Veteran mushers vie for top-dog status

February 29, 2008

Kjetil Backen (Scott Jensen/KTUU-TV)

by Kevin Wells
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A record field, a half dozen former champions and more than 1,500 of the world's most elite endurance athletes will take part in this year's Last Great Race.

Iditarod XXXVI should be one for the books.

This year's race might just have as many contenders for top five finishes as any before in history, with all of the participants looking to become number one.

Kjetil Backen has had two top 10 Iditarod finishes.

"It takes 16 dogs and a musher," Backen said. "It's a long way. If you have good luck, a magic team, you can do a good job."

Backen's last competed in Iditarod XXXII back in 2004, when he came in third place. He'll be looking to capture a third title for team Norway, but Backen will have to surge past Martin Buser and Jeff King, each hungry to join the five-timers club.

"One kid I told I ran 24 Iditarods," Buser said. "He did the math and said that means you win every 5 years. It's your turn."

King said he is ready for his fifth win.

"There isn't a stone left unturned in preparations; wasn't last year, either, and I got beat fair and square," King said.

Lance Mackey beat everybody in 2007. He's once again coming off a Yukon Quest title this year but don't necessarily look for the reigning champ to go all in with the same dogs.

"We've got some new recruits, some that aren't 1,000-mile dogs, but they were with us for preseason races," Mackey said.

Last year's runner up, Paul Gebhardt, carries a heavy heart following the death of his leader. But he also has high hopes of a breakthrough win this year.

"(The) Team looks fabulous, even with the loss of Governor," Gebhardt said. "He was my main leader the last two years. The rest of the team has picked it up that much more."

He'll need that. John Baker, Ed Iten, 2004 champion Mitch Seavey, the long-denied DeeDee Jonrowe and at least a dozen others seek the throne.

"The competition is more even than it's been," King said.

So who'll emerge victorious? The answer is blowing in the Alaskan wind.

Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com

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