ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — There is another dramatic change for the Iditarod this year. Officials on Friday announced that the cfan-favorite ceremonial start for the world’s most famous sled dog race has been canceled over crowd-size concerns during the pandemic. The event usually draws large crowds to downtown Anchorage, where beer and food tents line city streets. Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach says they take the health and well-being of the racers, volunteers, staff and spectators very seriously. The race has been shortened this year, and it will start and finish north of Anchorage instead of having the finish line in Nome. There will be limited areas for spectators for the race’s start and end, and fans are encouraged to watch on television.
