March 20, 1985 Libby Riddles Is the First Woman to Win the Iditarod

March 20, 1985 Libby Riddles is the First Woman to Win the Iditarod

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual dogsled race held in Alaska. The route is laid out between Anchorage and Nome, with mountains and frozen waterways to cross. In 1985, Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the Iditarod. Below is a map of Alaska. There are two trails that the Iditarod follows—one in even years and one in odd years. Draw the trails on the map. Then, move on to the multiple choice questions and the Iditarod game that follow.

Underline the answer that correctly completes each statement.

1. The Iditarod covers a course that is approximately ______long.

a. 954 miles (1,535 km) b. 1,100 miles (1,770 km) c. 76 miles (122 km)

2. The Iditarod grew from a short race of about ______long.

a. 12 miles (19 km) b. 15 miles (24 km) c. 25 miles (40 km)

3. The original planners of the Iditarod were Dorothy G. Page and ______.

a. Dick Wilmarth b. Joe Redington, Sr. c. Carl Huntington

4. The race is in remembrance of a run made in 1925 to get serum to fight a ______epidemic in Nome during a blizzard.

a. diphtheria b. measles c. flu

5. The race to get the serum to Nome was called the Great Race of ______to Nome.

a. Love b. Assistance c. Mercy

6. The original Iditarod Trail was designated a national historic ______in 1978.

a. Landmark b. Trail c. Park

7. The original name of the Iditarod was the Iditarod Trail ______Memorial Race, after the principal musher of the serum run.

a. Seppala b. Swenson c. Peters

8. In the beginning, the race was an event that took about ______days.

a. 45 b. 15 c. 20

9. The first woman to win the Iditarod four times was ______.

a. Susan Butcher b. Libby Riddles c. Dot Page

10. In 1997, Joe Reddington, Sr. completed his nineteenth running of the Iditarod, finishing in 36th place, at the age of ______.

a. 50 b. 60 c. 80

What you need: game board, two markers, and a six-sided die or a spinner with numbers 1-6

How to play: The Iditarod is a long, challenging race. See if you and your dogs can win. Each player, on their turn, rolls the die or spins the spinner and checks the list below for instructions. The first player to reach the end wins!

1. Off to a good start. Move ahead one space. 2. It’s still early in the race. Slow down and don’t push too hard. Move back one space while you take good care of your teammates. 3. You are in sight of taking over third place. Move ahead two spaces while you close the gap. 4. That last burst of energy was enough for one day. Move back two spaces while you feed your sled dogs. 5. You and your sled dogs are getting awfully tired as you continue your journey. Move back three spaces while you give everyone a good rest. 6. The finish line is in sight! Move ahead three spaces as your sled dogs feel the urge to finish.

1. b. 1,100 miles (1,770 km) 2. c. 25 miles (40 km) 3. b. Joe Redington, Sr. 4. a. diphtheria 5. c. Mercy 6. b. Trail 7. a. Seppala 8. c. 20 9. a. Susan Butcher 10. c. 80