets, the course speeds through forested trails, greenbelts and parks of Anchorage. The race course beyond Anchorage is like none other; mushers face some of the most daunting terrain, and the competition stretches more than 1000 miles through vast Alaska wilderness. Mushers and their teams must negotiate treacherous mountain valleys and face the bitter cold, blinding snow and howling wind.

Fairbanks, Alaska, musher Lance Mackey returns to defend his crown in 2010. A three-time winner, Mackey was first under Nome’s burled arch in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Last year he finished in nine days, 21 hours and 38 minutes. He’ll face a tough field of competitors including former champs Jeff King and Martin Buser. King and Buser have each won Iditarod four times. Buser also holds the record for fastest winning time with his 2002 finish in eight days, 22 hours and 46 minutes.

Preparing for the trail

Behind-the-scenes, work to prepare the course is already underway. Straw and food drops in preparation for the Iditarod begin Feb. 15, 2010 and will continue through Feb. 18. Bags of food for mushers and dogs are flown out to the checkpoints along the trail. Each bag is marked with the mushers name so they are distributed to the right team when they arrive at each checkpoint. The Iditarod veterinary check takes place March 3, to ensure every dog is fit to race. The musher’s meeting and banquet are both scheduled for March 4 in Anchorage. For more information about all of the events leading up to the Iditarod start, visit www.Iditarod.com.

Commemorating the Great Race of Mercy

The Iditarod Trail began as a mail and supply route connecting coastal towns to Interior Alaska mining camps and Western Alaska communities. Mail and supplies went up the line; gold came down – all via dog sled.

The trail was a vital link to the interior and Western Alaska, but it became a critical lifeline in 1925 during the diphtheria epidemic in Nome. Airplanes of the day were unreliable for winter flights; dogsleds were the safest way to get the desperately needed antitoxin to the northern city. It took dog teams working in relays five and a half days to get the life-saving medicine from Nenana to Nome. The modern Iditarod commemorates this journey of mercy. The first Iditarod began on March 3, 1973, and ended 20 days, 49 minutes, 41 seconds later, when Dick Wilmarth of Red Devil, Alaska, arrived in Nome. Wilmarth won a purse of $12,000. In comparison, the 2010 purse is six figures. For more about the Iditarod and Anchorage’s Big Wild Life™, explore ACVB's Iditarod page.

The Iditarod’s ceremonial start is part of the Winter Trio, three exciting events that take place over 10 days in Anchorage. The excitement begins with the city’s winter festival, Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, from Feb. 26 – March 7, 2010. The winter fun continues with the Iditarod start and culminates with the Tour of Anchorage, one of the largest and longest-running cross country ski races in the United States. The Tour takes place March 7, 2010, and features 25, 40 and 50K race divisions.

The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ACVB) mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage as a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by lodging associations. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund, and one-third to service the bond debt and operations of the Anchorage Convention Centers. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. 2010 marks ACVB’s 35th year of bringing business to Anchorage. Explore www.Anchorage.net for more information.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jack Bonney
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau PR Manager
jbonney@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
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