Jessie Holmes Leads Iditarod Halfway

0:00This is Anchorage News Today, every story, every city, every day. Jesse Holmes made history as the first musher to hit the halfway mark in the 2026 I did a ride trail sled dog race. The defending champion pulled into the cripple checkpoint on Thursday at 1.56 p.m. with her team. Close behind are some tough competitors, including the 2023 winner, Ryan Reddington, veteran Mill Porsild, and Paige Drobney. Many wasted no time, leaving crippled that afternoon while Holmes took a rest, grabbing the lead for herself. By early evening, the Cantwell musher from Drobney had stretched her advantage to 12 miles ahead of cripple, where Porsild and Holmes were still, holding steady. A big pack of experienced racers stayed within 15 miles of the checkpoint, too. That group features veterans like Travis Beals, Michelle Phillips, Riley Dyshay, Jesse Royer, Wade Mars, and the 2019 champ Pete Kaiser. Things now push toward the next stop at Ruby, before swinging west along the Norton Sound

1:01Coast, keeping the race wide open. This episode is proudly sponsored by our partner. It looks like a pillow. It sounds like headphones, built for comfort and sound, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.