First to Nome

The story of the Iditarod Trail Invitational is best told by those who have experienced its beauty and challenge, so we've gathered our favourite pieces about the race over the years to tell the tale better than we can. Pop the heating on and grab a cuppa, because there's a storm brewing.

> Nothing says *Hello Alaska* like my cold hands lathering diaper cream over my private parts in the darkness of a winter morning along the Iditarod Trail.

RJ Sauer's account of his 2017 ride on the ITI 1000 is exquisite. RJ’s storytelling is second to none and his skill behind the camera provides a holistic account of his ride.

[When the Trail Goes Cold](https://bikepacking.com/stories/trail-goes-cold/) by RJ Sauer

We are big fans of Rebecca Rusch and admire her commitment to sharing a true and honest portrayal of a ride without romanticising it. Rusch to Nome documents her experience of the 2020 ITI including her extensive preparation for a discipline new to her, her self-shot footage with some intimate and raw moments found only in the depths of solitude and some post race thoughts. Rebecca has since won the 2021 ITI’s inaugural self-supported category which required athletes to carry everything they will need on the trail and opt-out of the meals and accommodation offered at checkpoints.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx40rH4BEiE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx40rH4BEiE)

Kurt Refsnider shared his account of his race winning effort on his first ITI 350 in 2020. Read [here](https://www.bikemag.com/fully-loaded-bikepacking/fully-loaded-racing-alaskas-iditarod-trail-invitational/).

Multi-time ITI race veteran and bikepacking original, Jay Petervary raced the 2021 edition in a pair with his protege Jacob Hora and won the bivy category which disallows riders from sleeping inside but are allowed the meals and other support at checkpoints. His vast experience on the trail has resulted in his dialled kit list which he shares in this video. A great insight into the demands of the trail and the weather conditions riders can expect to face.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju0veN43K1I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju0veN43K1I)

Here’s this year’s start list and their nationalities. We are really looking forward to a season of multi-nationality races again this year as travel opens up again.

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OnBNqKwJYQcla5R_GzE8uzF4I_c_h__UIHY8yGlEXPk/edit#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OnBNqKwJYQcla5R_GzE8uzF4I_c_h__UIHY8yGlEXPk/edit#gid=0)


Some pre-race reading to whet your appetites

### Covering 350 miles in 2 days and 8 hours [Ryan Atkins](https://www.instagram.com/ryanatkinsdiet/?hl=en) and [Tyson Flaharty](https://www.instagram.com/tyson.flaharty/) have become the first finishers of the 350 mile race to McGrath. 

Finishing last night at 9pm local time the pair rode entirely together from Knik Lake to Nome, only stopping for a couple of hours at each of the mandatory checkpoints, with both acheiving a moving time of 80% of their overal finish time.

As we dive into the first 48 hours, we want to acknowledge the phenomenal effort from these two riders!

Photo courtesy of the ITI 


Tyson Flaharty and Ryan Atkins Reach McGrath

__The first 48 hours of the race passed at 2pm ASKT (9pm GMT) yesterday. With over 31 riders tackling the 350 mile race to McGrath and 15 heading all the way to Nome. We've done a deep dive through the tracking and race analaysis to keep DotWatchers updated as we wait for athlete updates in McGrath.__

The temperatures on the Iditarod trail are milder than previous editions, at around -19°C at night and reaching -7°C in the day. However, this is by no means mild with a prevailing northeasterly winds sweeping across the open wilderness. Prior to the race, a large dump of snow was a worry for competitors that there could potentially be wet condtions or deep snow, in reality trail conditions are more mild. With the comparitively reasonable temperatures, decent conditions and strong field this may be the fastest edition of the ITI seen in a long time.

With such extreme conditions on the trail a mandatory stopping rule is enforced on the Iditarod Trail Invitational. This allows the athletes to stop and rest, warm up, eat and work out their strategy for the upcoming race.

![Race Flow 1000 miles](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4p27apLgCXuV1925cQZDUf/29fc63aba20aa020d5956e670ec4ac6d/Screenshot_2022-03-01_at_21.12.27.PNG)

__The 15 athletes riding the 1000 mile journey from Knik Lake have been much more conservative with their timings__, taking longer breaks at the mandatory rest stops and refreshing before heading back out. The current leader, Petr Ineman , has stopped the least but managed a 6 hour rest at Finger Lake which is the mandatory stop at 125 miles.

