The 85 mushers running the 2016 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race drew their starting positions Thursday night at the annual pre-race banquet at the Dena'ina Convention Center in Anchorage. We made portraits of each of them as they came off the stage.
Scott Janssen, an Anchorage funeral home director known as the "Mushin' Mortician," will be first out at Saturday's ceremonial start in Anchorage and the for-real start in Willow on Sunday afternoon. He drew No. 2. By tradition, the No. 1 bib goes to an honorary musher who rides in a sled driven by the reigning Junior Iditarod champion.
The ceremonial start begins at 10 a.m. on Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage, with mushers leaving every two minutes. It's been shortened from 11 miles to only three miles this year because of the lack of snow in Anchorage. The Willow start begins at 2 p.m. in the same order, with mushers also leaving every two minutes.
Find full Iditarod coverage at adn.com/iditarod.
? #5
Allen Moore
Home: Two Rivers
First start: 2007
Starts: 8
Finishes: 7
Best finish: 24
Winnings: $14,745
#6
Ketil Reitan
Home: Kaktovik
First start: 1991
Starts: 4
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 10
Top10: 1
Winnings: $21,980
#7
Lisbet Norris
Home: Willow
First start: 2014
Starts: 2
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 48
Winnings: $2,098
? #8
Monica Zappa
Home: Kasilof
First start: 2014
Starts: 2
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 47
Winnings: $2,098
? #9
Charley Bejna
Home: Addison, Illinois
First start: 2013
Starts: 3
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 34
Winnings: $2,098
? #10
Cim Smyth
Home: Big Lake
First start: 1996
Starts: 13
Finishes: 13
Best finish: 5
Top10: 1
Winnings: $194,801
#11
Peter Kaiser
Home: Bethel
First start: 2010
Starts: 6
Finishes: 6
Best finish: 5
Top10: 2
Winnings: $132,400
#12
Nicolas Petit
Home: Girdwood
First start: 2011
Starts: 5
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 6
Top10: 2
Winnings: $69,100
? #13
Aliy Zirkle
Home: Two Rivers
First start: 2001
Starts: 15
Finishes: 15
Best finish: 2
Top10: 4
Winnings: $319,237
? #14
Jodi Bailey
Home: Fairbanks
First start: 2011
Starts: 4
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 23
Winnings: $10,098
? #15
James Volek
Home: Big Lake
First start: 2013
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 52
Winnings: $1,049
#16
Dallas Seavey
Home: Willow
First start: 2005
Starts: 9
Finishes: 9
Best finish: 1 (2012,14,15)
Top10: 7
Winnings: $321,215
#17
Kelly Maixner
Home: Big Lake
First start: 2011
Starts: 5
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 13
Winnings: $26,998
? #18
Ray Redington Jr.
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2002
Starts: 14
Finishes: 14
Best finish: 5
Top10: 4
Winnings: $268,054
#19
Mitch Seavey
Home: Seward
First start: 1982
Starts: 22
Finishes: 21
Best finish: 1 (2004,í13)
Top10: 13
Winnings: $639,954
? #20
Rick Casillo
Home: Willow
First start: 2004
Starts: 6
Finishes: 6
Best finish: 26
Winnings: $10,945
? #21
Noah Pereira
Rookie
Home: Brockport, New York
#22
Becca Moore
Home: Willow
First start: 2015
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 57
Winnings: $1,049
? #23
Anna Berington
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2012
Starts: 4
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 28
Winnings: $6,847
#24
Jason Campeau
Home: Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
First start: 2015
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 18
Winnings: $15,500
? #25
Jan Steves
Home: Willow
First start: 2012
Starts: 4
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 52
Red Lantern: 2012,
Winnings: $1,049
? #26
Robert Bundtzen
Home: Anchorage
First start: 1995
Starts: 15
Finishes: 13
Best finish: 27
Winnings: $13,558
#27
Sigrid Ekran
Home: Alvdal, Norway
First start: 2007
Starts: 3
Finishes: 3
Best finish: 11
Winnings: $45,400
? #28
Travis Beals
Home: Seward
First start: 2013
Starts: 3
Finishes: 3
Best finish: 11
Winnings: $29,098
? #29
Ellen Halverson
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2002
Starts: 6
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 47
Red Lantern: 2007,í11
Winnings: $2,098
? #30
Michelle Phillips
Home: Tagish, Yukon Territory
First start: 2010
Starts: 6
Finishes: 6
Best finish: 16
Winnings: $60,200
? #31
Joar Leifseth Ulsom
Home: Mo i Rana, Norway
First start: 2013
Starts: 3
Finishes: 3
Best finish: 4
Top10: 3
Winnings: $113,100
? #32
Brent Sass
Home: Eureka
First start: 2012
Starts: 3
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 13
Winnings: $26,700
? #33
Wade Marrs
Home: Willow
First start: 2009
Starts: 5
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 8
Top10: 1
Winnings: $53,598
#34
Kim Franklin
Rookie
Home: Herts, UK
Races: 1
? #35
Dag Torulf Olsen
Rookie
Home: Hammerfest, Norway
? #36
Mats Pettersson
Home: Kiruna, Sweden
First start: 2014
Starts: 2
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 25
Winnings: $9,600
? #37
Robert Sorlie
Home: Hurdal, Norway
First start: 2002
Starts: 5
Finishes: 5
Best finish: 1 (2003,í05)
Top10: 3
Winnings: $206,356
#38
Richie Diehl
Home: Aniak
First start: 2013
Starts: 3
Finishes: 3
Best finish: 14
Winnings: $31,749
#39
Noah Burmeister
Home: Nome/Nenana
First start: 2004
Starts: 2
Finishes: 2
Best finish: 52
Winnings: $2,098
? #40
Michael Williams Jr.
