Small but mighty crowd cheers on Iditarod finish amid coronavirus concerns

KTVA ^ | March 18, 2020 | Heather Hintze

[Morgana]

There was a noticeably different vibe at the finish line of the 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as spectators waited for winner Thomas Waerner.

“It’s very quiet. You don’t feel the energy as much just because everyone is not crowding around and able to cheer them in,” said Samantha Robler, who’s lived in Nome for three years.

Because of concerns about the novel coronavirus, the City of Nome canceled Iditarod-related activities and urged people not to come into town. Still, a few hundred people ended up lining Front Street as the Norwegian musher crossed under the burled arch.

Robler was watching the race with her father, Paul Kleindienst from Pennsylvania, who’s been in Alaska for several weeks.

Seeing the Iditarod was on his bucket list and he wasn’t worried about COVID-19 putting a damper on his plans.

“I, you know, came up before all this hit and nothing’s in Nome yet so I’m not really too concerned,” Kleindienst said.

Race officials pared down personnel at the finish and asked mushers to limit their handlers.

Big Lake musher Kelly Maxiner’s wife, Margaret Maixner, came as his handler. She said as a nurse practitioner, it’s a decision she supports.

“I think that the people in Nome are at a really high risk if they were to be highly exposed to COVID. I am sad it’s not this normal party atmosphere in Nome because I usually look forward to that and bring my family and all my children. We have a wonderful week together but I understand this is the way things are and I’m ready to do my part,” Maixner said.