Jessie Royer was the first musher to reach Ruby this morning as the Iditarod Trail turns down the Yukon River. She won a five-course meal and $3,500 for her efforts,
There are 20 sled dog teams behind Royer’s on the way from Cripple into Ruby, including Richie Diehl’s and Pete Kaiser’s. Both teams are mushing in the top 10.
Zachariah Hughes caught up to Richie Diehl in Cripple just before the Aniak musher headed back out on the trail.
As of this morning, Bethel’s Jessica Klejka is almost in Cripple, the trail’s official halfway mark.
Most of the teams in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race have completed their mandatory 24-hour rests. Only five have not, including Aliy Zirkle’s team, which is waiting in Cripple to get back on the trail this morning.
Jeremy Keller scratched at Nikolai, leaving 55 sled dog teams in the race to Nome.