At 48 hours most of the 1000 mile athletes were reaching Puntilla Lake (pictured) where many will be expected to take a decent stop as the cabin is well structured to defent the riders from the wind.

![350 race flow](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5oHcbwxP2yRokMaBivaQFt/fada7943f4d20b2fabd841cee06b8e76/Screenshot_2022-03-01_at_21.12.35.PNG)

__The 350 mile racers seem to be moving on from the stopping points more rapidly than the 1000 mile candidates. With Tyson and Ryan moving on in less than 2 hours from most stops the race truly is on.__ At 48 hours there is a clear split between athletes with some closing in on the final mandatory checkpoint, Nikolai, and some just touching on Puntilla (pictured). If athletes are able to reach the 350 mile goal before the night sets in moving on quickly will save another night out in the cold. However, with Puntilla providing food and shelter those who have more to cover may be more likely to hunker down for a while and refresh before pushing on to McGrath. 

Tyson Flaherty and Ryan Atkins are in the lead, riding together from Knik lake they are leading the entire ITI including all other modes of transport. 

### Moosings from the Road

![moose 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7kdLSR5zeviOCWmbYg1Xro/33082cbbf408c0809b191cb38743df05/moose_2.jpg)

You may see an unexpected stop on the race flow between Skwenta and Shell Lake. Yesterday a large herd of moose blocked the path for the bikers, who by virtue of their method of travel tend to encounter all the wildlife before the skiiers and runners. This meant that a large number of cyclists had to reroute around the moose adding a few hours to their race time. 

Moving off the path can lead to more problems, encountering deep snow, water below thin ice and even more wildlife. Luckily they have rerouted past and are back out on the trail.

![Moose](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3XHDSH3BbyAIdqGWxK5c3R/67ba58f8d47045c6f48001025a4c3833/Moose.jpg) 

Photos courtesy of the ITI - Ethan Harrison skirting the moose.

__Why worry about a moose?__ Moose (mooses, meese?) are generally docile creatures. However, standing at over 2 metres tall and weighing almost  tonne it is best to avoid them when out in open tundra. With a running speed of 35mph they can easily catch riders, runners and skiiers alike. Even though they are unlikely to attack or cause any issues the safest option is to reroute a safe distance around these gentle giants.

The ITI has no set route, with athletes mostly following the same trail but having the flexibility to move a little more freely through the checkpoints. This means that athletes are able to avoid obstacles and any unsafe conditions without the fear of disqualification or repercussions. Even though the ITI is still a a race, the top priority for race organisers is athlete safety.

Featured Photo by [RJ Sauer](https://www.instagram.com/rjsauer/) at Puntilla Lake in 2017

The First 48 Hours

__We have seen almost 30 riders come in for the 350 mile race,__ with Phillip Roadley being the latest finisher crossing the line into McGrath at almost 6 days dead on. With all the continuing 350 mile riders past Rohn we should hope to see them finishing soon! This is one fast edition of the ITI 350.

__Yesterday we had our first place women’s bike finisher,__ Amber Bethe!  Amber is the first woman to have completed the 350 in all three divisions:  bike (2022-Champion), ski (2021-Champion) and foot (2020).  She finished in 4 days 11 hours and 38 minutes.

An update on the 1000 mile race. With riders moving considerably slower to preserve energy and maintain a constant effort the majority of riders are just moving on from McGrath and are closing in on Ophir. Petr Ineman is however, still way ahead and currently encroaching on Cripple, mile 405. With vast distances to cover room for error on the 1000 mile edition is much greater than that on the 350. With the same packing space and equipment but at least quadruple the amount of time out in the wilderness experience and preparedness becomes the key factor to achieving that 1000 mile finish.

One unique feature of the ITI is the ability to "drop" kit at 3 drop points, one in Finger Lake at mile 125, one in Rohn at mile 200 and another at Cripple, mile 473. For the 350 riders this means a nice split of drops cutting the race into 3rds. However, the 1000 mile competitors must be a little more conservative, the front loading of the drops means the drop at Cripple is a crucial moment for the rest of the race!

