March 10 9:30 a.m. Iditarod

March 10, 2018 9:30 a.m. Grayling has been shedding mushers like a bad case of dandruff with 17 mushers having left the town since this morning's earlier report and 8 more checking in. Aliy Zirkle has moved up to 11^th and the rookie Matt Hall has moved up to 13^th a little more

than an hour behinds Zirkle. Since 1975 no rookie has won the Iditarod and the highest place finish for a rookie after 1975 was Harold Sutherland in 1976 who finished third. Given the experience and skill of the three leaders doubtful Matt could beat Sutherland’s record. The mushers out of Grayling are heading toward Kaltag, 346 miles from Nome with the temperature at 13 degrees with a 7 mph wind and light snow with an expected high of 20 degrees and an expected low next morning of 6 degrees. Anna Berington is in 30^th out of Anvik and her win Kristy is in 40th place out of Iditarod. Rookie Emily Maxwell has moved up from 40^th to 36^th still in Shageluk. Tom Schonberger is still in last place and the number of racers who have quit remains at 3. Look for another update this evening.