With a little over 100 miles to go to reach Nome, Jill Martindale is showing everyone why women athletes have their place at the top.

If you’ve followed Jill’s fast-moving dot over the past few weeks, you will have noticed she’s been on a mission: winning the ITI1000 Bike Race.

Although not surprising for those who know her, Jill’s performance in this year’s particularly tough edition merits special attention. Jill has been consistently at the top of the race, keeping up but also challenging ITI1000 veterans when needed.

What may surprise Jill’s new fans - and believe us, there are many - is that although an accomplished athlete now, Jill was never a teen who’s busy riding mountain bikes. She actually thought people only did it to show off the gear. The young woman only started riding trails when she began working at Grand Rapids Bicycle Company, a bike shop in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Move forward a few years and Jill has an impressive list of bicycle racing accomplishments to her name. From finishes of the Dirty Kanza 200, to Coast To Coast gravel races and Marji Gesick 100 mountain bike race, she’s proven that she can easily master gravel, MTB, and fat bike racing.

Jill is also a multiple-time finisher and former champion of both the Arrowhead Ultra 135 and Tuscobia 160 winter races. 2018 was a successful year for Jill. Aside from being honoured with induction into the Michigan Mountain Biking Hall of Fame, she was also a finisher of JayP’s Fat Pursuit 200 and scooped a second place in the ITI350 Bike Race- her first foray into ITI racing. Not bad for someone who thought people riding mountain bikes were silly a few years earlier.

Since that big year, she’s not rested on her laurels and this past winter, she and her husband Dan - aka Teddy - have set up and run a training camp called Winter Shakedown. The objective of the camp is to educate people on winter riding and teach them the necessary skills to develop for racing safely. Looking at Jill’s stellar ride across Alaska in the past few weeks, it is clear that she’s applied her own teaching principles to her racing on the Trail.

There are many reasons why her fellow top racers Casey Fagerquist and last year’s ITI1000 Champion Petr Ineman, both equally deserving of an admiring accolade, have been racing with Jill. Apart from challenging them, it may be her uplifting, sparkling, ever enthusiastic personality that keeps the lead pack together. Out of all our racers, only one broke into a cheeky, winning grin at our Pre-Race photo call - guess who that was?

Her friendliness and optimistic persona make Jill a great role model and inspiration to both experienced and aspiring athletes. Which is why she is a perfect ambassador for her sponsor, the manufacturer of top adventure bikes Salsa Cycles, but also for her lucky employer, Velocity USA.

Jill often credits group riding for her accrued confidence and bravery in life, as well as a better health. This may explain how, very naturally, Jill ended up leading women’s group rides and cycling clinics. Which eventually snowballed into promoting cycling through the Skirts in the Dirt race. A women’s race that Jill helped setting up and that has turned many non-riders into keen athletes over the last few years.

Jill Martindale is what the world needs right now: a selfless, community-driven, highly performant athlete who inspires others to quit the “I’m-not-an-athlete-mentality” and just have fun with cycling.

So as she is busy pushing towards Nome, trading Snickers bars for moose sausages with mushers on her way, let’s cheer on this exceptional athlete who reminds us that being positive, focused and human is an incredible power on the Trail, but also off the Trail.

Always smiling, always pushing. Jill Martindale earlier in the race.

With only two more checkpoints to reach before the finish line, our top racers ITI1000 Veteran Petr Ineman, Casey Fagerquist and Jill Martindale are taking a well-earned break in Elim.

Jussi Karjalainen is clearly in a racing mood, having left Shaktoolik and now moving fast, aided by a strong tailwind of nearly 40mph.

Behind the Finn is fellow countryman Toni Lund, who is surely rejoicing at this year’s tailwind advantage after a gruelling crossing of the sea ice in 21 hours back in 2018. Toni is currently stationed at Foothills cabin.

Italian bike racers Roberto Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia are savouring a taste of home away from home at Peace on Earth Pizza, in Unalakleet, where Kiwi athletes Graham Muir and George Adams are also restoring.

Danish top skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun is making headway towards Old Woman’s cabin.

Top foot racer Beat Jegerlehner is currently at Tripod Flats.

Foot athlete and ITI1000 Veteran Klaus Schweinberger has now arrived in Galena.

