Matt Hall was actually the first to arrive at Kaltag, to correct yesterday's post (sorry). But I was correct that Hall, even though in the lead, blew right through Kaltag and Jessie Holmes had to stop there to take his mandatory 8-hour rest.
After completing his rest, however, Holmes passed Hall on the trail and was the first to arrive at Unalakleet. Hall made it there some 90 minutes later, and Paige Drobny five hours after that. No one stayed at Unalakleet for long, and as of 6:00 am Alaska time, Holmes and Hall had arrived in Shaktoolik, Holmes arriving 11 minutes before Hall. Neither rested in Shaktoolik and both are currently crossing the frozen Norton Bay (markers on the bay are young spruce trees frozen into holes in the ice) on their way to the Koyuk checkpoint. Drobny is still en route to Shaktoolik.
Mille Porsild has left Kaltag on her way to Unalakleet and is currently in fourth place. Six teams are on the trail behind her, and two are still in Kaltag. Rookie Emily Ford is 13th overall and is still en route to Kaltag. Rookie Bryce Mumford of Idaho dropped out at Grayling on the southbound leg of the loop, citing the best interests of his dogs.
This is getting exciting. After Koyuk, it's only 170 more miles to the finish line, although there's a final, mandatory 8-hour stop along the way at the White Mountain checkpoint. This year's winner seems likely to emerge from the Holmes-Hall-Drobny group currently at the front of the pack. Some veteran Iditarod watchers have stated it appears that Holmes and Drobny are sticking more or less with planned race strategies, while Hall is more reacting to events as they play out and fighting to stay near the lead. This could very well work out for Hall, or Holmes and Drobny's teams could exhaust Hall's dogs as he continues to push while either take their breaks, and leave him with little speed or energy for the final push.
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