First draw of Iditarod mushers sign up at annual picnic

Forty seven mushers have signed up for the 2012 Iditarod at the annual picnic last weekend.

John Baker, Jeff King, Lance Mackey, Martin Buser and Mitch Seavey are all at the top of the list of mushers to watch in this next Iditarod.

There are no mushers from Talkeetna or Trapper Creek signed up.  After last years race Heather Sirtola said she was sitting the race out until she was more prepared.  Gerry Sousa hasn’t signed up yet, but that’s because he’s so busy with his business.  He said he is excited that so many mushers were able to show for the picnic and the first draw of names. He said is a great showing for this year and he attributes some of it to the lowered entrance fee.  This year, the fee dropped by one thousand dollars, from four thousand to three thousand dollars.

Residents can expect to see Sousa’s name on the musher list a little later this fall after the tourist season is over.

A number of Willow mushers, as always, are signed up for the race including long time musher DeeDeeJonrowe as well as Dallas Seavey.

Kelly Maxiner of Big Lake, married to Margaret Denkewalter of Talkeetna, will be running again this year.  He was in the running last year for top rookie until his dogs decided to get rambunctious on the coast.

This year’s purse is unknown at this point.