And That’s a Wrap
Kari Gibbons and Petr Ineman finished Saturday evening with a time of 27 days, 6 hours and 42 minutes, photo credit Rhende Mae Hagemeister
Thank you for tuning in to the final 2025 Wild Winter Women ITI daily recap. Last night around 8:40 pm, the final racers crossed under the burled arch in Nome - a bittersweet moment for dot watchers as the lively activity on Trackleaders fades away. We can’t really call Petr Ineman and Kari Gibbons red lantern finishers, with both finishing in a very respectable time of 27 days, 6 hours, and 42 minutes. Kari clinched the title as the 2025 women's foot champion, and Petr secured second place among the men, both finishing well under the official 30-day cutoff.
There were a number of notable finishes in the 1,000 this year. Kari Gibbons joins an elite group as the 4th woman on foot to finish in under 30 days, joining Shawn McTaggart, Laureen Hewitt, and Faye Norby. Joshua Brown and Petr Ineman achieved the extraordinary by becoming the first two members of the Nome “Triple Threat” club, truly an incredible feat to complete this 1,000 mile journey on bike, ski and foot. Erick Basset became the fifth person to complete it on skis, and further distinguished himself as one of few to complete the race across multiple disciplines (foot and ski).
In the 350, we saw the women’s ski record fall by more than a day, when Tracie Curie finished in just 5 days, 22 hours and 8 minutes. Jessie Gladish added her name to the Triple Threat club, having already conquered the 350-mile challenge on bike and foot before this year's ski triumph.
As we witness these last finishers stand beneath the burled arch in Nome, it feels very much like the end of the 2025 Iditarod Trail Invitational. Still, it is far from over for some, athletes will begin their long journey home, volunteers and staff begin the arduous process of buttoning the race up, and we, the Dot Watchers, try to get back to normal life albeit with a little more inspiration under our belts. Beyond the finish line lies a sense of community and camaraderie that defines this race - a bond nurtured by shared stories, perseverance and passion.
Fast Facts for the Stat Enthusiasts:
Starters: 104 athletes from across the globe including Italy, France, Spain, Austria, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, and the United States.
Finishers: 92 crossed the finish line, an unconfirmed record-breaking number of finishers.
Scratch Rate: Just 12 athletes had to withdraw, a significant reduction from the typical year. For example in 2024, 40 of 103 scratched.
We send you off with a heartfelt thank you for coming on this journey with us, and gratitude to those who have spent the last 28 days writing our daily recaps. On the back end we research, discuss, and exchange information literally all day long, and the reports can take hours to write. It’s too much for one person to do, and this year eight women whose priceless experiences and insights joined up to tell the story of this adventure as it played out. Though they need no introduction, we tell you a little about them here.
Allison Carolan is the ‘new kid’ on the WWW writing team this year, (and transparently not an ITI veteran). Though she’s only done one true winter ultra, she’s been running regular ultramarathons since 2009, and especially enjoys any human-powered backcountry expedition or adventure (the more remote, the better).
Amber Crawford couldn’t do the 350 for the first time on bike in 2020 and decided to do it on foot instead. During that race she hatched the idea to ski in 2021, and finally she biked it in 2022. Experiencing the trail in so many different ways gives her a unique perspective.
Carole Holley started winter racing with the Little Su on a mountain bike in 2008. After pushing her bike for nearly 10 hours, she decided that if she was going to continue enjoying winter ultramarathons, she’d prefer to not do it hauling around an occasionally-rolling luggage rack. She’s since finished two ITI 350s.
Faye Norby has been winter racing on foot since 2013, having finishes at the Tuscobia Winter Ultra, Arrowhead 135, Actif Epica, and the 350 and 1000 mile ITI. She will happily talk about ITI 24-7; you are forewarned.
Jill Martindale finished the ITI in 2020 with Petr Ineman and Casey Fagerquist, in the midst of widespread shutdowns and the Norton Sound sea ice breaking up, which prevented any other racers from finishing in Nome that year. Prior to that she finished the 350 one time. Jill enjoyed the generous locals along the way and hopes to return one day.
Leah Gruhn started racing in winter ultramarathons in 2011 on skis. She quickly bought a fat bike and has been having way more fun on bike than skis. She’s completed both the 350 and 1000.
Kathi Merchant and Erica Betts helped mostly behind the scenes, providing invaluable insight on this event, photo updates, sleuthing information, lending their perspectives and occasionally writing. Laura Rushfeldt, Sunny Stroeer, Carol Seppilu, Joanne Wassillie, and too many others to mention provided photos, check point intel, and so much more. Thank you to everyone that makes these updates possible.
Why do we do it? Writing race recaps gives us the chance to fully immerse ourselves in the world of the ITI, where we can dive deep into the intricacies of the race, winter endurance events, survival strategies, and all sorts of fascinating and unexpected topics along the way. Beyond the intellectual thrill, these recaps are a powerful way to celebrate the community and camaraderie forged on the trail. They strengthen the bonds between athletes, those braving the elements now, those who have done so in the past, and those dreaming of stepping out there in the future. It’s about honoring the journey, sharing inspiration, and keeping the spirit of the ITI alive. Until next year, we bid you adieu, and wish you the best in all your adventures.
Authors: Amber Crawford, Leah Gruhn, Faye Norby, Allison Carolan, Carole Holley, Jill Martindale