How many rookies are signed up for the 2018 iditarod

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Latest Newscasts. Published: Jun. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter. Not so with Iditarod. These mushers are running in their first Iditarod, yes, but they are far from being in their first full season of the sport.

Iditarod rookies are mushers who have not yet completed an Iditarod. Mushers will have rookie status each year until they do. But the experience of these rookies is quite impressive.

Some are running under the mentorship of seasoned Iditarod veterans. Niklas said the meeting gave a lot of good information, and he is ready to get back to training to put it to use. Another rookie, Grayson Bruton, said he feels ready for a difficult, slow-moving trail after training his dog team along the Denali Highway in deep snow this winter. Bruton is no stranger to the Iditarod. He spent the past four years working for three-time Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey.

Originally from Denmark, Porsild got her start in adventure travel on Arctic expeditions and has raced dogs in Chukotka, Russia. She worked with Iditarod champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom. He competed in the Yukon Quest and placed 11th out of 13 finishers. Note: The Iditarod rookie count grew to 13 on Sunday afternoon. In a last-minute switch , two-time Yukon Quest champion John Schandelmeier subbed in for his wife, Zoya DeNure, due to health concerns.