DAY #2 SUNDAY March 8, 2026 WILLOW - YENTNA

 DAY #2 Sunday March 8, 2026 WILLOW - YENTNAWILLOW START

Norwegian KJELL ROKKE and Canadian entrepreneur STEVE CURTIS will join THOMAS WAERNER, who won the IDITAROD in 2020, in the IDITAROD'S first-ever EXPEDITION CLASS. That will allow them to receive outside assistance, which is against the rules for other mushers (It's controversial). ROKKE is a billionaire and has contributed more than $300K to the race to lower entry fees, boost the race purse and to support villages along the trail.  The IDITAROD says a significant donation from ROKKE will help deliver preventative pediatric care to children in rural Alaska thru a series of dental clinics and deliveries of oral hygiene supplies. 

STEVE CURTIS is a cancer survivor who has climbed Mt. Everest and also contributed a significant amount of money to the IDITAROD. 

Mushers in the  EXPEDITION CLASS will be supported by veteran mushers on snowmobiles, JEFF KING, 4 X Champ, will be one of them. The mushers in this class are allowed to travel the trail and cross the finish line in NOME but are not included in the official standings and not eligible for prize winnings. They have to adhere to good dog care standards and not interfere with the race participants.

Paige Drobny #10 was the one in the squid outfit at the Ceremonial start. A favorite. She is recovering from cancer. 

A good drone shot at the start in WILLOW.                  

                                                              JASON MACKEY#22 from the famous MACKEY family. His Dad LANCE MACKEY was 4X IDITAROD winner and LANCES' Dad  DICK MACKEY (befriended my husband) was one of the 4 who initiated the IDITAROD in 1973.                                                                     

The mushers are doing a 42 mile journey from WILLOW to YENTNA. At 11PM EST the first of the mushers are arriving in YENTNA. Most will check in and continue on as they have just started. They will then travel on to SKWENTNA a 30 mile trip. 

TILL TOMORROW