2013 Iditarod is Buser’s race to lose

MAT-SU — Thus far, the 2013 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog appears to be Martin Buser’s to lose.

Buser shook up the race with an early and unprecedented mad dash to Rohn with only minutes of rest at each checkpoint, followed by a surprisingly early 24-hour break. Mushers generally prefer to take their rest day farther down the trail, but Buser has said his strategy is that by giving his dogs that early break the team would be as fresh and energetic as when they hit the trail.

Maybe it worked, maybe it didn’t, but Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, last year’s second-place finisher, is just three hours behind the four-time champion. Mitch Seavey, a formidable musher and former champion in his own right, is just a half hour behind her.

Here’s where Valley mushers were as of late Saturday morning:

• Buser, of Big Lake, was in first place and on his way from Eagle Island to Kaltag.

• Jake Berkowitz, of Big Lake, was in sixth place.

• Dallas Seavey, of Willow, last year’s champion and Mitch’s son, was in 12th place.

• Ray Redington Jr., of Wasilla, scion of a storied racing clan, was in 13th place.

• DeeDee Jonrowe, of Willow, a perennial contender and fan favorite was in 15th place.

• Cim Smyth, of Big Lake, was in 19th place.

• Matt Failor, who is racing Buser’s B team this year, was in 23rd place.

• Ramey Smyth, of Willow, who finished 3rd last year, was in 26th place.

• Kelley Griffin, of Wasilla, was listed in 27th but still had an eight-hour rest to take.

• Kelly Maixner, of Big Lake, was running in 30th.

• Justin Savidis, of Willow, was in 32nd place.

• Wade Marrs, of Wasilla, was running 34th.

• Linwood Fielder, of Willow, was in 35th place.

• Karin Hendrickson, of Wasilla, was listed in 38th place but also still had an eight-hour break ahead of her.

• Jason Mackey of Meadow Lakes and the storied Mackey racing clan, still needs to finish his eight-hour rest and was in 39th place between Anvik and Grayling.

• Rudy Demoski Sr., of Wasilla, was running 46th but still hadn’t taken his eight hours.

• Gerald Sousa, of Talkeetna, was running 48th.

• Bob Chlupach, of Willow, still needed to take his eight but was in 58th place.

• James Volek, of Big Lake, was in 61st place.

Maixner, who has been working with the Frontiersman on a series of stories about this year’s race, had been in Grayling since 7:33 Saturday morning.

“Kelly and the team are now in Grayling,” read the latest of the Facebook posts on his kennel’s page. “He originally planned to take a rest there for about 4 hours, but that will put him on the trail in the heat of the day. From the reports, there’s rain, ice, soft snow, and high winds. I’m sure he will be carefully considering all this despite his confused and sleep-deprived state.”

Sleep deprivation is a common theme this late in the race. Mushers have shared tales of hallucinations out on the trail as a result.

If he can keep the 30th slot, that would tie his best finish from 2011. In 2012 he finished in 32nd. But, with a more mature team, Maixner had been hoping to top his personal best this year.

“As planned, Kelly went through Anvik. His 8-hour rest is complete, let’s see if he can start moving up the rankings,” is how his wife put it on Facebook earlier Saturday morning.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.