IditaProject Forum

Veteran Iditarod musher Anja Radano scratches at Nikolai checkpoint Anchorage, Alaska – Veteran Iditarod competitor Anja Radano (bib #26), of Talkeetna, Alaska,
scratched at 9 p.m. tonight at the Nikolai checkpoint.
Radano made the decision to scratch in the best interest of her race team. Radano had 12 dogs with her at the time she made the decision to scratch

Veteran Iditarod musher Ryne Olson (bib #35) of Two Rivers, Alaska, scratched at 5:02 p.m. today at the McGrath checkpoint. Olson made the decision to scratch in the best interest of her race team. Olson had nine dogs in harness at the time she made the decision to scratch.

Ah, that's too bad. I saw that she was lagging towards the back and thought she was taking it really slow.

Jeff Deeter mentioned his dogs got a bug early on in the race, so he had to scale back his runs. That's the only mention I've heard about sick dogs, though.

Julie Ahnen (McGrath) and Hugh Neff (Ruby) both scratch.

Interesting deviation from the "standard" wording of the press releases in the one announcing Neff's scratch: "In conjunction with Iditarod Race Marshal Mark Nordman, Neff made the decision to scratch
due to their concern for his race team." Sounds like he got some help in deciding that the dogs weren't holding up.

Yes, the wording on Hugh's scratch notice is quite telling.

I couldn't stand it and had to check in before I left.

That is curious about Hugh. I just rewatched the vid of his arrival in Ruby and the dogs looked good coming in. They were all wearing coats, though, so I wonder if they just got too thin? That, or there's something else going on that required a diplomatic "out" to avoid too much drama?

Too bad about Julie. I wonder if she went back to drop a dog - and then the dogs wouldn't leave again?

Dang I always hate see a rookie scratch.
Hugh maybe ran Jim's dogs a little faster than they are used too and not enough calories in them? Definitely troubling to see in conjunction with the Race marshal;

I watched and re-watched the video of them coming into Ruby. I'm no musher, but the dogs all seemed pretty perky. But as he pulled up, he glanced over and said "hello sir" and a booming voice (Normand??) said "HELLO Hugh Neff" and Hugh again said "hello sir". Seemed like maybe someone was waiting for him? Here's what Nic P said on his FB page:

it’s not
By the sound of it
Lots of teams had late arrival appetites and just caught up to them
But
Reports are that he wasn’t the only one with the issue
Could be other teams who might end up being in similar predicament
Teams that don’t eat before and during 24 are feeling it now
Appetite is the major factor for how we all approach the races
Personally
I go long and develop strong appetites early and by the time we’re in McGrath, they eat like wild dogs on a dead gazelle
Jeff did the opposite and also has the weight under control
But if your racing racing
You got to get them eating ASAP
Sucks
I was hoping the white dogs would come into play on the coast

The fact that Nordman appeared to be waiting for him and perhaps that Neff expected Nordman to be waiting for him would suggest that something had occurred back up the trail, and that a conference was in order. Other than finishing, there are three ways to leave a race: scratch, withdrawn, and DQ. Often, a musher is given a choice between scratch (musher's decision) and withdrawn (official's decision), with it being made clear to the musher that if he/she doesn't scratch then they will be withdrawn. Scratch is perceived as the more "honorable" way of going, but if the musher doesn't get the hint, they are withdrawn. If a musher meets the criteria of a DQ (major rule violation), it is rare that they would ever not do that so I doubt it was something more serious.