Below Rebecca Rusch talk's a little on packing and mentions the drops and how to plan for them.

[https://youtu.be/LHmXiWraS24](https://youtu.be/LHmXiWraS24)

Photo courtesy of the ITI

Day 6 Update

__As we come into the second week of the Iditarod trail we look towards the 1000 mile finishers.__ The last 350 mile rider, Frank Baccelli who is an accomplished ultra-marathon runner and ultra-traithlete, is almost at McGrath. The 350 mile race has been swift this year, with good weather conditions and a strong field the riders have moved quickly across the Alaskan Wilderness. A massive congratulations to all the finishers!

In the 1000 mile race, 7 riders have made it to the final drop point in Cripple but Petr Ineman continues to dominate the race as he has already arrived at Ruby in 7 days and 8 hours.

With riders keeping a much more conservative pace for the 1000 mile edition the stop:ride ratio is much higher than that of the 350. Tyson Flaharty and Ryan Atkins, the winners of the 350 mile race, had a 80% moving time whereas Petr is currently closer to 45%. This discrepancy comes from riders needing more rest, requiring more careful strategies to keep warm, dry and comfortable during the lenghthy exposed periods. The 1000 miles edition also takes riders to more remote locations. 

Finnish rider Jussi Karjalainen is in second place at the moment at just under a day behind Petr. Jussi completed the 2020 ITI 1000 mile race placing 4th. With his experience he is making good time, with over half the distance left to cover it is all to play for.

Roberto Gazzoli in 3rd is a 3 time finisher of the 350 mile race on foot and an 6th place veteran of the 2020 ITI 1000 on a bike. Coming back this year he is in a strong position moving into Cripple just 2 hours behind Jussi.

Although we are covering the bike race, the ITI also has a foot race, ski race and the sled dog race is also on during the ITI Alaska race. Our first foot racers have come across the line - Thierry Corbarieu is the first man and Faye Norby (pictured courtesy of ITI) is the first woman!

Just Over a Week

__Our final 350 mile racer, Frank Baccelli, crossed the line in McGrath in 7d 22h 45m.__ This has been a speedy 350 mile race compared to many other ITI editions! 

In the 1000 mile race Petr Ineman continues to dominate the field. Having reach Galena in 8d 02h 54m he is now 2 checkpoints ahead of the closest competitor, with no one else yet to reach Ruby. Petr has recently left Galena and is heading onto Nulato, a small Yukon city with a population of 239. (Pictured, courtesy of RJ Sauer). Sadly, in 2015's edition of the Iditarod sled dog race a dog was killed in Nulato as a snowmobile collided with the dog team.

Jussi Karjalainen is the next rider with 3rd to 8th place seemingly riding relatively closely together from Ophir. Troy Szczurkowski and Jason Bratton, in 9th and 10th respectively, have recently closed the gap between one another and have been racing together from McGrath.

It is common for racers to bunch on the ITI, with incredibly minor advantage in terms of racing this riding is allowed as it keeps the riders safe. Many athletes on the ITI find the isolation can be the most challenging aspect of the race.

Rebecca Rusch's video on self-filming the ITI captures the isolation as she masters the art of capturing a race with only handheld cameras that can be stashed when not in use.

[https://youtu.be/IPr4GAXj5Kg](https://youtu.be/IPr4GAXj5Kg)

Final 350 mile riders are in and a 1000 mile update!

Frank Baccelli has finished the 350 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational, at 68 years old he is the oldest ever finisher at the ITI. He crossed the finish line in McGrath in just 7 days 23 hours and 15 minutes.

Congratulations to Frank and all the 350 mile finishers!

Photo courtesy of the ITI

Frank Baccelli rounds off the 350 mile race!

As all the 350 mile racers have finish we'll continue to look over to the 1000 mile competitors.

Petr Ineman is still blasting ahead, with a buffer of 2 checkpoints between him and the chasing bunch he can safely rest in Kaltag. The remaining pack is split between Ruby and Cripple, with Jussi Karjalainen having previously made progress on the rest of the pack he has remained at Ruby with them. Troy Szczurkowski and Jason Bratton are making good progress together, currently resting at Cripple, only 1 checkpoint from the chasing bunch in Ruby. 

