The slow pace and deep snow at the beginning of the 2020 Iditarod is not stopping last year’s champ. Richie Diehl from Aniak was the first musher into Finger Lake, arriving at 6:50 a.m. on March 9 to rest his team. He didn’t get much rest, though, as defending champion Pete Kaiser of Bethel blasted through the check point at 8:05 a.m., followed by teams driven by Travis Beals and Lance Mackey.
Diehl left Finger Lake at 9:52 a.m., chasing the other three front runners. Kaiser's was the first team to Rainy Pass, making it there at 11:35 a.m. where he stopped to rest his dogs.
Jessica Klejka’s team is resting at Finger Lake, having made it to that checkpoint this morning.