Second local musher scratches from Iditarod, leaders on the way to Galena

IDITAROD TRAIL — Two Valley mushers have now scratched from this year’s Iditarod and Two Rivers musher Aliy Zirkle has retaken the lead, according to race standings as of 11 a.m., Friday.

According to an Iditarod press release, Wade Marrs was the third musher to scratch in the Iditarod 40, officially bowing out at 5:35 p.m., Thursday. Marrs, 21, hails from Knik and has been mushing since 1996 with his first race in 2007. He made it to Ophir before scratching and was down to 12 dogs when he made the decision to bow out over concern for his dogs.

Ryan Redington, 27, whose brother, Ray Redington Jr., is still in the race and whose grandfather, Joe Redington, co-founded the race, was down to 10 dogs when he scratched in Takotna, officially throwing in the towel at 9:30 a.m., Thursday.

The race says Redington cited personal reasons in deciding to scratch. His family said Thursday that his dogs were having trouble in the deep snow. None got hurt but many were sore.

Prior to Redington’s scratch, Silvia Furlwangler, a rookie from Norway, bowed out in Nikolai, citing concerns for her health.

At 9:04 a.m., Friday race leader Aliy Zirkle left Ruby headed for Galena with 15 dogs in harness. Zirkle has been leading for the bulk of this year’s race, but fell behind as mushers who hadn’t yet taken their required 24-hour breaks surged ahead toward the halfway point in Cripple and the gold nuggets that are the prize for getting there first. The prize went to longtime Chugiak musher Jim Lanier, who’s in his fourth decade running the race.

Still in Ruby Friday morning were Mitch Seavey and his son Dallas Seavey who arrived at the checkpoint within an hour of each other early Friday morning.

In third place, Dallas Seavey, of Willow, was the highest-ranking Valley musher in the standings as of 10 a.m. Friday. He won the Yukon Quest in 2011. His father, who lives in Seward, won the Iditarod in 2004.

Right behind the Seaveys Friday morning was defending champ John Baker of Kotzebue, who’s been nipping at Zirkle’s heels for most of the race.

Rounding out the top 10 were Ray Redington Jr. in sixth place; four-time champion Jeff King in seventh; Willow musher and fan favorite DeeDee Jonrowe in eighth; Two Rivers musher and winner of the first Yukon Quest back in 1984, Sonny Lindner, in ninth; and Norwegian Sigrid Ekran in tenth.

Of the 63 racers still running, 57 had taken their required 24-hour break, including the leading 10.

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