Thread: Who's the Leader?

[jsk]

Well, it is a test module. I like when it reports that a musher is going ONE mph. I can only assume that that's when a musher is moving a sled or something.

[RonC]

"... Early in the race, it reported one of them traveling 93 mph."

And the speed reported was accurate! Martin Buser (just for fun and laughs) gave his GPS unit to a pilot, and asked him to fly it around for a while... which he did. The unit was returned to Martin and placed back on the sled.

There's been a few minor glitches in the GPS reportage, but from the perspective of the majority they've been an exciting and useful addition to viewing this race via the net.

[SuldalsXpressen]

"... Early in the race, it reported one of them traveling 93 mph."

And the speed reported was accurate! Martin Buser (just for fun and laughs) gave his GPS unit to a pilot, and asked him to fly it around for a while... which he did. The unit was returned to Martin and placed back on the sled.

There's been a few minor glitches in the GPS reportage, but from the perspective of the majority they've been an exciting and useful addition to viewing this race via the net.

Yes, he's a funny-man I think the gps was given to Sylvia Willis, though...

Eskil

[RonC]

Yes, he's a funny-man I think the gps was given to Sylvia Willis, though...

Eskil

You're so right!

Just read that Buser didn't get it back... and someone else saying it may have been given to yet a different musher than Sylvia.

I hope they keep this 'voluntary' in the future - but, at the same time I hope most will carry one.

[emwcee]

According to the GPS Jeff is ahead now. Wonder how he was able to pass.

[Frozen Chosen]

Its about that time of year again to assess not only Who the Leader is...but how the top 3 will fare in the next day or so going into Unalakleet. Travis currently has about a 4 hour lead on Dallas, and now they both have their 8 Hr taken care of. Jessie, Matt Hall, and Paige are dark horses, while Ryan is defending his win and is 5th coming out of Nikolai. We'll see how Travis does going into Kaltag and will he drive on through and run on down to the Coast?

At some point, and in particular if he doesn't have the best team, Travis has to consider separating himself from the others, including and especially Dallas, and try not to be seen. Over the last 30 years, the team that separates and goes on unseen, has the best chance to get to the Finish Line On Front Street first.

Dallas has to continue to push on up toward the front. I think he still has a very good chance of doing this, and maybe catch the leaders, if not in Unalakleet, but probably by or before Koyuk. For Travis, he can go conservatively only so long before he decides whether he is going to Break Away. Dallas probably thinks he still has time to run conservatively on thru to Unalakleet, but will pick up One Level on his After Burners...

[elsietee]

Funnily enough, Danny Seavey posted on this subject earlier this afternoon:

"Does Dallas Seavey still have a chance? Iditarod 2024, Day 7.

I’ve been asked this question 100 times in the last couple days as Dallas’ seemingly very bad year keeps getting worse. After half his team was run over by a drunk snowmobiler in training, rebuilding with replacements from Mitch, then being stomped by a moose on the first night of the Iditarod, then the 2hr penalty for not butchering said moose, it’s been one thing after another, and he finds himself about 4 hours off the Iditarod pace. This is not a sob story however, in typical Dallas fashion, he’s somehow right in the mix, and I guarantee you no one likes having a (let’s call it “motivated”) Dallas with 15 dogs right behind them.

The lead teams arrived in Kaltag Saturday afternoon, roughly 2/3 way through the 1000 mile race. This is where it gets serious, everything to this point has simply been positioning and making sure they’re ready to race the last third. It’s setting up to be a great finish, with teams expected in Nome early Tuesday morning for a total time around 8 days 16 hours.

We have a very solid top 6, and I’m 99% sure one of them will win the race. The experience difference between the top 4 and the next 2 is astonishing however. Times are in and out of Nulato, the only place they all stopped in the same place.