Home: Akiak
First start: 2010
Starts: 5
Finishes: 5
Best finish: 8
Top10: 1
Winnings: $27,000
? #41
Linwood Fiedler
Home: Willow
First start: 1989
Starts: 21
Finishes: 17
Best finish: 2
Top10: 4
Winnings: $200,142
? #42
Kristin Bacon
Rookie
Home: Big Lake
? #43
Larry Daugherty
Rookie
Home: Eagle River
#44
Ryne Olson
Home: Two Rivers
First start: 2012
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 31
Winnings: $1,049
? #45
DeeDee Jonrowe
Home: Willow
First start: 1980
Starts: 33
Finishes: 30
Best finish: 2
Top10: 16
Winnings: $542,397
#46
Justin Savidis
Home: Willow
First start: 2010
Starts: 6
Finishes: 5
Best finish: 33
Winnings: $5,245
? #47
Kristin Knight Pace
Rookie
Home: Healy
? #48
Martin Buser
Home: Big Lake
First start: 1980
Starts: 32
Finishes: 32
Best finish: 1 (1992,í94,í97,í02)
Top10: 19
Winnings: $813,619
#49
Mary Helwig
Rookie
Home: Willow
#50
Ed Stielstra
Home: McMillan, Michigan
First start: 2004
Starts: 8
Finishes: 7
Best finish: 25
Winnings: $14,913
? #51
Jim Lanier
Home: Chugiak
First start: 1979
Starts: 18
Finishes: 16
Best finish: 18
Winnings: $57,847
#52
Tore Albrigtsen
Home: Troms¯, Norway
First start: 2006
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 29
Winnings: $2,700
? #53
Patrick Beall
Rookie
Home: Norman, Oklahoma
? #54
Alan Eischens
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2015
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 60
Winnings: $1,049
? #55
Paul Gebhardt
Home: Kasilof
First start: 1996
Starts: 19
Finishes: 18
Best finish: 2
Top10: 7
Winnings: $445,420
? #56
Rob Cooke
Home: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
First start: 2015
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 50
Winnings: $1,049
#57
Robert Redington
Rookie
Home: Wasilla
? #58
Trent Herbst
Home: Ketchum, Idaho
First start: 2006
Starts: 7
Finishes: 7
Best finish: 25
Winnings: $10,394
? #59
Cody Strathe
Rookie
Home: Fairbanks
? #60
Ryan Redington
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2001
Starts: 8
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 18
Winnings: $20,147
? #61
Jeff King
Home: Denali
First start: 1981
Starts: 25
Finishes: 23
Best finish: 1 (1993,í96,í98,í06)
Top10: 19
Winnings: $888,019
? #62
Scott Smith
Home: Willow
First start: 2004
Starts: 5
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 26
Winnings: $8,847
? #63
Matt Failor
Home: Willow
First start: 2012
Starts: 4
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 15
Winnings: $25,198
#64
Tim Pappas
Rookie
Home: Big Lake
? #65
Miriam Osredkar
Rookie
Home: Willow
? #66
John Baker
Home: Kotzebue
First start: 1996
Starts: 20
Finishes: 20
Best finish: 1 (2011)
Top10: 13
Winnings: $568,832
? #67
Jason Mackey
Home: Salcha
First start: 2004
Starts: 5
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 26
Winnings: $6,447
#68
Lars Monsen
Rookie
Home: Skiptvet, Norway
#69
Elliot Anderson
Rookie
Home: Big Lake
Races: 1
? #70
Hugh Neff
Home: Tok
First start: 2004
Starts: 11
Finishes: 10
Best finish: 5
Top10: 2
Winnings: $150,646
#71
Sarah Stokey
Rookie
Home: Seward
? #72
Lance Mackey
Home: Fairbanks
First start: 2001
Starts: 13
Finishes: 12
Best finish: 1 (2007, 08, 09, 10)
Top10: 6
Winnings: $369,942
? #73
Cindy Gallea
Home: Wykoff, Minnesota
First start: 1998
Starts: 13
Finishes: 11
Best finish: 33
Winnings: $11,539
#74
Zoya DeNure
Home: Delta Junction
First start: 2008
Starts: 5
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 53
Winnings: $1,049
? #75
Paige Drobny
Home: Fairbanks
First start: 2013
Starts: 3
Finishes: 3
Best finish: 25
Winnings: $12,549
#76
Karin Hendrickson
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2009
Starts: 6
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 36
Winnings: $4,196
? #77
Ralph Johannessen
Home: Dagali, Norway
First start: 2014
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 22
Winnings: $10,200
? #78
Tom Jamgochian
Rookie
Home: Nome
#79
Geir Idar Hjelvik
Rookie
Home: Norjordet, Norway
#80
Billy Snodgrass
Home: DuBois, Wyoming
First start: 1998
Starts: 4
Finishes: 4
Best finish: 37
Winnings: $4,196
? #81
Ken Anderson
Home: Fairbanks
First start: 1999
Starts: 15
Finishes: 15
Best finish: 4
Top10: 6
Winnings: $385,834
#82
Melissa Owens Stewart
Home: Nome
First start: 2008
Starts: 3
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 30
Winnings: $1,800
? #83
Kristy Berington
Home: Wasilla
First start: 2010
Starts: 6
Finishes: 6
Best finish: 29
Winnings: $9,747
#84
Hans Gatt
Home: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
First start: 1998
Starts: 13
Finishes: 13
Best finish: 2
Top10: 5
Winnings: $269,993
? #85
Katherine Keith
Home: Kotzebue
First start: 2014
Starts: 2
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 32
Winnings: $1,049
#86
Martin Koenig
Home: Seeley Lake, Montana
First start: 2008
Starts: 1
Finishes: 1
Best finish: 76
Winnings: $1,049