07 Mar 2004 01:18 UTC
Dog sled drivers, called "mushers," from nine U.S. states and four countries make up the field of 87 teams taking part in the 32nd running of the race that will take them from Anchorage to the northwestern town of Nome. The race takes about nine days.
The Iditarod marks the time in February 1925, when couriers raced dog teams more than 1,000 kilometers to deliver medicine to Nome to prevent an epidemic of diphtheria threatening the icebound gold mining town.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
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The 1,700 kilometer Iditarod dog sled race began Saturday in Anchorage, Alaska.
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Competitors this year include two four-time winners and one three-time champion. The defending champion Robert Sorlie of Norway is not competing.
