VIDEOS
Check out the video interviews of the 2008 All Alaska
Sweepstakes - Click Here
Congratulations
to our red lantern musher Jeff Darling!!!!
Arriving
in Nome at 11:56:11 4/2. Welcome home
Jeff
All Alaska Sweepstakes Banquet Night
April 1. 2008, Nome, Alaska by
Al Crane- Race Marshal
With news from the trail that Jeff Darling, on a lifetime
quest, planned to complete the race the following day,
mushers and a sellout crowd were treated to a festive
awards banquet at the Nome Recreation Center. Guests were
treated to a program including a vintage menu. Mushers
were recognized and awarded various honors including awarding
the top 10 mushers nearly $50,000 raised in the historic
Queen contest - this in addition to Mitch Seavey's $100,000
prize.
Sold
out attendance at the banquet |
A
special veterinarian and judges award, the Scotty Allan
Humanitarian Award - for excellence in dog care, was
awarded to 4th place musher, Sonny Lindner.
The evening was made even more special when Laura Samuelson,
the director of the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum
informed the audience that several relatives of early
Sweepstakes participants had been in Nome to celebrate
the centennial festivities. The great granddaughter
of Johan Hegness, Carrie Shelley, delivered a suitcase
full of memories and photographs to the museum and announced
that Hegness' ashes, who died in 1960, would be moved
to the Nome cemetery. Hegness was the first 1908 Sweepstakes
winner.
Listen to portions
of the Sweepstakes Banquet
The museum was also contacted by a grandson of Harry
Lawton, who also entered the first race. In 1909, Scotty
Allan won the race and Percy Blatchford was 2nd. Percy's
granddaughter, Ruby Hollembaek, was in in the audience
and recognized by Mrs. Samuelson. The Blatchford family
awarded the Blatchford Spirit of the Race Award to Cari
Miller of Nome. Percy also ran the race in 1910 and
1912. In 1910, 1911 and 1912, Carl Charles Johnson ran
the race. His children, Gene Johnson, Helen McClellon,
and Lillian Stevenson from Montana, were in attendance.
Charles came in 3rd in 1911 and 1912.
Fred Haswell, great nephew of Esther Birdsall Darling,
author of the famous "Baldy of Nome" books
and from the Scotty Allan and Darling racing team, who
won in 1909, 1911 and 1912 were also recognized in the
audience. Maja Ramsey, the granddaughter of Leonhard
Seppala, who won 3 Sweepstakes races, created the Leonhard
Seppala Heritage Grant Award in 2005, which awards $10,000
to a worthy rookie musher to run the Iditarod for the
first time. In keeping with the spirit of the event,
Mitch Seavey donated $10,000 of his earnings to the
Leonhard Seppala Grant.
In another interesting highlight,
Penny Evans and Alan Bowering of the Siberian Husky Club
of Great Britian which was responsible for returning the
1910 Sweepstakes trophy to the Nome Museum, were also
in attendance.
In a very poignant moment at the award's ceremony, Jayson
Russell, paid tribute to his grandfather, honorary musher
No. 1, Pete MacManus. Pete and most of his dogs perished
in an airplane accident on his return home from the 1983
Sweepstakes Race. Pete's grandsons, Jayson Russell and
Pete MacManus Jr. drove the No. 1 team out of the chute
to the end of Front St. at the race start.
2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes
Champion, Mitch Seavey
& lead dog "Payton" |
The finale of the evening
came when Mitch Seavey's lead dog, "Payton",
was awarded a garland of yellow and green, a symbolic
honor steeped in an old tradition - green and gold (yellow),
the Nome Kennel Club colors, and the recognition beginning
when Iron Man Johnson's record breaking team crossed the
finish line in 1910. The crowd threw a horseshoe of flowers
around his neck. He removed them and placed them on the
leaders of his team, "Kolyma" and "Sandy",
declaring " I didn't win the race, the dogs did.
Janice
Doherty, All Alaska Sweepstakes Queen, reigned over
the entire event.
AWARDS
- First Place
2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes - Mitch Seavey
For Mitch's efforts, arriving first into Nome,
he receives $100,000 (winner takes all). Beating
"Iron Man" Johnson's 1917 record, with
a time of 61 hours 29 minutes and 45 seconds.
- Alec "Scotty"
Allan Humanitarian Award
- Sonny Lindner
This award is given to a musher that has shown
Excellence in Dog Care. This award is given by
race judges and veterinarian's. Along with this
award was 1500 pounds of Dr Tim's Pro momentum
Dog Food.
