Congratulations to Beat Jegerlehner, the ITI 1000 foot champion! Beat finished in 22 days, 22 hours and 42 minutes for his second win in the foot race to Nome.
Congratulations to Gaizka Aseguinolaza, Jussi Karjalainen, Roberto Gazzoli, Graham Muir, Tiziano Mulonia and Willy Mulonia for finishing the ITI 1000 in 18 days and 5 hours!
The six international athletes from Spain, Finland, Italy and New Zealand rode much of the trail from McGrath to Nome together and crossed under the burled arch as a group.
Jussi, Roberto, Graham and Willy were members of the Unalakleet Eight in 2020, a group of racers who were stopped short of the sea ice by a storm surge and the coronavirus pandemic. Congratulations to them and to Gaizka and Tiziano for conquering the countless challenges they faced on the Iditarod Trail and for finishing the ITI 1000.
Congratulations to Petr Ineman, the ITI 1000 bike champion! Petr rode the entire distance from McGrath by himself and finished in 16 days, 4 hours and 42 minutes.
Congratulations to this year’s Iditarod Trail Invitational champions!
If one was looking for adventure, challenge and an emotional rollercoaster, the 2021 Iditarod Trail Invitational did not disappoint. It all started when the world began to shut down during the 2020 ITI and ended when the final athletes crossed the finish line a few days ago on March 10th.
For more than a year, the ITI family collectively faced more adversity and uncertainty than ever before, and the athletes who left the starting line endured innumerable struggles even before they arrived at Knik Lake on February 28th. But, true to the nature of the hearty people who return to the Iditarod Trail each year, those who crossed the finish line in 2021 dug deeply within themselves and found a way to overcome all of the setbacks, disappointments, mechanical failures, weather conditions, errors and other problems they confronted both before and during the ITI.
Thank you to all of the resilient people - athletes, supporters, volunteers, staff and business partners - who made the 20th anniversary Iditarod Trail Invitational possible. The stories from the trail each year are a testament to the power of the human spirit but never more so than they were in 2021.
At 10:17pm on March 5, Rebecca Rusch, of Idaho, rolled across the Iditarod Trail Invitational finish line in Big Lake, taking the crown in the women’s bike race. Together with her husband, Greg Martin, Rusch also was the top finisher in the race’s inaugural “self-supported” class. The two traveled 350 miles without receiving any of the meals, indoor recovery, or other outside support athletes in the general class typically receive. They slept outdoors alongside the trail, clocking about 14.5 total hours of rest during the race.
Martin and Rusch had not made a pact to race as a team this year—“It just happened organically,” she said. They moved point to point together, but did not know until the very end, she says, that they would finish as a team.
Rusch was also the top women’s finisher in 2019, her rookie year.
Fletcher is our 2nd place finisher!! Way to go!!
Winner, winner, chili mac dinner!! Aaron’s our 2021 ITI 350 men’s bike winner!
Anxiously awaiting our top finishers, Aaron Thrasher from Anchorage and Fletcher Yancy from Fairbanks, to arrive at the finish for the 20th Anniversary Iditarod Trail Invitational. Aaron appears to be following his original track out, whereas Fletcher is following a more northern snowmachine trail. This could be an exciting finish!!
Veteran athlete Jay Petervary and 16 year old Jacob Hora headed out of the Finger Lake check point this morning.
Athletes battling deep snow and white out conditions on day 2 of the race.
A beautiful show from Mother Nature on the first night of the race.
Aaron Thrasher is the first to arrive at Checkpoint #1, Butterfly Lake, just minutes ahead of Jay Petervary and Jacob Hora.
Those who have never been tested should be pitied, because they don’t know what they’re capable of.
- Seneca
The Iditarod Trail Invitational always serves up a healthy dose of adventure, and this year’s revised course will present athletes with a variety of new challenges. But those who want to take their ITI experience to the next level will be able to choose from two new adventure categories in the 20th Anniversary Iditarod Trail Invitational.
Self-Supported Category
To qualify for the self-supported category, athletes must not enter any building or tent (other than a tent carried by the athlete) and must not accept food, lodging, or other assistance from a checkpoint, a commercial establishment or a private citizen during the race.
Athletes may send drop bags and resupply from their own supplies at Finger Lake and Rohn.
