The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, usually called "the Iditarod", is an annual dog-sled race in Alaska, U.S., that commemorates a 1925 relay to transport anti-diphtheria serum from Anchorage, Alaska, to Nome, Alaska, to combat an outbreak of the disease. The vaccine went by train from Anchorage to Nenana, Alaska, and then a series of dog mushers took it overland a total of 674 miles in 127-1/2 hours.
The trail for the race does not follow the route the vaccine took in 1925 but, instead, a trail through largely unpopulated tundra that was chosen to test the mettle of the sled dogs and their drivers. It is named for the ghost town of Iditarod, Alaska, it passes through, which was an Athabascan Indian village before gold was discovered nearby in 1908; a town was built there which became the center of the Iditarod Mining District in 1910, but it did not outlast the local gold-rush.
On March 20, 1985 Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the race.
Past winners: ( Musher & Lead dog(s) - Time: Days/Hrs/Min/Sec)
- 1973 - Dick Wilmarth & Hotfoot -- 20/00/49/41
- 1974 - Carl Huntington & Nugget -- 20/15/02/07
- 1975 - Emmitt Peters & Nugget & Digger -- 14/14/43/45
- 1976 - Gerald Riley & Puppy & Sugar -- 18/22/58/17
- 1977 - Rick Swenson & Andy & O.B. (Old Buddy) -- 16/16/27/13
- 1978 - Dick Mackey & Skipper & Shrew -- 14/18/52/24
- 1979 - Rick Swenson & Andy & O.B. (Old Buddy) -- 15/10/37/47
- 1980 - Joe May & Wilbur & Cora Gray -- 14/07/11/51
- 1981 - Rick Swenson & Andy & Slick -- 12/08/45/02
- 1982 - Rick Swenson & Andy -- 16/04/40/10
- 1983 - Rick Mackey & Preacher & Jody -- 12/14/10/44
- 1984 - Dean Osmar & Red & Bullet -- 12/15/07/33
- 1985 - Libby Riddles & Axle & Dugan -- 18/00/20/17
- 1986 - Susan Butcher & Granite & Mattie -- 11/15/06/00
- 1987 - Susan Butcher & Granite & Mattie -- 11/02/05/13
- 1988 - Susan Butcher & Granite & Tolstoi -- 11/11/41/40
- 1989 - Joe Runyan & Rambo & Ferlin the Husky -- 11/05/24/34
- 1990 - Susan Butcher & Sluggo & Lightning -- 11/01/53/23
- 1991 - Rick Swenson & Goose -- 12/16/34/39
- 1992 - Martin Buser & Tyrone & D2 -- 10/19/17/15
- 1993 - Jeff King & Herbie & Kitty -- 10/15/38/15
- 1994 - Martin Buser & D2 & Dave -- 10/13/05/39
- 1995 - Doug Swingley & Vic & Elmer -- 10/13/02/39
- 1996 - Jeff King & Jake & Booster -- 09/05/43/13
- 1997 - Martin Buser & Blondie & Fearless -- 09/08/30/45
- 1998 - Jeff King & Red & Jenna -- 09/05/52/26
- 1999 - Doug Swingley & Stormy, Cola & Elmer -- 09/14/31/07
- 2000 - Doug Swingley & Stormy & Cola -- 09/00/58/06
- 2001 - Doug Swingley & Stormy & Pepi -- 09/19/55/50
- 2002 - Martin Buser & Bronson -- 08/22/46/02
- 2003 - Robert Sorlie & Tipp -- 09/15/47/36
1925 route through Nenana in gray
Race trail through Iditarod in red
