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Iditarod frontrunners Jeff King and Aliy Zirkle were attacked by a snowmachiner on their way to the Nulato checkpoint Saturday, resulting in the death of one dog and injury to several others, Iditarod race officials wrote in a press release.
In the early hours of Saturday, as Zirkle made her way to Nulato, officials say a snowmachiner "repeatedly tried to harm her and her team." One of Zirkle's dogs was hurt in the attack.
"Reportedly the snowmcahiner made three separate attempts or passes at her including turning around several times," official Danny Seavey said in a video for the Iditarod Insider. "She actually used one of the trail-markers to defend herself - the four-foot pieces of lath out there that are marking the trail."
According to a report by Alaska State Troopers, the snowmachiner attacked Zirkle at one point on the trail and then returned to meet her about 12 miles away from Nulato. "The snow machine revved up and was pointed at her and then finally left the area with no further injuries to Zirkle or her team," Troopers wrote.
Zirkle pulled up to the Nulato checkpoint at about 2:17 a.m. In a video by the Iditarod Insider, when asked how she was by a race official when she pulled into the checkpoint, she responded, "Really bad... really bad. Someone tried to kill me with a snowmachine."
About 12 miles out of Nulato, Jeff King's team was also attacked by a snowmachiner. King was hit from behind and his three-year-old dog, Nash, was killed. Two other dogs, Banjo, 2, and Crosby, 3, were injured, according to race officials although Alaska State Troopers say a total of five of King's dogs were hurt.
A video of King arriving in Nulato at 3:25 a.m. by Iditarod Insider shows King telling race officials that he'd had 'big problems.'
"I was hit by a snowmachine. I have one dead and several hurt," King said.
"King requested and received medical treatment at the checkpoint," Iditarod officials wrote. King did not report any injuries to Alaska State Troopers.
The Nulato public safety officer has identified a suspect and investigations are ongoing, Iditarod officials say.
Both mushers plan to continue the race to Nome.
