Dusty Van Meter and Marc McKenna, who own five Iron Dog championships between them but are in search of their first victory together, will be the first team on the trail when the world's longest snowmachine race begins today.
Riding Ski-Doos, Van Meter and McKenna will roar across the ice at Big Lake at 11 a.m. They will be the first of 28 pro-class teams to begin the 2,000-mile journey across the Alaska wilderness from Big Lake to Nome to Fairbanks.
Teams will leave the lake's South Port Marina in two-minute intervals.
Van Meter, of Kasilof, earned Iron Dog titles in 2000, 2002 and 2004 and McKenna, of Anchorage, won the race in 2008 and 2005. When the two teamed up for the 2009, race, they claimed third place.
Van Meter and McKenna are among the top contenders this year, though predictions are tricky in a race that is often decided by mechanical problems that can afflict any team, no matter its skill or experience level.
Several of the race's biggest names will be among the first to leave Big Lake today.
Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad, who won the 2009 race in record time, will be the second team out. Four-time champion Todd Palin and partner Eric Quam leave third.
Then comes the best team that has never scored a victory -- Tyler Akelstad and Tyson Johnson, who have finished second in two of the last four races.
Two more marquee teams start a bit later.
Scott Davis, whose seven victories are a race record that he shares with the retired John Faeo, will start in the 11th position with his son Cory, a first-time Iron Dogger but a two-time Winter X Games medalist who is a professional snowmachine racer for the Christian Brothers team.
And starting 18th are the defending champions, Tyler Huntington of Fairbanks and Chris Olds of Eagle River, who will ride with a message this year.
Working in conjunction with the state's Department of Public Safety and Department of Health and Social Services, Huntington and Olds will try to spread the word of suicide prevention and awareness. Additionally, a pair of state troopers will visit schools and villages along the race route and distribute materials about the subject.
Huntington, 25, who grew up in Galena, said the topic is of particular interest to him. The highest suicide rate in the state is among Alaska Native male teenagers.
"One suicide is too many and I grew up with a lot more than that in my village and with my friends and family," he said in a press release.
Iron Dog start list
Today’s start in Big Lake
South Port Marina (South Shore entrance)
First team leaves at 11 a.m.
(Teams leave in 2-minute intervals)
Position Bib Team
1 14 McKenna-Van Meter
2 16 Minnick-Oldstad
3 11 Palin-Quam
4 8 Akelstad-Johnson
5 5 Cherrier-McAllen
6 9 Johnson-Piper
7 29 Jones-Muir
8 12 Goodell-Willard
9 2 Sottosanti-Zwink
10 40 Marks-Marks
11 7 Davis-Davis
12 18 Hingsbergen-Williamson
13 21 Branholm-Spernak
14 20 Peterson-Swenson
15 6 Bloom-Falldorf
16 33 Bartel-Wichman
17 15 Miller-Miller
18 10 Huntington-Olds
19 23 Green-Johnson
20 17 George-West
21 27 Fuller-Long
22 4 Albert-Malamute
23 28 D’Amico-Glass
24 24 Bailey-Rigdon
25 30 Harrington-Jackson
26 25 Price-Watson
27 31 Harrison-Potter
28 3 Dixon-Wold
ON TELEVISION
Today: The Iron Dog start will be televised live by KTUU (Channel 2) at 11 a.m.
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