Snowfall, highs of 36°F and strong winds are forecast for racers on the Bering Sea coastline, who if careful could progress faster than most years on the sea ice crossing.

Pictured below is Finnish bike athlete Jussi Karjalainen, at the ITI Pre-Race meeting - he’s too fast right now to get an action snap of him.

There has several storms passing the Bering Sea coastline.

Top racers Jill Martindale, Petr Ineman and Casey Fagerquist have decided to take advantage of a gap between storms to cross the sea ice rather than having to wait it out.

A firm Trail and a tailwind helped them traverse this potentially difficult part of the race in only 3.5 hours. For context, the same journey last year took 12 hours.

They are still pushing hard with minimal rest, which is widening the gap with the next racers.

Jussi Karjalainen is currently in Unalakleet where fellow countryman athlete Toni Lund has now joined him after a great push overnight and during the day.

Bike athletes Willy Mulonia, Roberto Gazzoli, George Adams and Graham Muir are still making great progress and are currently at Old Woman’s cabin.

Previous foot champion and ITI1000 5-time finisher Beat Jegerlehner and top skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun are in Kaltag.

Foot athlete Klaus Schweinberger has now left Ruby and is pushing on after a painful trek on soft, slow trail to Ruby yesterday.

A special thank you to Larry Hausmann in Galena to helping out our racers.; to Brother Bob in Nulato for opening his garage to the racers and giving them soup, and Peace on Earth Pizza in Unalakleet for good food and a space to rest. As you are aware, a lot of villages are isolating, which means new arrangements had to be made for racers along the way so these Trail Angels’ gestures are deeply appreciated.

Pictured are: Little Mountain cabin, the last shelter before the sea ice crossing; Toni Lund’s bike on the way to Unalakleet; Toni Lund; Peace on Earth Pizza in Unalakleet.

There’s a good reason why not many skiers attempt the ITI race.

The dynamic, unpredictable terrain and conditions make it a very tough race to ski.

While the challenges on the Trail deter many, this year, an exceptional skier has his mind set on becoming the first skier since 2000 to race the full 1,000 miles on the Trail.

Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun is giving us a masterclass on how to ski to Nome.

The 35 year-old Danish skier has been powering through the miles, going faster every day no matter the weather or the Trail conditions. His skiing style is flawless and his endurance, a benchmark for excellence. But it’s not just his skiing abilities that are admirable.

A friendly athlete with a good sense of humour and a real team player, Asbjørn is a real asset to the race. His generosity in sharing survival and extreme cold knowledge with others has been a trait that many racers have come to deeply appreciate on the Trail. Many of his fellow racers have learnt useful survival tricks from his experience has a member of the Sledge Patrol Sirius, Denmark’s elite naval unit.

His time in special unit Sirius may also explain his natural ease on the Trail.

When joining the elite Sirius unit as a sergeant in the Danish army in 2007, Asbjørn committed to a two-year service in the hostile Arctic wilderness of Northern and Eastern Greenland.

An unforgiving area known as Tunu, “the Back”, by Greenlanders, the region is four times the size of the UK and is populated by less 30 people, 12 of which are the members of the Sirius military unit. It tells a lot about Asbjørn’s ability to survive in temperatures plummeting to -40°F and lower.

When Arctic winds, dangerous glaciers, polar bears and frostbites are your regular day at the office for two years, skiing 1,000 miles on the Iditarod Trail is no longer an unachievable goal. Especially when you have the willpower to rise at any challenges thrown your way.

The skier’s enviable drive is rooted in an early passion for wilderness and adventure.

As a young boy, Asbjørn would spent every summer hiking with his father in the Norwegian mountains. As he grew older, the hikes became survival trips. And when he was 20, his interest for Arctic wilderness was ignited when he set out to travel 1,800 miles up to the top of Greenland, close to the North Pole.

While many Scandis learn to ski as toddlers, for Asbjørn, joining Sirius also marked his first experience on a pair of skis.

With determination to boot, the Dane quickly became a proficient extreme skier. After his two-year service, he has competed in many races in his spare time, including Red Bull Nordenskiöldsloppet in North Sweden, Yukon Arctic Ultra 2018 and ITI350 to name few.

