Two women are breaking trail in the 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as the front-runners head up the Innoko river from Ophir to the halfway mark at the Cripple checkpoint. Page Drobny and Michelle Phillips followed Brent Sass, the reigning Yukon Quest Champion, into Ophir on the morning of March 11. While the champ rested, they kept on driving towards Cripple, 73 miles further down the trail. The two now have a trio of champions on their tail: Sass, and former Iditarod champions Mitch Seavey and Lance Mackey. All three teams are running about an hour behind the two women.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta mushers Richie Diehl and Pete Kaiser are in Takotna this morning, part of a large group of mushers staying at the checkpoint. Diehl arrived before midnight last night, with Kaiser about an hour behind him. As of noon on March 11, the two have not yet left the checkpoint. It appears that they may be taking their required 24-hour rests in Takotna. Only time will tell.
Jessica Klejka came into McGrath around 9 a.m. and is still resting her dogs at the checkpoint.