1. Iditarod 2015
By Fiona H.

2. Introduction
The Iditarod started because a deadly disease called diphtheria spread through a town in Alaska. The people who were sick needed medicine, FAST.
Diphtheria is a deadly disease that spreads quickly. If people who were sick didn’t get medicine fast they would die.

3. Musher Jodi Bailey Bib Number: 22 46 years old
Born and raised in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Hometown: Chatanika, Alaska

4. Dogs In the Iditarod dogs wear coats, and booties.
Some equipment the dogs had to wear were lines (ropes) to attach the dogs to the sled.
The dogs used in the Iditarod are the Husky, Indian Dog, and Alaskan Malamute.
The musher’s usually start out with 16 dogs.
The dogs have to be very strong to pull the sleds in the Iditarod.

5. Routes & Checkpoints
The routes are different this year because there was not enough snow in Anchorage where they would originally have started.
This year they started in Fairbanks.
The Iditarod always ends in Nome.
This year’s Iditarod was1,048 miles long.
This year there were 19 checkpoints.

6. Awards
PenAir Spirit of Alaska Award- Presented to the first musher to reach McGrath.
GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award- Presented to the first musher to reach the halfway checkpoint which this year was Iditarod.
Wells Fargo Bank Alaska Gold Coast Award- Presented to the first musher to reach the “Gold Coast” community of Unalakleet.
Red Lantern Award- Presented to the last musher to finish.