ID: Finish Line Interview

If you are asking the question: "Why did Aliy stop in Safety?" she answers it when Emily Schwing from KUAC in Fairbanks conducted a short interview with her just after she finished the race. The Alaska Dispatch caught it on film. Watch it; bring tissues (click the pic below to watch).



Two of my favourite quotes: I asked them (the team) to go and they said "You're crazy! Okay." and "Sure, yeah, hind-sight, blah blah blah. Second's pretty good".

Listening to this interview will give you an idea how close Aliy came to not being able to continue on the race. Their reaching Safety (literally) was the difference between finishing and not. This entire race has been difficult and Aliy told us she kept in mind since Willow a quote from a movie she and Allen saw: "expect the next day to be harder than the last". This conclusion to the race has proven this to be an appropriate catchphrase for this year's race.

I would also recommend you read Joe Runyan's latest post for the Iditarod website. He says "Although she certainly must question her stop in Safety, I would offer that she did exactly the right thing. Conditions were marginal, and in a dog race, prudence is the code. Her 2nd place finish was a triumph."