Asbjørn has also completed the Arctic Circle Race around Sisimiut on Greenland’s West coast with the Danish Crown Prince. The three-day race takes skiers through the ever-changing, harsh Greenlandic terrain, which has clearly proven to be the perfect training ground for ITI1000.

The athlete credits his stamina to a special Danish tradition: “Asterix has his magic drink, Popeye has his spinach, if you come to West Denmark, you have oatmeal”. Ask his fellow racers about his oatmeal obsession.

Every racer on ITI is an exceptional athlete with their own human story.

That story is often what drives them to the finish line when they are ready to give up.

For Asbjørn, it’s honouring a special family memory. As a grown man, Asbjørn used to smoke the cigar with his grandfather on occasions. It was a special moment the men shared.

To honour the memory of their elder who passed away 2 years ago, Asbjørn’s father Jorgen will wait for his son in Nome with his grandfather’s favourite cigar.

Jorgen has made the trip to Alaska to support his son. He’s ended up supporting the ITI family, rooting for all athletes.

But Jorgen is on a special mission and the goal is fast approaching.

Asbjørn has planned to enjoy his special cigar under the famous burled arch in Nome, after crossing the finish line.

That cigar will no doubt be deeply appreciated.

And, why not, “The Asbjørn Cigar” could even become a tradition for the next generation of ITI skiers…

A good day on the Trail with bright blue skies after some early snow.

Casey Fagerquist, Jill Martindale and Petr Ineman have reached Unalakleet where they’ve enjoyed a restorative pizza from Peace on Earth Pizza courtesy of ITI racer Steve Cannon who had anticipated their hungry arrival.

They dutifully left a food offering to ward off the wandering spirits at Old Woman cabin. Old Woman is the transition point between the protective inland and the gusty, harsh Bering Sea coastline.

The top racers had a good speed until 10 miles from town where 4 snowmachines passed them and they lost 8mph.

Jussi Karjalainen has left Kaltag and is on his way to Unalakleet tonight.

Toni Lund has left Nulato to ride at night as daytime temperatures have been higher in the past two days.

He now has the lead over Italian racers Robert Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia as well as Kiwi athletes Graham Muir and George Adams who are all in Nulato.

Resting in Galena is foot racer Beat Jegerlehner who is on his way to a sixth finish in Nome.

An ITI1000 Veteran with many race credentials, Beat has three finishes on the Southern route in 2013, 2018 and 2019. He also has completed two ITI1000 on the Northern route, respectively in 2014 and 2016.

Also taking a much deserved break in Galena is Danish skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun. The skier has been going fast despite soft snow. He is restoring before a big day towards Nulato on the Trail tomorrow.

ITI1000 Veteran and foot racer Klaus Schweinberger is currently halfway to Ruby.

Pictured below from top to bottom, Kaltag, (1&2), a hazy morning on the Trail (3, 4 & 5), Tripod Flat cabin, Casey and Jill, Old Woman cabin where a food donation is always left for good fortune, the Trail and the Bering Sea coastline, Peace on Earth Pizza in Unalakleet.

Thank you Casey Fagerquist for the pictures.

The racers have had a slow race due to very wet snow. Temperatures have increased dramatically, making the miles slow and physically demanding today.

Despite the conditions, the athletes are enjoying the Trail and are in top spirits.

The Iditarod Sled Dog Race have been very accommodating with our racers in Nulato.

Currently in Kaltag are Casey Fagerquist, Jill Martindale and Petr Ineman. The top three racers have been inseparable. Misery loves company. Or is it just a race tactic that will keep us all entertained closer to Nome?

Jussi Karjalainen is about to arrive in Nulato.

Top skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun, bike athletes Toni Lund, Graham Muir, George Adams, Roberto Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia are all in Galena. Toni reported a very slow Trail from Ruby with a bit of pushing, surprisingly improving the last half to Galena. The Finnish racer is also reporting a great welcome in Galena.

Foot athlete Beat Jegerlehner is progressing towards Galena and fellow foot racer Klaus Schweinberger is currently in Cripple.

An important milestone for our ITI1000 racers is the village of White Mountain, 77 miles East from Nome. The last checkpoint before Safety and its final stretch of the race, it is a restorative stop that matters for competitive athletes.

For many of our racers, it is also a special checkpoint because of Trail Angel Joanna Wassillie.