Travis Beals out 10:41am. 12 Dogs. Run time 6:25. Best Iditarod finish: 5th, best time 9 days 6 hrs. Total 9 days Iditarods: 4. Other races won: None. Fastest time Kaltag to Nome: 2d 20h

Jessie Holmes out 12:37pm, 11 dogs, Run time 6:09. Best Iditarod finish: 3rd, best time 9 days 4 hrs. Total 9 days Iditarods: 4. Best win: 2023 Kobuk 440. Fastest time Kaltag to Nome: 2d 22h

Matt Hall out 13:41, 11 dogs, run time 6:11. Best Iditarod finish: 4th. Best time 9 days 2 hours. Total 9 day Iditarods: 2. Best win: 2017 Yukon Quest. Fastest Time Kaltag to Nome 2d 19h.

Paige Drobny out 13:53, 14 dogs, run time 5:54. Best Iditarod finish: 7th, best time 9 days, 19hrs. Total 9 day Iditarods: 1. Other races won: None. Fastest Time Kaltag to Nome: 3d 6h

Ryan Redington out 14:26, 12 dogs, run time 6:26. Defending Champion, fastest Iditarod 8 days 21 hrs. Fastest Kaltag to Nome 2d 19h

Dallas Seavey out 14:27. 15 Dogs, run time 6:19. Best Iditarod finish 1st (5 times), 5 consecutive EIGHT day Iditarods. Regularly runs Kaltag to Nome in 2d14h. (3 times, more very similar)

In my mind I keep seeing the Princess Bride. Pay special attention to the Fastest Time Kaltag to Nome numbers above. Dallas is coming along behind, on an almost guaranteed pace, and Travis, Paige, Matt and Jessie get a head start, but no experience to lean on. They’ve never done anything like what they’ll have to do to stay ahead of Westley.

Travis has a 4 hours head start, and is the team to beat, but he’s not the fastest. He’s hoping he can break a long streak of teams that lead Nikolai to Kaltag, but can’t hold on up the coast. Jessie Homes is flying, but has a small team, and has never closed fast. Paige and Matt have run beautiful races, (if I was related to them, I’d be telling you how they’ve got it in the bag:) but Paige in particular has never run anything close to this speed. I was very impressed with her decision to stay long in Nulato, preserve her speed, and be willing to trust the dogs and race on speed rather than position. She’s the least experienced (at least competitive 1000 mile races) but has run a perfect race. Matt Hall meanwhile is on the schedule Dallas planned, and wishes he was on, but had to break to try and catch back up. Matt also has the most ‘win worthy’ pedigree, having a steady upward trajectory over his career. He’s going to win, it’s just a matter of when.

So how much does experience matter? Remember when the Super Bowl went to overtime last month? (Sorry Toni Reitter, I know you love your 9ers, but you know, Mahomes). Running dogs on a 8-day Iditarod pace is entirely different than a 9-day pace. If you’ve ever played a sport, or done anything competitive, and jumped up a level, you know what I’m talking about. What worked at one level doesn’t at the next. It looks like the same sport, but man is it different.

On the other hand, there’s only one way to get experience. One of these teams is going to have to run the race of their lives. All four certainly are capable and well deserving, but it isn’t going to come easy. Dallas is very much still in it. History says he’ll catch three of them but one will get away and win. Part of the ‘come from behind’ strategy is not getting too far behind, because someone always makes it. Dallas did end up ‘too far’ behind, but given the lack of history/experience of those in front of him, it’ll make it much more interesting.

Stay on those Iditarod Insider trackers, the coverage this year has been amazing!

Danny"

[braider]

Great summarizing elsietee.
This race is far better than I expected it to be.

[Alphashe]

Thanks for the Danny-post!. Only thing I miss during the race after leaving FB is Danny.

Loved the Kaltag interview with Page @Kaltag. She reminds me of Sigrid in her glorious days (winnig Finnmarksløpet)

[Another UK Fan]

Thanks for the Danny post Elsietee.

Dallas now leading!