Ceremonial Start 2009
07. Mar, 2009 
2 Comments
In what can always be described as a “party atmosphere” on 4th Avenue in Downtown Anchorage, mushers met fans and took a deep breath, enjoying the culmination of months of hard work on the last day before heading into the tough Alaskan Wilderness. Bidders from all over the country took part in an online auction that gave them the opportunity to ride in the sled of their favorite musher, while raising money for the often financially struggling race. An 11 mile course weaves in and through many parts of Alaska’s biggest city – starting downtown, dipping in and out of residential neighborhoods, and even over a highway overpasses. The Ceremonial start is a chance for musher and fan interaction, its a day of laid-back fun and gives the chance for the Iditarod to be celebrated on an international stage. The real race begins tomorrow afternoon about half an hour outside of Anchorage in the small town of Willow Alaska. Teams will once again depart in two minute increments, but this time it will be for real and the tensions at the restart are always much higher than the day before.
I think you are a little bit incorrect in your comments to the team with the largest engine, Bjornar Andersen. He has best racetime between every checkpoint, but he rests more than the other. I think he will be one of the top three, maybe he will win. I hope so.
Hi,
Great to be able to keep up to date from here in England.
What is the halfway point? and who has won the dollars and/or dinner ?
Dave