Iditarod: Excitement in Anchorage, Boosted Prize Purse

0:00This is Corey, keeping Durham in the know you're listening to Durham News today. Hundreds of excited sled dogs will field downtown Anchorage on Saturday for the ceremonial start of the Idyterod, the world's top sled dog race. Fans flock there to cheer muskers before the real competition begins Sunday. The race honors Alaska's mushing pass along the historic Idyterod Trail once a 938 mile mail route. This year features 37 entrants but smaller fields lately due to high costs like dog food. A Norwegian billionaire, Kyle Rocha, is pumping in cash, boosting the prize purse to $650,000 and aiding 17 Alaska. Native villages with $170,000. He's in a new honorary program allowing outside help joined by others like a Canadian entrepreneur. Three past winners lead the competitive pack, defending champ Jesse Holmes, Ryan Reddington, grandson of co-founder Joe Reddington Sr. and Pete.

1:00Kaiser, the first U-Pick Victor, four international muskers from Canada, Norway and Denmark round out the field. Muskers tackle a 1,000 mile haul over two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and bearing sea ice to gnome. Deep snow aids the trek with the winter due early the week of March 16th. The daily news now is presented by our sponsor linked in the description. Your pillow just got smarter, it plays your podcasts and music. S-O-L-I-SoliPillo.com