2009 Iditarod sign up

[MotorWerk]

http://hurdal.com/124/ncms/main.php?M=avis&C=A&S=30&T=148&PFX=FP&ID=0&A=1947

Bjørnar Andersen will be going to Wasilla June 28 for the 09 sign up.

He is currently in the middle of summer training (himself, not the dogs). He also finds time to bond with the dogs through play - serious traing with the dogs will have to wait until August when the temps are cooling a bit. They've also got 6 puppies so Bjørnar et Madam are certainly busy bees this summer.

[Di*]

Thanks for the news Motor!

[tanglefoot]

new insider videos some from thepicnic and some from lance chatting.....just wish we could hear the end of the story he was telling tpyical insider cuts off at the good bit!

[Breeze]

June Price has pics from the Picnic at http://backstage-iditarod.blogspot.com/.

Breeze

[Moose]

Awesome pics, June. Almost like being there! Thank you.

And here's the signed-up list:

1) Jerry Sousa, Talkeetna

2) Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers

3) Rick Swenson, Two Rivers

4) Paul Gebhardt, Kasilof

5) Karin Hendrickson, Chugiak (rookie)

6) Tom Thurston, Oak Creek, Colo. (rookie)

7) Sebastian Schnuelle, Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada

8) Trent Herbst, Ketchum, Idaho

9) Alan Peck, Eagle River (rookie)

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10) Ed Stielstra, McMillan, Mich.

11) Lou Packer, Wasilla (rookie)

12) Sonny Lindner, Two Rivers

13) Jeff King, Denali Park

14) Aaron Peck, Berason, Alberta, Canada

15) Debbie Moderow, Anchorage

16) Michael Suprenant, Chugiak (rookie)

17) Jake Berkowitz, Anchorage

18) Jim Lanier, Chugiak

19) Francine Bennis, Trapper Creek

20) Gary Paulsen, Willow

21) Warren Palfrey, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

22) Robert Nelson, Anchorage

23) Matt Hayashida, Willow

24) Melissa Owens, Nome

25) Ryan Redington, Wasilla

26) Tim Riley, Hastings, Mich. (rookie)

27) Jessie Royer, Fairbanks

28) Bruce Linton, Kasilof

29) Mike Williams, Akiak

30) John Baker, Kotzebue

31) Linwood Fiedler, Willow

32) Martin Buser, Big Lake

33) Ed Iten, Kotzebue

34) Rick Larsen, Sand Coulee, Mont.

35) Bob Hickel, Anchorage

36) Ramey Smyth, Willow

37) Blake Matray, Two Rivers (rookie)

38) Judy Currier, Two Rivers

39) Rick Horstmann, Willow (rookie)

40) Mitch Seavey, Seward

41) Ray Redington Jr., Wasilla

42) Cim Smyth, Big Lake

43) DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow

44) Gerry Willomitzer, Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada

45) Nancy Yoshida, Thompson, N.D. (rookie)

46) Silvia Willis, Deshka Landing

47) Chad Lindner, Brocklyn, Mass. (rookie)

48) Bjornar Andersen, Oslo, Norway

49) Alan Moore, Two Rivers

50) Laura Daugereau, Port Gambel, Wash.

51) Hans Gatt, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

52) Lance Mackey, Fairbanks

53) Aaron Burmeister, Nenana/Nome

54) Hugh Neff, Skagway

55) Kim Darst, Blairstown, N.J. (rookie)

56) Brent Sass, Fairbanks (rookie)

57) Rachael Scdoris, Bend, Ore.

58) Robert Loveman, Seeley Lake, Mont. (rookie)

59) Sigrid Ekran, Fairbanks

60) Tim Osmar, Ninilchik

61) Ken Anderson, Fairbanks

62) Kurt Reich, Divide, Colo. (rookie)

63) Cindy Gallea, Seeley Lake, Mont.

64) Robert Bundtzen, Anchorage

65) Sven Haltmann, Willow

66) Blake Freking, Finland, Minn.

67) Bill Pinkham, Glenwood, Colo.

68) Wade Marrs, Wasilla (rookie)

[Heidi]

Thanks Breeze for the link. Awesome pics, June! Wish I could've been there!

And thanks for posting the list Moose!

[dilli]

Moose .. thanks for the list!
Sunhusky .. thanks for the great picnic photos (even the ones with heads chopped off .. but .. you got the dogs! )

Is Chad Linder Sonny's son?

Quite an impressive list of competitors signed up so far.

[emwcee]

Thanks so much for posting this. Interesting list. Interesting to see Gary Paulsen signed up again this year. Also, I noticed that Sigrid is listed as being from Fairbanks. Has she moved to the U.S. now?

Some noted mushers who are missing from the list (at least so far):
G.B. Jones (he wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't running)
Zack Steer (I'm hoping he'll still sign up)
Jason Mackey (any word about him? Hoping he can keep up the family tradition -- even if he can no longer camp out to get bib #13 for his sixth race)
Melanie Gould (sorry, Brian)

Any other thoughts?

[Breeze]

Scattered thoughts from here.

We do have some MIA, but we have a reasonable showing of rookies, and the list stands at 68 now so there is room for folks to sign up later. No big whoop.

It doesn't surprise me, nor does it worry me, that some names are currently MIA. I think there is a LOT on everyone's plate right now that is in flux and with the current economic uncertainties, some folks will weigh their priorities differently and take their time to commit. Nothing wrong with that at all, we will all face change. As circumstances bear out, we will see this list change.

I'm sure as heck not making my TTP's for 2009 tomorrow!

Breeze

[MotorWerk]

No Rick Holt on the list, aren't you going next year, Rick?

As for Sigrid, I dunno where she is living these days. I thought she was going back to the old country but she could've changed her mind...