This past Saturday kicked off the mushing tournament in Iditarod, Alaska. This is the fifty-fourth year of this sport, and these dogs are working hard in warmer-than-normal temperatures. The dogs work best when the temperature is below twenty-five, more ideally zero degrees Fahrenheit, while the weather may rise over twenty degrees.

The race started at Willow Lake and will end in Nome, passing through various towns and weather conditions that they are built to withstand. The official start was at the Anchorage Fourth Avenue, where people were excited to watch the race kick off, as it is many citizens’ favorite sport to watch in the colder Alaskan days.

The mushers must start with either sixteen or twelve dogs. Sixteen is the maximum number of dogs the mushers are allowed to have; twelve is the minimum number of dogs they are allowed to have.

The Mayor of Anchorage, Suzanne LaFrance, spoke, “Mushing is Alaska’s state sport, but it’s also an Alaska way of life. The Iditarod brings people together from around the state, and the Lower 48, and reminds us of our connections to rural communities.” This shows why Anchorage is where they kick off the event that many people are eager to see.

Along the Iditarod Trail, there are various stops where the mushers can let their dogs return to Anchorage if they are sick, injured, or tired. By the end of the trail, mushers are allowed to have a minimum of five dogs to officially complete the race.

The people of Alaska are waiting to see how this year’s mushing ends as they hope all thirty-seven teams try their best to cross the finish line. While the teams work hard, they have people cheering them on from all around the world.