|
back to
Community Profile
back to home |
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and Iditarod Days Festival
Mushers from around the world compete in "The Last Great Race on Earth," covering more than 1,150 miles of rugged terrain with teams of 12 to 16 dogs. The race is a contest of animal and human endurance and a link to Alaska’s past, when dog sleds were the primary transportation mode. The present-day race is the result of efforts by two well-known and widely-recognized past Wasilla residents: Dorothy Page and Joe Redington, Sr.
Wasilla is home to the Iditarod headquarters and is the official starting point for the race. (The ceremonial start takes place in Anchorage.) The Iditarod Days Festival runs for ten days before the start of the race (First Saturday in March)
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby
The Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce offers more than $20,000 in prizes. The winning fish may be caught anywhere in the Susitna drainages and the Little Susitna River. (May 25 - July 4)
Tesoro Iron Dog 2000
In the world’s longest, most challenging snowmobile race, two-racer teams travel almost 2,000 miles to Nome from the starting point at Wasilla and finish at Fairbanks. Drivers face subzero temperatures, blinding snowstorms, and treacherous terrain in this test of both athletic endurance and mechanical skill. The 2002 winning team, competing in a field of over 30 teams, finished in 38 hours and 46 minutes. (February)
|
