Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Frontrunners Ophir to Iditarod by Myron Angstman

While there isn’t a whole lot going on with most teams on their 24 hour break, there is obviously something unusual happening between Ophir and Iditarod. The three teams out there, Lindner, Mackey and King, have been starting and stopping frequently, especially the first two, which is not normal  for front runners.  I suspect weather or trail conditions are the reason but  we will soon find out as  Mackey nears the check point.    If they have had tough going, it becomes a factor in the race.  They have had a much longer run than anticipated, and  it may move them back in the standings if the following teams experience  better going.

Myron Angstman, lawyer, pilot, and dog musher, lives in Bethel, Alaska. Read more about dogs, law suits and rural Alaska gossip by checkinghttp://www.myronangstman.com/ 

24 hr Rest Mid-Day Report by Myron Angstman


Three  items of  interest while most of the teams rest in the afternoon heat.  John Baker provided  an exclusive interview to a reliable reporter today, and stated he was feeling good about his team.  He expects to pick up the pace now, with dogs that are strong and eating well.  According to the same source,  he sounded  rested.   He will have a lot of teams ahead of him, but certainly is not out of the running.

The second  item of note is the arrival of Martin Buser in Takotna.  Buser came in and left Takotna  about 9 hours before  Aaron Burmeister is able to leave tonight.  That is a  big chunk of time, especially because Martin has a  fast team and lots of savvy.

The final item is the fact that Sonny Lindner is now the first team on the trail.  Sonny is a serious veteran of this race, winning rookie of the year in 1978.   He and I raced the Coldfoot Classic in 1986,  in the Brooks Range.  At one stop  Sonny noted a veteran racer pass us  and he said to me “If you ever see me doing one of these races  after I am 50 years old, promise me that you will shoot me”    Sonny is now 63, and  each year I remind him of his request.

Myron Angstman, lawyer, pilot, and dog musher, lives in Bethel, Alaska. Read more about dogs, law suits and rural Alaska gossip by checkinghttp://www.myronangstman.com/ 

Wednesday in Takotna by Myron Angstman


The  run from Nikolai to Takotna  reveals much about the contenders in this year’s race.  But for many years I have focused on the run from  McGrath to Takotna  as a very good barometer of what  might happen from there to the finish. Why?  Because it is a short run at the end of a long run for most teams, and  how well  a team performs  when tired is a strong indication of how they will perform  towards the end of the Iditarod.   

What do those run times show?  The fastest team in that run might surprise some—Jake Berkowitz at 2:08.   After that comes  Lance  Mackey at 2:10,  Mitch Seavey at  2:11,  Pete Kaiser at 2:12,  and Sonny Lindner at 2:12.  Others a bit slower were Aaron Burmeister,  Aliy Zirkle, and Dallas Seavey.  Not included on this list are some  names that no one should ever count out,  Martin Buser, who has yet to make the run,  John Baker who travels slower than  these teams  most of the time but still manages to move up, and  Rayme Smyth who  often makes a mad dash the last half of the race.  

Mackey didn’t take his 24 hours at Takotna, but clearly is the  man to watch right now. His overall moving speed  is high, and last night’s times show that he hasn’t slowed down yet.  His four titles suggest he knows how to win, and no thinking person would make a huge bet against him at this point.

Myron Angstman, lawyer, pilot, and dog musher, lives in Bethel, Alaska. Read more about dogs, law suits and rural Alaska gossip by checkinghttp://www.myronangstman.com/