Iditarod 2000 countdown

SETTLERS BAY - Its not too often that a dad strives to mirror his son, but that is exactly the case heading into this years Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Raymie Redington and Mitch Seavey are hoping they can be just as successful as their sons when they hit the trail. Thats because Ryan Redington, Raymies son, won his second consecutive Junior Iditarod title Sunday at Settlers Bay Golf Course, followed closely by Tyrell Seavey, Mitchs son, who placed second for the second time.

The Junior Iditarod began Saturday at Settlers Bay Golf Course, with 12 teens hitting the trail to Yentna Station. After a mandatory 10-hour layover, the young mushers headed back down the same trail, and finished at Settlers Bay. Redington was among the frontrunners the entire way, and he finished 10 minutes ahead of Seavey and 37 minutes ahead of third-place Jessica Hendricks.

Tran Smyth finished fourth, and is following a long line of Iditarod mushers. He is part of the Smyth family, which includes Iditarod veterans Bud, Ramey and Cim, who recently finished eighth in the Yukon Quest, as well as Lolly Medley.

For the young mushers, the Junior Iditarod is a chance to test their talent. For the parents of the mushers, it can mean a good nights sleep.

I dont even worry about her running this race, because there are so many people watching along the trail, said Bev Greer, the mother of Niki Greer. Its the 40-mile training runs when she is all alone, and you arent real sure when shes coming home, that make me nervous.

Greer was running her second Junior Iditarod, and she learned a lot from her previous experience.

We have 40 pounds less in the sled this year than last year, she said.

While Bev Greer may have been able to relax during the race, Skwentnas Esther Keim gave her mother something to think about just before the race. As 130 miles of trail awaited her in less than five minutes, Keim had a confession to her mother.

I didnt eat anything for breakfast, Keim said. Im kind of hungry.

Despite not having any fuel for herself, Keim finished the race in sixth place.

The race even featured a brother/sister combination. Andy Moderow finished seventh, two places ahead of his sister Hannah.

Ellie Claus broke up the sweep for the Moderows, using a team she trained under the tutelage of three-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser.

While Redingtons and Seaveys fathers were in attendance at the start, they were not the only Iditarod contenders catching a sneak peek at some up-and-coming teams.

Buser, Ramey Smyth and Charlie Boulding all were on hand at the start of the race.

Junior Iditarod

1. Ryan Redington, 13 hours, 10.04 seconds; 2. Tyrell Seavey, 13:20.11; 3. Jessica Hendricks, 13:47.58; 4. Tran Smyth, 14:51.12; 5. Max Warren, 14:58.01; 6. Esther Keim, 14:58.05; 7. Andy Moderow, 15:34.58; 8. Ellie Claus, 16:16.04; 9. Hannah Moderow, 16:56.00; 10. Lindsey Hansen, 17:30.44; 11. Kyla Boivin, 18:44.00. Scratched Niki Greer, Burma Road checkpoint.Photo: Ryan Redington of Knik leaves the chute at the start of the Junior Iditarod Saturday. For the second year in a row, Redington won the race. He hopes to become the first Eskimo to ever win the Iditarod.Photo by CASEY RESSLER.