Joanna has been hosting racers at her house in White Mountain for well over 10 years, after she found Italian runner Marco Berni limping in the Blueberry Hills, not too far from her home on the Bering Coast in White Mountain, back in 2006. She invited him into her home to recover.

From that year on, Joanna has welcomed racers with an open heart, baking bread at 10pm so there’s good food ready for nocturnal racers arriving, and regaling them with hearty caribou soup.

You will often find Joanna standing on the hills above White Mountain scanning the horizon with binoculars, looking for racers approaching on the Iditarod Trail.

Joanna treats everyone like family, taking pictures of the racers at her house and as they depart to reassure families who have been following the moving dots anxiously for weeks.

Her generosity means a lot to our ITI family, and racers from all over the world have been the recipient of her kindness and caring nature.

Her welcome extends to all adventurers passing by White Mountain and it is immortalised in a book called Little Run Around the World by the revered British author, extreme adventurer and ultra athlete Rosie Swale-Pope, MBE.

The author, who met Joanna on her famous run around the world in December 2005, captured the words of encouragement that Joanna gave her as the ultra runner was leaving White Mountain:

“ Rosie, when you look at the stars, just think that these stars are the same ones that we see, and that we think of you. That way, you will always know that you are never alone”.

Those words sum up the kindness of our Trail Angel, who, despite the challenging events unravelling this week is maintaining her house open to our racers.

Joanna, your welcome has never meant more to the entire ITI family than this week and we are truly grateful for your generosity.

Trail Angel Joanna Wassillie, looking out for the racers.

Jill Martindale is leading the charge tonight. The race leaders are currently reaching Nulato.

Finnish athlete Jussi Karjalainen is at Galena checkpoint.

Skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun, bike racers George Adams, Graham Muir, Roberto Gazzoli, Willy Mulonia and Toni Lund have all reached Galena.

Foot athlete Beat Jegerlehner is expected to join them soon.

Some of the group bivied last night on the long stretch to Galena.

Klaus Schneiderberger is currently 25 miles out of Cripple.

Our athletes are in good spirit and have enjoyed the life and traffic on the Trail as mushers and dogs pass by.

ITI Family,

Throughout the past several weeks, the Iditarod Trail Invitational has been closely monitoring the events stemming from the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak in order to ensure the well-being of the entire ITI community. We have been collaborating with local government agencies and individuals across Alaska to monitor the effects of COVID-19 and to prevent its spread but were notified today that many public facilities in the villages have been closed.

The well-being and safety of our athletes always has been and always will be our number one priority. As a result, the ITI staff has been working around the clock to ensure that shelter and access to supply drops will be available to athletes competing in the ITI 1000. Athletes are being notified of the revised procedures, and we continue to closely monitor the situation. A massive thank you is warranted to the ITI Trail Angels for stepping up to the challenge and taking proactive steps to care for the athletes who are still on the Iditarod Trail. The Trail Angels have retrieved supply boxes from the post offices, provided accommodations and have cooked meals for the athletes, all in service of ensuring their safety. 

The Iditarod Trail Invitational has a 19 year legacy to uphold — one that rests on adapting and overcoming challenges and doing what is right to build trusting relationships. We are grateful for your continued support and will continue to keep you updated as the situation develops.

• Kathi and Kyle
  Directors of the Iditarod Trail Invitational

Another fast day on the Trail today.

Casey Fagerquist secured a lead over Jill Martindale and Petr Ineman.

All athletes have now reached Galena and covered 532 miles of the race.

Casey had a close encounter with wolves on his way. Listen to him tell the story in the video below when KTUU caught up with him in Ruby.

“Trail was slow from Ruby, but rideable”, says Casey. “There are so many awesome things that happen each day. This is so cool”, our race leader adds.

Petr Ineman had issues with his bike but it didn’t slow him down much on his race to the next checkpoint.

Next bike racer expected to arrive at Galena is Finnish athlete Jussi Karjalainen, who is currently following the Yukon river.

His fellow countryman, bike racer Toni Lund is closing in on Ruby. Toni has maintained his advance over New Zealand bike racers Graham Muir and George Adams with a gap of 20 miles.

