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What to know: Downtown Anchorage braces for a canine takeover as the Iditarod’s 54th run begins
Kjell Rokke funds a new honorary amateur category and boosts the race purse to $650,000 as 34 mushers compete in the 1,000-mile Iditarod race.
- On Saturday, the ceremonial start in Anchorage will feature hundreds of sled dogs gliding over 11 miles, with the race beginning Sunday on a frozen lake about 75 miles north of Anchorage, involving four international mushers.
- Rising costs have prompted the Iditarod to explore new financing models, including the Iditarod Expedition Musher Program permitting honorary entrants like Kjell Rokke, a Norwegian billionaire, and Steve Curtis, a Canadian entrepreneur.
- IDitarod CEO Rob Urbach said Rokke's donation should raise payouts, with the winner getting about $80,000, after Rokke boosted the purse by $100,000 to $650,000 and supported 17 villages.
- Anchorage officials say the downtown start is intended to energize residents and entertain fans, with 37 mushers this year though three are not eligible for prize money.
- The course crosses two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and Bering Sea ice before finishing on Front Street near City Hall, expected the week of March 09.
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30 Articles
30 Articles
Downtown Anchorage braces for a canine takeover as the Iditarod's 54th run begins
Hundreds of barking dogs will take over downtown Anchorage on Saturday for the ceremonial start of the world's most famous sled dog race. The event, catered to fans who hope to see and cheer on their favorite mushers, takes place a day before the competitive start.
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources30
Leaning Left17Leaning Right3Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution61% Left
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources lean Left
61% Left
L 61%
C 28%
11%
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