Zirkle to retire after the Iditarod? Kusko 300 gets underway; Iron Dog ready to roll
SAYING SHE WANTS TO RETIRE “BEFORE SHE HAS TO RETIRE”, IDITAROD VETERAN AND FAN FAVORITE AILY ZIRKLE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THE UPCOMING RACE WILL BE HER LAST.
THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH BEFORE THE BIG RACE.
ZIRKLE SAYS SHE AND HUSBAND, FELLOW MUSHER ALLEN MOORE, ARE WINDING DOWN THEIR COMPETITIVE OUTINGS. MOORE HAS RACED IDITAROD 11 TIMES ALONG WITH 10 YUKON QUESTS.
ZIRKLE HAS BEEN AMONG THE TOP MUSHERS IN THE IDITAROD FOR YEARS, AND HAS ALSO BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR HER ATTENTION TO ANIMAL CARE. WHILE NOT YET WINNING THE RACE, ZIRKLE HAS THREE-SECOND PLACE FINISHES, AND SHE HAS WON THE LEONARD SEPPALA HUMANITARIAN AWARD FOR DOG CARE A RECORD SIX TIMES.
ZIRKLE AND THE REST OF THIS YEAR’S COMPETITORS BEGIN THE GOLD TRAIL TREK SUNDAY, MARCH 7TH AT DESHKA LANDING.
THE 42ND ANNUAL KUSKOKWIM 300 SLED DOG RACE GETS UNDERWAY TONIGHT AT 6:30. 16 TEAMS ARE READY FOR THE MASS START IN BETHEL, WHERE THE WEATHER HAS BEEN LESS THAN COOPERATIVE. WINDS HAVE HAMPERED RACE PREPARATIONS AND HAS BLOWN SHUT PARTS OF THE TRAIL.
AMONG THE MUSHERS HEADING OUT ON THE TRAIL, DEFENDING KUSKO 300 CHAMPION AND FORMER IDITAROD CHAMP PETE KAISER, GIRDWOOD’S NIC PETIT, WHO RECENTLY TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THE WILLOW 300, AND RICHIE DIEHL, WHO TOOK THE TOP SPOT IN THE BOGUS 150.
IRON DOG 2021 IS READY TO ROLL SATURDAY WITH 23 TEAMS TO TACKLE THE COURSE FROM BIG LAKE. COVID TESTING HAPPENING FRIDAY…AND AGAIN A COUPLE TIMES DOWN THE TRAIL. THE RACE WILL LAST ABOUT A WEEK, ENDING AT BIG LAKE NEXT WEEKEND.