Bivy Category
To qualify for the bivy category, athletes must not sleep in any building or tent (other than a tent carried by the athlete).
Athletes may use checkpoints and commercial establishments for all other purposes.
Every athlete who completes the 2021 ITI in either of these categories will be recognized in the final standings. Additional details can be found in the 2021 Athlete Guide.
Rainy Pass awaits
Since the 2020 race ended, the ITI organizers have remained committed to holding the 20th anniversary Iditarod Trail Invitational in a manner that would not compromise the health of our athletes, the communities of Alaska, the volunteers or our staff members. We have continually adjusted our operational plans over the past eight months as the COVID-19 situation has evolved and in accordance with guidance from medical professionals. In short, we have focused on the things we can control.
Alaska, like many places in the world, has recently experienced a surge of COVID-19 cases. The spike in cases has prompted government institutions at all levels to implement more stringent COVID-19 mitigation measures. Particularly impactful for the ITI, the remote communities of Alaska have justifiably asked that travel to their areas be curtailed. Historically, pandemics have created disastrous consequences for those remote settlements, so those communities are rightfully wary of outside visitors - even if those visitors have been subjected to the rigorous testing and quarantine requirements the ITI will be implementing in 2021.
Without question, the ITI would not be possible without an informed, engaged and supportive public. The long-term viability of the ITI depends on local partnerships that are based on trust and respect. And, even though the 2021 ITI operational plan was designed to avoid dependence on remote communities, we cannot avoid the potentially destructive message that would be conveyed by sending athletes into territories adjacent to those communities without their approval. On the other hand, the private lodges along the ITI 350 route are looking forward to welcoming ITI athletes and volunteers and have been working closely with our staff to establish processes that will ensure everyone stays healthy.
So, to meet the goals of holding the ITI in a COVID-safe manner while reducing its footprint and strengthening critical relationships along the Iditarod Trail, the plan for the 20th anniversary Iditarod Trail Invitational is as follows:
The ITI 1000 is suspended for 2021. All athletes who are signed up for the 1000 will be contacted directly and given the opportunity to withdraw from the ITI, defer to 2022 or switch to the 350.
The ITI 350 will be run as an out-and-back to Rohn in order to avoid travel near the remote villages of Nikolai and McGrath. Specifics will be released shortly, but athletes can plan on traveling from the start at Knik Lake to Rohn and back to this year’s finish on Big Lake.
We are excited about the challenges this revised route will offer and continuing the ITI’s 20-year tradition of showcasing the power of the human spirit.
- Kyle Durand, Race Director
The past eight months have certainly provided its share of challenges. But, aren't we are a group that prides itself on maintaining perspective in the face of adversity, perseverance in the face of failure and purpose through action? We are outliers who don't follow the well-worn path, who think for themselves and who work together to support each other and our communities.
Sure, the easy route would have been to cancel the ITI months ago. Instead, the ITI team has spent countless hours working to develop solutions to the problems COVID-19 introduces with the help of professional advisors, has invested heavily in people, equipment and assets that will increase the event's self-sufficiency and has been constantly adapting to the ambiguous future that February 28, 2021 presents.
Why?
Because this community means everything to us. We believe in you and in the power of the human spirit. We believe that tough, empathetic and responsible people are those who will carry us forward through this challenging time and the challenging times we will face in the future.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic is a new trial, the ITI has adapted to many challenges over the last 20 years with a sense of responsibility towards everyone involved, including the communities of Alaska, who not only depend on the financial support that you and the ITI sponsors provide, but also the inspiration that you impart by overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.
So where does that leave us? It leaves us to focus on the things we can control. We can't control the weather or the conditions on the Iditarod Trail. We only control how we respond. We don’t control what government will do over the next 3 months. What we control is what we do in response. We can't control how the coronavirus will impact the ITI, but we can control how we adapt to those impacts.
Specifically:
Everyone who travels to Alaska must arrive with a negative COVID-19 test or must test negative upon arrival in the state.
All athletes, staff and volunteers will be tested for COVID-19 the morning of their departure on the Iditarod Trail, and those tests must be negative before they are allowed to proceed.
Checkpoints to McGrath will adhere to strict mask mandates and maximum occupancy limits.
ITI trail teams (again, who have been certified to be COVID-19 negative) will establish remote checkpoints beyond McGrath as required.
