Husky News

A Frenchman and a German will bookend the start of the 25th Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race here today, and neither is happy about their position.

“I’m not comfortable with that. That is just terrible for me,” Didier Moggia said with a laugh after drawing a dog tag out of a bunny boot that assigned him bib No. 1.

At least Moggia, a 47-year-old carpenter now living in Whitehorse, Yukon, found a silver lining to the selection.

“I’m not No. 1 for long,” said Moggia, a rookie on the 1,000-mile Quest who completed the Yukon Quest 300 in 2006, overcoming the infamous storm on Eagle Summit.

At the other end of the spectrum, Becca Moore, originally from Heidelberg, Germany, and now residing in Wasilla, drew No. 24.

“So I get to stand there for a long time and get to be even more nervous,” said Moore, a rookie who at least has plenty of experience to draw upon from her husband, Iditarod veteran Ramey Smyth.

The musher who drew first, Brent Sass of Fairbanks, actually wanted to lead the way out of the start chute this morning on the Chena River, but pulled bib No. 8 instead. He earned the right to pick first after signing up first seven months ago.

More than the drawing of bib numbers, though, the large crowd that gathered Thursday at the Carlson Center for the Yukon Quest start banquet witnessed a night brimming in history.

LeRoy Shank of Fairbanks and Roger Williams of Christian Pass, Miss., shared the masters of ceremonies role, a fitting tribute since they co-founded the race on a leap of faith in 1984.

Shank, wearing new bib overalls and a tie fashioned from blue tarp, was full of stories. He related how Williams was the organizer and he was the talker.

“I just yapped and took credit for (the Quest),” Shank said.

Williams, meanwhile, struggled to control his emotions upon thanking the 500 or so folks who turned out.

Earlier, 61-year-old Bill Cotter of Nenana — who with Frank Turner of Whitehorse are the only mushers who’ll participate in both the first and 25th Quests — recounted how in 1984 he and Sonny Lindner had to cut through a portage on the Yukon River.

“We thought they should have changed the required gear from an ax to a chainsaw,” he said.

Like many mushers, Cotter was grateful.

“I’d like to thank my dogs. They’ve given me a life I would trade for no other,” said Cotter, the 1987 Quest champion who also has finished as high as third in 19 Iditarod starts.

Turner, meanwhile, revealed a story that helped clear his conscience 24 years later: He bent the rules by leaving his bunny boots behind and wearing running shoes to ascend Eagle Summit. A couple of days later, he camped on the Chena River, not realizing he was just 20 minutes from the finish line.

Veteran Kelley Griffin of Wasilla, about to start her seventh Quest, had a word for Shank and Williams.

“I’d like to thank these two gentlemen for ruining my life,” she said jokingly.

Rookie Andreas Moser’s sentiments were shared by many.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the trail the first time and I hope to see you all in Whitehorse,” the Swiss musher said.

Mushers will face frigid conditions and a rugged trail during at least the first half of the race. First place may come down to battle between Lance Mackey, seeking his record fourth straight Quest title; his neighbor Ken Anderson, a Quest rookie who has two top-10 Iditarod finishes on his resume; and Hugh Neff of Skagway, a rising talent who was ninth last year and third in 2005.

Former Quest champions Turner, the 60-year-old who won in 1995, and Cotter may be past their prime.

The mushers will leave the Quest starting line at three-minute intervals beginning at 11 this morning.

25th YUKON QUEST

Today’s start order

1) Didier Moggia; 2) William Pinkham; 3) Michelle Phillips; 4) Ann Ledwidge; 5) Dan Kaduce; 6) Phil Joy; 7) Jean-denis Britten; Brent Sass; 9) Paul Geoffrion; 10) Hugh Neff; 11) Lance Mackey; 12) Kyla Boivin; 13) Cor Guimond; 14) Andreas Moser; 15) Frank Turner; 16) Bill Cotter; 17) Donald Smidt; 18) Kelley Griffin; 19) Bruce Milne; 20) Ken Anderson; 21) Julie Estey; 22. Dave Dalton; 23. Mike Ellis; 24. Becca Moore.

Source: The Anchorage Daily News