Right behind the Kiwi athletes is skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun, who is the first skier since 2003 to go to Nome and the first to do the 1000-mile route since 2000. Asbjørn is closely followed by Italian bike racers Roberto Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia. The group has been moving steadily together up the Trail.

Also on his way to Ruby is foot racer Beat Jegerlehner who has been averaging over 2.6mph with long, strong strides all the way. His fellow foot athlete Klaus Schweinberger who is 49 miles out of Cripple is showing an equally steady race pace.

The Trail has been busy with the Iditarod mushers heading to Nome as well.

Fresh from the Trail pictures are courtesy of our race leader Casey Fagerquist - yes, the guy can really do it all, race, take pictures, do TV interviews and avoid wolves.

Petr Ineman

Jill Martindale arriving in Takotna

The first bike athletes to make it to Nome

The cosy Ophir checkpoint

Mushers on their way to Nome

Highway to Nome

Our lead pack has reached Ruby with Casey Fagerquist arriving a few hours ahead of Petr Ineman and a very determined Jill Martindale, who's had a spectacular race this year.

Behind them is Finnish bike athlete Jussi Karjalainen, who is progressing steadily towards Ruby.

His countryman, and fellow bike racer Toni Lund has arrived in Cripple where he is expected to be joined by Kiwi racers George Adams and Graham Muir, the strong Italian cyclists Roberto Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia as well as foot racer Beat Jegerlehner, who has been moving very fast on the ITI1000 course, and strong Danish skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun.

Most of the athletes have been racing together from Ophir and will reach the checkpoint shortly.

Behind them, closing in on Ophir is foot racer Klaus Schweinberger.

The dogs have been passing our racers today so traffic has been high on the Trail and Cripple is busy tonight.

Pictured below is athlete Jill Martindale, seen Pre-Race. Jill, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the only woman left in the ITI race.

Go Jill! #WildWinterWomen

The “Finish Meal” at the Schneiderheinzes’ residence is an ITI race tradition.

After spending gruelling hours on the Trail, the warm hospitality of Peter and Tracy Schneiderheinze is a welcome respite for all athletes. Many are even said to go faster on the last mile just thinking about those legendary “mancakes”.

Peter and Tracy have hosted ITI racers in their home since the beginning of the race and their energy is as boundless today as it was back then. The happy Trail chatter that animates their lounge for hours seems to keep going on no matter the hour of the day.

While the ITI350 racers celebrate the end of the race with a beer from local brewery Denali Brewing, the ITI1000 athletes perk up with a fresh cup of coffee before for their long trip to Nome.

A warm home away from home for the exhausted racers and the social heart of McGrath during the race, there’s a constant flow of visitors dropping in to hear the latest ITI news or to report on Trail conditions further north.

A generous spread is always ready for new arrivals and Peter and Tracy have long stopped counting how many eggs they have cracked to prepare their hearty “mancakes” - the food order reveals that 500 eggs are needed to feed hungry athletes every season.

Thank you Peter and Tracy for your generous hospitality and for making the end of the ITI350 race extra special.

One of the many questions fans of the ITI race ask is how the racers keep motivated when the weather is tough, the Trail feels hostile and exhaustion stops limbs from moving forward.

The answer is complex because everyone is different.

But having a bigger purpose than the race is definitely something that helps athletes pushing harder when their bodies are failing them and the mind calls for quitting.

A bigger purpose is what is on George Adams and Graham Muir’s minds.

The two athletes, known as Lefto & Bush, are childhood friends from Turangi, New Zealand.

Growing up together in a tight knit Māori community, they understand the value of helping each other and have a deep respect for the land they get to ride on.

This is why they are giving back to the communities they travel through, along the Iditarod Trail.

“We decided to raise funds for the children of these villages as part of giving back to the communities as we travel their lands”, says Graham.

The racers met with Nikolai’s school teacher when they stopped for a rest to discuss some of the challenges that the community faces and give him a generous donation for the school (see pictures below).

They were joined by volunteer George Grigonis (of famed “Nikolai Hotel Grill”) who has been involved in Nikolai in the past two years.

What better driver than empowering young people when the next checkpoint seems so far?

Well done Graham and George for racing with generosity.

KIA KAHA!

ITI350 - IT'S A WRAP

Race athletes Robert Sullivan and Keith Eckert finished the race at 20:00.

