Willow musher among those recognized during annual Iditarod banquet

WASILLA — A Willow musher was among those honored during the 2019 Iditarod awards banquet Sunday in Nome.

Wade Marrs earned the Nome Kennel Club Fastest Time from Safety to Nome Award. With the honor, Marrs received a check for $500. The Nome Kennel Club has presented the award since 1973.

Marrs needed only 2 hours and 38 minutes to complete the 22 miles between Safety, the final checkpoint on the trail, to the finish line in Nome.

This is the second time Marrs has earned the award. He also finished with the fastest time from Safety to Nome in 2015. Marrs, who has a trio of top-10 finishes to his credit, won the Gold Coast and Spirit of Alaska awards in 2017.

The Iditarod recognized its 2019 champion, Peter Kaiser, of Bethel. Kaiser scored a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 with his win. He also received the Northrim Bank Achieve More Award, and $2,500. Kaiser garnered the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award, which comes with $2,000 and 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon filets.

Kaiser’s lead dog Morrow earned the City of Nome Lolly Medley Memorial Golden Harness Award.

Aliy Zirkle earned the Leonhard Seppala Humanatarian Award, presented to the musher who demonstrates outstanding dog care while remaining competitive throughout the race. Zirkle also won the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award and $3,000 in gold nuggets.

Ed Hopkins, who placed 21st, was named the rookie of the year. Four-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey was named the most inspirational musher. Paige Drobny, who placed a career-high seventh, was named the most improved musher. Mats Pettersson earned the Donlin Gold Sportsmanship Award.

Girdwood’s Nic Petit was forced to scratch late in the race. But despite not finishing, Petit was recognized a handful of times during the banquet. Petit earned the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Alaska Award, which comes with beaver mits and a musher hat made by McGrath residents. Petit also won the Lakefront Anchorage First Musher to the Yukon Award, which included a five-course gourmet dinner prepared at the checkpoint, $3,500 and a bottle of Dom Perignon. The Ryan Air Gold Coast Award and its $1,500 in gold nuggets was also given to Petit.

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