This ITI is moving quickly and with the riders remaining as bunches the last few miles could make all the difference to their races. Petr is currently moving at a pace that would making catching him impossible, unless anything goes awry for him. Jussi's pushes between the checkpoints are hopefully enough to keep the remainder of the chasing pack on their toes as they follow Petr through Galena and Nulato.

__Sleeping in the Alaskan Wilderness__:

Usually the riders will endeavour to press on to the designated shelters along the trail. However, sometimes, especially earlier in the race, the shelters could be full or the riders could be forced to stop along the trail. Having a robust winter sleep setup that allows an athlete to get a comfortable and restorative sleep could be the difference between scratching and riding out the trail. 

Even when sleeping in the shelters there is still a high risk of exposure. Without mains electricity and often with wooden or even tarp walling the huts and shelters mainly diminish the windflow, they can't keep out the biting cold! Many riders combat this cold with some warm food and an extreme winter sleeping bag and bivvy, like RJ Sauer in 2017 - pictured (courtesy of RJ Sauer).

Checkout Rebecca's guide to winter sleeping:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgpmmNfCRVk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgpmmNfCRVk)

1000 Mile Update

Petr Ineman continues to dominate the field, resting up in between Kaltag and Unalakleet. The 2 chasing groups are winthin 2 days of Petr and then of each other, a wide spread of these athletes with Petr alone, riders 2-7 together and the final pair sticking close together.

Jussi, 2nd rider, is still trying to press on ahead of the other riders but remains with them as they meet him at each of the checkpoints.

As of now, Petr is only 50 miles from Unalakleet, then he'll be riding on the coastal section of the trail all the way to Nome. 

Unalakleet is a city with around 700 residents who sustain themselves mainly on Caribou (pictured). They're main source of industry is salmon and king crab fishing.


Three Groups Together

__This year's Iditarod 1000 mile has an interesting race flow. With conditions on the race seemingly allowing for a fast and fluid finish for the 350 mile race, the 1000 mile edition has taken some interesting turns.__

Up to McGrath, the racers were seemingly riding as individuals  with every rider creating their own flow and moving at different paces. Many chose to have a limited stop in the first few checkpoints (as mandated in the rules of the ITI). However, as the race has lengthened the riders seemingly took a longer break in McGrath creating 3 distinct groups.

Petr Ineman left McGrath earlier than any rider, taking a much shorter rest, but still a significant time to recuperate and replenish supplies. He has continued to lead by over 2 days as the race has progressed from the 350 mile mark.

Jussi Karjalainen left McGrath seemingly at the same time as group 2 but stayed a little further out from Ophir than the rest, pushing on and creating a gap between himself and the chasing pack up to Ruby. Jussi then continued from Ruby with the second chasing group.

Jason Bratton has been moving at a good pace, completing the field and met the other riders at McGrath. However, once at McGrath the early leader of the race, Troy Szczurkowski, remained for a considerable amount of time and has joined Jason for the remainder of the race creating the third distinct group.

As we move into the second half of the 11th day, all 3 groups are currently at a rest point. Petr at Unalakleet, group 2 at Nulato and group 3 at Ruby. Interestingly though, Graham Muir seemed to have reached Nulato 2 hours behind the rest of the chasing group. Will we see a split start to emerge in group 2 as the race continues? 

__It's all about Ruby...__ Ruby sits on the Yukon River with a population of less than 200. With only a post office and a general store it offers little to resupply the riders on a commercial level. However, the residents of Ruby open up their doors and municipal buildings are also used to house the athletes as they come through.

![Photo by Marshall Ronne, Jr.](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2iwaXAL9rzq7bFsCXW58Ei/6491bfb23d76241a27287d72b870ed83/Photo_by_Marshall_Ronne__Jr..jpg)

__The largest golden nugget found in Alaska was found just outside of Ruby in 1998.__ Photo by Marshall Ronne, Jr

Race flow courtesy of TrackLeaders

Race Flow Analysis

This Alaskan winter adventure on bicycle, foot or skis is revered as one of the hardest ultra-marathons in the world and demands flawless preparation and resilience.

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