...pleased that the Idita-rider program managed to generate $81,000 in bids this year. Iditarod executive director Stan Hooley said that given the terrorist attacks and a faltering Lower 48 economy, fund-raising problems were anticipated...

...to be worked out. "Where during a race (we will test) has not yet been finalized," Iditarod Executive Director Stan Hooley said. "It might be random. It might be a group of mushers at a specific checkpoint." This is an intriguing development...

...race promises to be ultra-competitive again - pretty hard to crack that top 30 for a newcomer," said race director Stan Hooley. The deadline for signup was Wednesday. As of Thursday morning, 65 mushers had completed entries and four others...