Iron Dog starts today

BIG LAKE — The Iron Dog enjoyed its ceremonial start Saturday afternoon in Anchorage. But the real race starts today.

Beginning at 10 a.m. in Big Lake, 37 pro class teams will begin their 2,000-mile trek over the frozen ground as a part of the 2015 Iron Dog.

The first green flag is set to drop at the starting chute at 10 a.m., with teams departing for Nome and Fairbanks in two-minute intervals. All 37 teams will leave the chute before 12:30 p.m.

The restart is at the South Port Marina, located off South Big Lake Road.

The 2015 course features 2,031 miles of trail. Teams will head northeast to Ruby, hitting checkpoints such as Skwentna, Rohn, Nikolai and McGrath. At Ruby, riders head west toward the coast, and will make their way through Unalakleet toward Nome. After a mandatory layover in Nome, teams head back through Ruby to the finish in Fairbanks.

The all-Wasilla team of Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad is the defending champion. This year, working as team No. 16, Minnick and Olstad will be the 11th team out of the starting chute.

The first team is expected to hit the finish line in Fairbanks at about noon Feb. 28.