This concludes the 2020 edition of ITI350.

Thank you to all our volunteers for helping out on the Trail and at checkpoints.

As racers finish the race with a meal at Tracy and Peter Scheinderheinze’s house, we would like to thank them both for the warm welcome they offer to our ITI community every year. More on Tracy and Peter as they deserve more column inches.

ITI1000

Casey Fagerquist has taken the lead of course, riding out of Cripple to secure a gap between him and his fellow racers.

Behind him is Jill Martindale who has just arrived in Cripple.

Close behind her and riding together are Petr Ineman and Jussi Karjalainen, followed by Finnish bike athlete Toni Lund.

Leading foot racer Beat Jegerlehner and Danish skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun are progressing fast together towards Cripple.

Just behind them are Kiwi racers George Adams aka Lefto and Graham Muir aka Bush who are catching up fast.

Italian bike athletes Willy Mulonia and Roberto Gazzoli are currently resting in Ophir.

Austrian fan favourite and foot athlete Klaus Schweinberger is our red lantern.

ITI Veteran and foot athlete Jill Homer is ending the race in McGrath. Jill considered carefully going forward but decided to keep safe as the next section of the race is very demanding.

Another foot racer to end the race is UK athlete Mark Hines. Mark has been suffering from a chest infection and has chosen it was safer to finish in McGrath.

Both athletes have shown great tenacity over the many challenges the Trail has thrown at them this year.

Well done Jill and Mark for a great race until McGrath!

New Zealand can be proud of Kiwi bike athlete Nina Stupples who completed her first ITI350 today at 04:23. Nina was new to ITI last year and she has mastered a longer distance this year in much more challenging conditions. Her unwavering willpower carried her though the tough patches and at no point during the race did Nina let hard challenges deter her.

Another great racer finishing ITI350 today is Minnesota foot athlete Kari Gibbons, who crossed the finish line at 05:19.

Kari’s tenacity along the Trail is a testament to her solid experience as an ultra athlete. The ultimate “Trail Sister”, Kari is a fantastic team player and when not on the ITI, she can be found braving other ultra with racing partner Kate Coward, this year’s ITI350 Bike Champion.

Minnesota breeds strong talent with two women winning ITI350 Champion titles this year. The “Wild Winter Women” group the women are part of has some celebrating to do after such great results on the ITI Trail.

Completing this year’s tough edition is certainly a great achievement for all our athletes.

Well done Nina and Kari!

ITI1000

The lead pack,  Petr Ineman, Casey Fagerquist and Jill Martindale have stopped for a rest just 20 miles out of Cripple. They’re closely followed by Finnish bike racer Jussi Karjalainen.

Skier Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun, foot racer Beat Jegerlehner and bike athlete Toni Lund have all stopped in Ophir for a well-earned break.

Kiwi bike racers George Adams and Graham Muir are resting in Takotna.

Mark Hines reached McGrath tonight at 23:43 after a long day on the Trail.

Roberto Gazzoli, Willy Mulonia, Jill Homer, Troy Szczurkowski are all in McGrath.

Klaus Schweinberger is arriving in McGrath shortly.

Donald Kane and Loreen Hewitt have both scratched.

ITI350

Foot athlete Kari Gibbons is expected to cross the finish line shortly.

She is closely followed by New Zealand athlete Nina Stupples.

Behind the women are ITI rookies Robert Sullivan and Keith Eckert expected to complete the race tomorrow.

Currently one of ITI1000 lead athletes, Petr Ineman is seen here getting ready to go out on the Trail earlier in the race.

Anchorage skier Lars Danner has crossed the finish line in McGrath today at 17:28.

By finishing the ITI350 Ski Race, Lars starts an elite ITI club: he is the first racer to finish the ITI350 in the three different categories.

Lars completed the ITI350 Bike Race in both 2015 and 2016, then finished the ITI350 Foot Race in 2018.

But, as many athletes can appreciate, the ITI ski race may be an even tougher race and there were only 5 skiers crossing the start line across both distances this year.

Why so little racers braving the ITI?
Lars gives a very good insight into why the ITI Trail presents many challenges for skiers:

http://larsdanner.blogspot.com/2019/01/

After reading this, or if you have ever attempted to ski on the Trail before, you will probably look at ITI Veteran Lars Danner with renewed admiration.