- The Percy
Blatchford "Spirit of the Race" Award
- Cari Miller
This award is given by the Blatchford failmy.
In memory of, Percy Blatchford's love of his dogs
and loyalty to the sport of dog racing, the Blatchford
family, felt it was important to recognize a musher
in his name during this great event. They would
have loved to have given an award to every musher
and their team, however, we are only able to give
a single contribution of $1750 to one musher and
dogteam. In his memory and with their love, the
Blatchford family awards the ' Percy Blatchford
Spirit of the Race Award' and $1750 to cover entry
fee costs for the 100th Anniversary of the All
Alaska Sweepstakes in recognition of the dedication,
love and determination and spirit of dog racing
to musher Cari Miller."
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2008
SWEEPSTAKES FINAL RESULTS
| PLACE |
BIB
# |
NAME |
#
DOGS |
FROM |
IN
NOME |
TOTAL
TIME |
| 1 |
12 |
Mitch Seavey |
10 |
Sterling, Alaska |
23:29:45 3/28 |
61:29:45* |
| 2 |
10 |
Jeff King |
13 |
Denali Park,
Alaska |
23:39:05 3/28 |
61:39:05* |
| 3 |
15 |
Lance Mackey |
13 |
Fox, Alaska |
01:59:00 03/29 |
63:59:00* |
| 4 |
17 |
Sonny Lindner |
13 |
Two Rivers, Alaska |
05:19:08 3/29 |
67:19:08* |
| 5 |
5 |
Ed Iten |
12 |
Kotzebue, Alaska |
10:37:00 3/29 |
72:37:00* |
| 6 |
4 |
Jim Lanier |
13 |
Chugiak, Alaska |
10:52:00 3/29 |
72:52:00* |
| 7 |
16 |
Cim Smyth |
11 |
Big Lake, Alaska |
13:12:00 3/29 |
75:12:00 |
| 8 |
14 |
Ramy Brooks |
12 |
Healy, Alaska |
15:09:00 3/29 |
77;09:00 |
| 9 |
6 |
Aaron Burmeister |
11 |
Nenana, Alaska |
19:19:00 3/29 |
81:19:00 |
| 10 |
3 |
Fred Napoka |
10 |
Tulusak, Alaska |
23:58:00 3/30 |
109:58:23 |
| 11 |
2
|
Conner Thomas |
11 |
Nome, Alaska |
13:36:11 3/31 |
123:36:11 |
| 12 |
8 |
Cari Miller |
12 |
Nome, Alaska |
14:10:58: 3/31 |
124:10:58 |
| 13 |
9 |
Kirsten Bey |
11 |
Nome, Alaska |
15:42:15 3/31 |
125:42:15 |
| 14 |
11 |
Jeff Darling |
12 |
Nome, Alaska |
11:56:11 4/2 |
169:56:11 |
* Iron Man" Johnson's
Sweepstakes record 74
hours 14 minutes and 17 seconds
Mitch crosses the finish line
- photo by Jan DeNapoli
Fred Moe Napoka arrives in Nome at 23:58:23 March
30, 2008 ©
Update on injured dog, "Zorro"
Nome, Alaska - 3/31/2008
11am
Just a few minutes ago we got a report on Zorro's condition.
He has been examined by a veterinary neurologist
in Seattle and completed an MRI to fully evaluate his
spine. The results suggest that despite significant
trauma to Zorro's chest and spine, he is expected to
achieve a full recovery over time without surgical intervention.
NEW
PHOTOS by Jeff Schultz -
Click
here
March
28, 2008, Nome, Alaska
Unofficially,
at 11:29:45 pm, Mitch Seavey of Sterling, Alaska, finished
the 2008 Centennial running of the All Alaska Sweepstakes
Race in 61 hours, 29 minutes and 45 seconds, shattering
the 1910 "Iron Man" Johnson Sweepstakes record
of 74 hours, 14 minutes and 37 seconds.
The race will be officially certified by the race judges
according to the rules 24 hours after
3 teams have finished the course.
Camp
Haven: Kirsten Bey of Nome heats water in Camp
Haven, a checkpoint aptly
named because its shelter of spruce trees is a haven for
mushers coming off a
12-mile flat and wind-exposed trail called Death Valley.
Photo by Kevin Klott
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|
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Hugh
Neff of Whitehorse, Canada, driving his team
through the Darby Mountains
toward Council.
Photo by Kevin Klott |
|
Coho, a 7-year-old
in Kirsten Bey's team, rests comfortably in
the evening sun at Camp Haven.
