Kristy Berington waits on the Innoko River for her sister, Anna Berington, after they both left Shageluk, Alaska, during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 9, 2019. The winner is expected mid-week at the finish line in Nome. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A Frenchman continues to lead the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Nicolas Petit was the first musher Saturday to leave the checkpoint at Eagle Island, about 592 miles (953 kilometers) into the 1,000 mile (1609 kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness to Nome.
Petit, who was last year's runner-up, now lives in Girdwood, Alaska, a town known more for downhill skiing than mushing. Girdwood is about 40 miles south of Anchorage.
He left about five hours of ahead of the defending champion, Norwegian Joar Ulsom, and Alaskan Pete Kaiser. Seven other mushers also have left Eagle Island.
Every musher must take an eight-hour break at a checkpoint somewhere along the Yukon River. Among the top three, Petit and Ulsom have already taken that mandatory rest, but Kaiser has not.
Veteran mushers Emily Maxwell of Iowa City, Iowa, and Marcelle Fressineau of Whitehorse, Canada, left the race Saturday, citing concerns about the health of their race teams.
Musher Ramey Smyth approaches Shageluk, Alaska, as rain falls and some sun hits the area during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Friday, March 8, 2019. The winner is expected mid-week at the finish line in Nome. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
The Associated Press
Matt Hall and his team reach Eagle Island, Alaska, during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Nicolas Petit was the first musher Saturday to leave the checkpoint at Eagle Island, about 592 miles (953 kilometers) into the 1,000 mile (1609 kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness to Nome. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
The Associated Press
Paige Drobny works with her team at the checkpoint at Eagle Island, Alaska, on the Yukon River during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Every musher must take an eight-hour break at a checkpoint somewhere along the Yukon River. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
The Associated Press