2009 Tesoro Iron Dog underway

The 2009 Tesoro Iron Dog got underway Sunday on Big Lake. To the cheers of a couple hundred spectators 38 out of the 39 registered teams screamed off the starting line after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin waved the green starting flag. Team 30 of Andy Lachinski and Mark Brown scratched due to an injury. According to the Iron Dog web site the team of Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad were the first into the McGrath checkpoint followed closely by the teams of Tyson Johnson and Tyler Aklestad as well as Todd Palin and Scott Davis. All three teams declared their 12 hour layover and are now back on the trail to Ophir. For complete up to the minute race standing visit www.irondog.org. For photos from today's start visit the Frontiersman photo gallery. Watch for a complete story and interviews in Tuesday's print edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.