Top Ten IN (FINALLY!)

SO....we have our top ten finally in.....it was a little crazy there at the end with the Blow Hole, but Aliy was able to stay on track for 4 place!  Matt Hall and Paige Drobney switched up positions a few times during this last leg, but Matt was able to pass her just a few miles outside of Nome for 6th, with Paige at a respectable 7th.  Mitch finished strong even after all the issues he had after Shaktoolik coming in at 9th place.  And Ramey Smyth, who also appears out of nowhere come in at 8th.  Here the all are, in order:

1.   Pete Kaiser
2.   Joar Ulsom
3.   Jessie Royer
4.   Aliy Zirkle
5.   Travis Beals
6.   Matt Hall
7.   PaigeDrobney
8.   Ramey Smyth
9.   Mitch Seavey
10.  Aaron Burmeister


A Few Take Aways:  

I cant help but notice we have 2 women in the top 5, and a total of 3 in the top ten...that is AWESOME!  Always nice to see more women entering in this somewhat male dominated sport!

I certainly hope they keep the 14 dog rule this year, as it did save on flying dropped dogs out and kept Mushers from using their dogs as weight through the Alaska Range (yes, I'm talking to you Mitch).  The strategy did give an advantage to a whole new way of running the race, but in my humble opinion whenever you alter the dogs purpose of RUNNING the trail and instead use them as as blast and weight early in the race is taking away from the dogs experience.  This rule made that tactic unattractive....especially when on a soft trail.  The Mushers get to vote on this rule change after this race.....I hope it stays permanently.  Hopfully the "returned dog" logistics of this race proves far fewer dogs had to be flown off the trail because less dogs were dropped overall. 

Climate Change.....with no sea ice, LOTS of wet snow, rain on the trail and 30 miles of overflow, even the most skeptic among us must now truly feel climate change is real.  I'm sure this will be all to common going forward.  It does put a damper on the sport....we might be at the new normal....years with low snow, or years with deep snow but no ice, and warm temperatures....that was crazy!  Lets continue to enjoy this sport while its possible to still have races, weather permitting!
 
Dallas Seavey, who was NOT running the Iditarod again this year has scratched from the Finnmarkenslopet in Norway.  He came in 3rd last year and now this year has scratched.  Look for Dallas to return to the Iditarod next year, since he has "kissed and made up" with the
Iditarod about the doping scandal a few years ago.

For you Jesse Holmes "Life Below Zero" Fans.....don't worry, Jesse has already said he will be back....hopefully without having his dogs catch a nasty stomach bug.  He did the right thing by stopping for very long periods of rest to nurse them back to health. 

Mitch Seavey I believe has been humbled by this finish...we can only hope. I'm just glad Aliy finally got to beat him after all these years!

Until next year.....On By!