Cim Smyth of Big Lake, Alaska, drives his dog team along the Campbell Creek Airstrip during the ceremonial start of the 2014 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 1, 2014.
Nearly 70 competitors from around the world have begun a grueling race across the remote icy wilderness of Alaska for a chance to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The sled drivers, known as mushers, and their team of dogs kicked off the 41st annual edition of the Iditarod Sunday with a ceremonial ride through the city of Anchorage. The teams then traveled to Willow, a community located 80 kilometers north of Anchorage, where the race officially began.
Over the next several days, the teams will brave bitter freezing cold and isolation as they sled across the Alaska tundra towards the finish line in the town of Nome, located along the Bering Sea -- a distance of about 1,600 kilometers, with several checkpoints along the way. The winning team is expected to arrive in nine days, with many teams taking several more days to reach the finish line.
The race was organized to pay tribute to Alaska's sled dog culture, which was the primary form of transportation and delivery of goods in the remote U.S. northwestern state before the advent of snowmobiles and airplanes, and to preserve the historical Iditarod Trail between Seward and Nome.
The winner of the race receives $50,400 and a new truck.
The defending champion is 54 year old Mitch Seavey, the oldest winner ever.
The Iditarod
1/7Kristy Berington's dogs cool off with their tongues out during the official restart of the Iditarod dog sled race in Willow, Alaska, March 2, 2014.
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2/7Sonny Lindner's team heads into the woods after all the other teams during the official restart of the Iditarod dog sled race in Willow, Alaska, March 2, 2014.
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3/7The lead dogs of musher Brent Sass race down 4th Avenue at the ceremonial start to the Iditarod dog sled race in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, March 2, 2013.
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4/7Musher Danny Seavey and team drop onto a lake on the way to Nome just after the official restart to the Iditarod dog sled race in Willow, Alaska, March 2, 2014.
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5/7Norwegian Robert Sorlie greets fans as he leaves the start chute during the official restart of the Iditarod dog sled race in Willow, Alaska, March 2, 2014.
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6/7Justin Savidis dogs await lineup in the musher lot before the official restart of the Iditarod dog sled race in Willow, Alaska, March 2, 2014.
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7/7Musher Jason Mackey embraces one of his sled dogs before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod dog sled race in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, March 1, 2014.
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