The Latest: Iditarod confirms veteran musher denied entry
Posted Aug 23, 2019 03:34:41 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Latest on 77-year-old musher refused entry into the Iditarod (all times local):
11:30 a.m.
Officials with the world’s most famous sled dog race have confirmed they have denied entry to a 77-year-old veteran musher.
In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, officials said the Iditarod Qualifying Review Board denied entry to Jim Lanier, who first ran the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1979.
Lanier scratched from his past four Iditarod races. In 2018, fellow musher Scott Janssen came upon Lanier between White Mountain and Safety. Janssen described Lanier as stuck and starting to freeze. Both mushers were flown to Nome.
The review board said it based its decision to deny Lanier entry to next year’s race based on observations made by the race marshal and judges when he scratched in 2018. The review board also took into account observations made by the race marshal and veterinarian in this year’s Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race.
The Iditarod called Lanier an icon of the race and said he’d be welcome in the 2021 race after review from the review board.
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8:07 a.m.
A veteran Iditarod musher says he’s been denied entry into the 2020 race.
Anchorage television station KTUU reports 77-year-old Jim Lanier of Chugiak (CHOO-gee-ak) was told he could not enter the 1,000-mile (1609-kilometre) race from Willow to Nome.
Lanier says the reasons given were recent scratches in the race and feedback from officials of the Yukon Quest race between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Lanier finished the Yukon Quest last year in a little more than 12 days.
Iditarod officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lanier has scratched from his past four Iditarod races.
In 2018, fellow musher Scott Janssen came upon Lanier between White Mountain and Safety. Janssen described Lanier as stuck and starting to freeze. Both mushers were flown to Nome.
The Associated Press
