Large field primed for last great race: a record-breaking 93 mushers will race in the 32nd running of the Iditarod.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska This Month

Winter conditions prevail and an impressive roster of heavy hitters are ready for the 2004 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, with the makings of a record-setting sports event, complete with the local, national and international attention for which it is known.

A record-breaking 76 mushers, including four Iditarod champions who have laid claim to 16 of 31 crowns, signed up to run the 2004 Iditarod on the first day that the Iditarod Trail Committee accepted entries.

"We're excited about this year's race," said Stall Hooley, executive director of the Iditarod Trail Committee. "We've got a really competitive field." Leading the way are race champions Rick Swenson (five wins), Dong Swingley (four wins), Martin Buser (four wins) and Jeff King (three wins).

By late January, when race entries were closed, officials said there were 93 mushers, a record field preparing for the famous race. Barring late scratches, it appears there will be a lot to see once the race starts.

The 32nd running of the Iditarod will get under way on Saturday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. in downtown Anchorage. From Anchorage to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher will cover more than 1,150 miles in 10 to 17 days.

Joanne Potts, race director for the Iditarod, said organizers were busy making trail preparations that will continue through the opening of the race, as well as seeking volunteer help.

"We're getting ready for food drops. We're getting volunteer applications. There's a lot going on right now," the veteran race organizer said. "We're really happy about the conditions."

Now known as "The Last Great Race on Earth," the event has won worldwide acclaim and interest. German, Spanish, British, Japanese and American film crews have covered the event. Journalists from outdoor magazines, adventure magazines, newspapers and wire services flock to Anchorage and Nome to record the...