We sure do.

Congratulations Lars on a fantastic race again this year and on breaking a brand new record too as the first Multi-Discipline ITI350 Finisher.

Two athletes who we did not report on finishing due to faulty trackers are foot racer Ryan Wanless and bike athlete Beth Shaner.

Both racers crossed the finish line on March 9th at, respectively, 13:45 for Ryan Wanless and 13:50 for Beth Shaner.

Two accomplished athletes, Ryan and Beth had a strong race and braved challenges on the Trail with great tenacity.

To the friends and families worrying about those dots not moving, we apologise for the failed tech.

And to Ryan and Beth, thank you for honouring the ITI Trail and being such great members of our ITI community!

A lot of our athletes endorse a good cause for which they raise awareness during the race.

This year, two of our ITI350 foot racers currently on the Trail are SEALs raising awareness and support for the SEALs For Future and their Warrior Health Program, which offers SEALs assistance with health protocols.

Robert Sullivan and Keith Eckert, both from Coronado, California, are SEALs who have accepted to take on the challenge to help others facing long-term health issues ranging from Traumatic Brain Injury to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and from physical disability to severe depression.

You can find out more about the purpose of their mission and SEALs For Future and how to support this good cause here:

https://sealff.org/iditarod-trail-invitational/

Well done Robert, Keith and all SEALs involved!

Another beautiful day on the Trail with sunshine and light winds for our athletes today.

ITI1000

There are 17 racers left in the race on this tough edition of ITI after early scratches. Here’s the update on the racing athletes:

BIKE RACE

The lead pack is making fast progress towards Cripple with Casey Fagerquist ahead, very closely followed by strong female athlete Jill Martindale, Illinois bike racer Petr Ineman and Finnish athlete Jussi Karjalainen. Jill Martindale is showing no sign of fatigue and will be the one to watch on the way to Nome.

Back in McGrath are Toni Lund, Troy Szczurkowski, Graham Muir, George Adams. Roberto Gazzoli and Willy Mulonia.

A real team player, Troy Szczurkowski decided not to chase the lead pack and instead stay back in McGrath to help fellow cyclist George Adams whose bike needed rebuilding. A tough decision for our competitive racer but a great display of camaraderie.

FOOT RACE

Beat Lederjehner left McGrath in the night and has now passed Takotna.

Jill Homer arrived in McGrath this morning after a strong race from Nikolai.

Next athlete expected in McGrath today is Brit Mark Hines.

Klaus Schweinberger has been steadily progressing towards McGrath.

Scotsman Donald Kane is in Nikolai where Loreen Hewitt will join him later today.

SKI

After a good rest, Asbjørn Skjøth Bruun has left McGrath and is progressing fast towards Takotna. Asbjørn is the only skier left in the race.

ITI350

FINISHERS

Tiziano Mulonia completed the race at 23:28 after a long day on the Trail.

Robert Youngren crossed the ITI350 finish line in the night at 02:18.

Skier Greg Mills arrived in McGrath at 04:02am.

Foor racer Amber Bethe finished the race at 09:21 this morning.

Norwegian foot athlete Frode Lein completed ITI350 at 10:11am.

RACERS

Skier Lars Danner is expected to finish in McGrath in the next couple of hours.

Foot racer Kari Gibbons and bike athlete Nina Stupples are on the stretch home now, with finish in sight for both athletes, who have shown great stamina along the Trail. Nina lost her race companion after Cheryl Wallace had to end her race last night but she is going strong and shows no sign of slowing down until the finish line.

Foot racers Robert Sullivan and Keith Eckert have left Nikolai and are on the last part of the race now.

Below pictured are Amber Bethe enjoying a well-earned finish meal in McGrath (thanks Champion Faye Norby for the snap); the racers waiting to go out to conquer Nome with a very happy George Adams opening a package from his Kiwi motherland (Ryan Wanless is on pap duty); Troy Szczurkowski earlier in the race; and happy ITI350 finishers Chris Moroch, Steve Hayes and ITI350 Foot Champion Gavan Hennigan with happy dog Bronwyn (thanks Claire for the pic). Last photograph is Italian athlete Tiziano Mulonia.