The SP Kennel Teams have just made their ceremonial Iditarod 2010 starts!
We will post video of their starts just as quickly as possible, then we’ll “go back” and bring you pre-race footage as time permits. We also hope to bring you Aliy’s on-board video from the trail very soon!
Go Aily Go!!
your 4th grade friend in nebraska
sarah j
Beautiful day to start the Iditarod! Good luck to you both!
I know that the Iditarider position is because they won an auction but what is the 2nd sled and rider for?
The second sled is for "control"… 12 hyped up dogs are too strong for one sled's brakes to control on the limited snow they put down on 4th Ave… So, a second "drag sled" is used to add weight and braking control.
Hi Mac,
This post has been up for a few days so I'm a little late asking this question, but who was on Allen's drag sled?
Bridgett was on Aliy's – Kaz and Fran were working the starting line but the picture definitely seems to show a female.
The person on the drag sled needs to have some mushing experience, right? Was it Allen's other daughter? I think I remember reading that she mushed as a youngster, so she'd have the skills…
The "second sled" musher for Allen was our good friend Leslie. Not only is she a very experienced musher, she runs a mushing school and "tourist" kennel called "Paws for Adventure" outside of Fairbanks. Plus, she has flown down to Anchorage for several years to help handle the dogs before Iditarod. On top of all that, she has a few SPK "retirees" at her kennel, including Heeler and Manny. So, yes, she is plenty experienced enough to ride the second sled, but that really doesn't do justice to her abilities or importance to SPK.