To put it in more succinct terms, please join us if you are prepared to spend a lot of quality time outside in the glorious Alaskan wilderness and are ready to be adaptable to those things we can control.
- Kyle Durand, ITI Director
The world is a very different place than it was when we kicked off the 2020 ITI on March 1st. What hasn’t changed, though, is the character of the people that make up the ITI family. The athletes, volunteers, residents on the Iditarod Trail, family members and countless people behind the scenes are still the caring, adaptable, and resilient people they were on March 1st.
Society today is full of volatility, complexity and ambiguity these days. But, highly adaptable and resilient people, like the members of the ITI family, do not freeze in their tracks when confronted with uncertain situations. Instead, we take a deep breath, thoughtfully analyze the circumstance and harness the creative energy it takes to overcome the challenges that face us. Now, more than ever, we need people with unbreakable character and a strong predisposition for action to step up to the challenges in the world, to encourage those around them to act and to do the hard work needed to get our communities back on their feet.
To support these extraordinary people, the ITI staff has toiled non-stop for months preparing for the 2021 event with the goal of creating a COVID-19-safe environment for everyone involved. More information will be forthcoming, but those preparations include:
coordination with the CDC;
hiring a medical consultant;
collaborating with local government agencies;
re-designing checkpoints; and
formulating processes and procedures to detect and limit disease transmission, including COVID-19 testing prior to the start.
Thank you for your trust and confidence during these tumultuous times. It is an honor to work with all of you and the communities of Alaska in a combined effort designed to demonstrate the power of the human spirit.
- Kyle Durand, Race Director
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Kathi Merchant from the Iditarod Trail Invitational after 18 years. Kathi will be moving on to pursue other adventures, and she will be sorely missed.
Kathi’s devotion to all that the ITI stands for has been invaluable and has helped make the ITI one of the world’s premier endurance events. In addition to her incredible competence and skill, she has been a friend to all with her thoughtfulness and encouragement. We invite you to join us in showing Kathi our tremendous appreciation and to wish her a wonderful retirement.
In her own words:
“This is my announcement that I have retired from the ITI as of May 2020. It has been a great run for 18 years and I appreciate the support and friendship from all of you for so many years. The memories and stories of the Iditarod Trail will stay with me for my lifetime. It has been a big part of my life in Alaska carving a great path with many athletic and professional accomplishments. I am moving on to new things and I wish everyone that I met in the past and new participants all the best with their run, bike or ski on the Iditarod Trail.
All the Best and Happy Trails!”
Following the close of the 2020 Iditarod Trail Invitational a few weeks ago, the ITI team recognized the need for novel measures to remedy an unprecedented situation during the race caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
On the evening of March 19th, a large storm surge in the Norton Sound disrupted the sea ice and caused widespread flooding. In response to the incident, search and rescue personnel were dispatched to retrieve Jussi Karjalainen and Toni Lund, the athletes closest to the Norton Sound, while the ITI team investigated the extent of the damage to the Iditarod Trail. All other athletes were asked to shelter in place once they reached a checkpoint and until the close of the safety investigation.
The investigation revealed that the storm surge had made all routes over the Sound from Shaktoolik to Koyuk impassable due to open water or overflow. Faced with no consistent overland trails between the villages and the urgency of reacting to the effects of the pandemic, the ITI leadership decided to stop the race for the eight athletes who had not crossed the Norton Sound and to evacuate them immediately from Unalakleet.
Had the athletes encountered a similar situation with the sea ice in a normal year, they would have been provided an opportunity to investigate and consider their options before withdrawing from the race. But, faced with the gravity of responding quickly to the coronavirus pandemic, the 8 athletes were not afforded that opportunity. Given that they were directed to stop in Unalakleet by the ITI, we believe that their results should not reflect that they scratched, or withdrew, from the race. Instead, each of those athletes will be listed as “Finished in Unalakleet” in the 2020 ITI 1000 results.
Congratulations to the Unalakleet Eight on their perseverance and composure during an extraordinarily challenging year.
The Unalakleet Eight (from left to right): Willy Mulonia, Roberto Gazzoli, Jussi Karjalainen, Toni Lund, Asbjorn Bruun, Beat Jegerlehner. Graham Muir, George Adams.