Photo by Kevin Klott |
|
The
oldest long distance sled dog race in the world
PURSE IS GUARANTEED $100,000
The bibs have arrived.
Designed by Lance Johnson |
Celebrate
the 2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes with us!
On
March 26th, 2008, Nome and the dog mushing world will celebrate
the 100th Anniversary of the first major long distance sled
dog race in the world. With the centennial re-run of the
All Alaska Sweepstakes Race, a distance of 408 miles—we
will once again experience the excitement of the early history
of the gold rush era in Alaska.
Read
more....
Nominate a Queen:
The All Alaska Sweepstakes is accepting nominations for
the 2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes Queen.The Queen will represent
the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race with the utmost of respect.
She will be given a crown and cape to wear throughout the
historical event and will hold the title Queen of the Centennial
All Alaska Sweepstakes. The Queen must reside in Nome for
the entire duration of the race. The Queen will officially
start all dog teams to leave on the race, March 26, 2008
at 10:00a.m. and greet the teams on their return. This
is your chance to become part of the celebration, part of
the history.
Click
here for details
EXPERIENCE
ALASKA'S PAST
A past filled with gold rush history. A past where Nome,
Alaska, snuggled on the shore of the Bering sea, was home
to 20,000+ seeking their fortunes in gold from the surrounding
creeks and along Nome's beaches.
Nome was the hub of activity.
In 1907 the Nome Kennel Club was formed and dog teams,
at the time the basic form of transportation, became a
source of highly competitive recreation. In 1908 the first
Sweepstakes race was run, and for 10 years during Nome's
golden days, teams were trained and races run along the
telegraph line between Nome and Candle on the northern
edge of the Seward Peninsula.
The gold rush in Nome dwindled
in the early 1900's, but the Kennel Club kept the sport
of dog mushing alive. In 1925 it became a lifesaver as
precious diphtheria serum was raced from Nenana to Nome
to save the town from epidemic. As the snow machine and
airplane took the place of the dog team for basic transportation
needs, a few saw the importance of keeping the sport alive.
The Iditarod race between Anchorage
and Nome is a commemoration of that history and pioneer
spirit. Now the Sweepstakes, a once-in-a-lifetime event
not to be repeated...celebrating 100 years of dog mushing
history in Nome. Be part of it and experience a piece of
Alaska's colorful past.
First women & first Nome resident signs up
Kirsten
Bey is the first woman
and the first Nome resident to sign up for the 2008 All
Alaska Sweepstakes. Kirsten says "I feel that I am
very fortunate to have fallen into mushing. Mushing has
been a wonderful and very important part of my life."
she comes to the race with many years of running dogs under
her belt, including the 1993 Iditarod finishing 49th. she
is the 11th musher to sign up.
The second woman in Nome to sign up is Cari Miller. Cari's
motto of life is "What one man can do, another can
do" My dogs are not only my teammates but are my friends.
We are entering upon this journey together and we will finish
it together. I am entering the AAS race because of its rich
historical significance to the dog racing world and because
of its challenge to me personally.
Al
Crane
Photo courtesy of Alaska Historical Image Library |
All
Alaska Sweepstakes Race Officials Named
The
All Alaska Sweepstakes names
Al Crane as the Race Marshal/Lead Judge. Al was the 1983
All Alaska Sweepstakes
lead judge, past president of Nome Kennel Club & Iditarod
Trail Committee and a top 20 finisher in the Iditarod
Sled Dog Race. He has been Race marshal/judge for the
Iditarod, the Alpirod, and the Coldfoot Classic to name
a few.
The
All Alaska Sweepstakes has named Dr Denise Albert as the
Lead Veterinarian. Dr Albert who has worked as a trail
veterinarian on marathon sled races for 13 years. These
include numerous Iditarods, Wyoming Stage Stops and many
other mid and long distance races. She has served as chief
veterinarian for races in Minnesota and South America.
Liz Recchia heading up Emergency services.
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Dr
Denise Albert Lead Veterinarian
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Liz
Recchia Coordinator
for Emergency Services
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Dr
Phil & Lisa Schobert |
New
Executive Race Director named
The Nome Kennel
Club has named Dr.
Phil Schobert of Nome, the Director for the 2008 All Alaska
Sweepstakes Race celebration. Assistant Race Director is
his wife Lisa Schobert.
Be part of the 2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes
A once-in-a-lifetime
event not to be repeated...celebrating 100 years of dog
mushing history in Nome. Be part of it and experience
a piece of Alaska's colorful past. Mushers & sponsors
wanted for the 2008 race. A guaranteed $100,000 purse,
winner takes all.
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