Iditarod draws 62 teams on first sign-up

WASILLA — At the close of the annual Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation Picnic Saturday, 62 teams had signed up to race in the 44th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Of the 37 mushers on hand June 27 and the 25 others who entered by mail, 10 are rookies preparing for their first Iditarod; eight are international competitors; and eight teams are from U.S. states other than Alaska.

The group signed up for 2016 also includes current and three-time champion Dallas Seavey, four-time champions Jeff King and Martin Buser, and two-time champions Robert Sorlie and Mitch Seavey.

The Volunteer Appreciation Picnic was catered by race sponsor Golden Corral, and included fresh sockeye salmon flown in from Bristol Bay by race sponsor PenAir.

Race veterans DeeDee Jonrowe of Willow and Ellen Halverson of Wasilla, won their $3,000 entry fees back in a final drawing that marked the end of the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.

Mushers have until the close of business on Dec. 1 to enter. It is expected that the starting field will approach 80 teams.

Following is a list of mushers in order of their draw to be held at the Mushers Banquet March 3, 2016.

1 Allen Moore, Two Rivers

2 Jan Steves, Willow

3 Mats Pettersson, Kiruna, Sweden

4 Patrick Beall, Norman, Oklahoma Rookie

5 Mike Santos, Cantwell

6 Ellen Halverson, Wasilla

7 Mitch Seavey, Seward*

8 Jeff King, Denali Park,*

9 Rick Casillo, Big Lake

10 Lisbet Norris, Willow

11 Brent Sass, Eureka

12 Rob Cooke, Whitehorse, Canada

13 Travis Beals, Seward

14 Dag Olsen, Hammerfest, Norway**

15 Kristin Knight Pace, Healy**

16 Martin Buser, Big Lake*

17 Jodi Bailey, Chatanika

18 Cody Strathe, Fairbanks**

19 Pete Kaiser, Bethel

20 Kelly Maixner, Big Lake

21 Wade Marrs, Willow

22 Cim Smyth, Big Lake

23 Dallas Seavey, Willow,*

24 Seth Barnes, Stockton, Alabama

25 Rohn Buser, Big Lake

26 DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow

27 Jim Lanier, Chugiak

28 Ryne Olson, Two Rivers

29 Joar Leifseth Ulsom, Willow

30 Mary Helwig Willow**

31 Jesse Royer, Darby, Montana

32 Becca Moore, Willow

33 Monica Zappa, Kasilof

34 Nicolas Petit, Girdwood

35 Anna Berington, Knik

36 Aily Zirkle, Two Rivers

37 Scott Janssen, Anchorage

38 Robert Sorlie, Hurdal, Norway*

39 Justin Savidis, Willow

40 Jason Campeau, Alberta, British Columbia, Canada

*indicates champion

**indicates rookie