Minnesota
Iditarod 2024 sees first scratch as Minnesota rookie pulls out in Ruby ‘in best interest of team’
RUBY, Alaska (KTUU) – After nearly seven days and close to 500 miles, the first competitor of Iditarod 2024 has scratched, as rookie Erin Altemus pulled out of the race early Sunday morning at the Ruby checkpoint overlooking the Yukon River.
It was a remarkable record for a race that typically sees its first competitor scratch within the first week as mushers make their way through the southern reaches of the Alaska Range.
“I tell people that racing is always the highest highs and lowest of lows, but I’m kinda just riding the challenges,” Altemus said Wednesday in McGrath. “I am not saying it’s low. It’s just — I don’t know.
“I can tell the dogs are just like mentally at their edge, so trying keep them from falling over the edge completely.”
“I am very tired,” Altemus continued. “We were in — where were we last, Nikolai? And I overslept, which I think was good for me. I needed a little sleep, but still falling asleep on the runners a little bit in the last couple hours.”
Altemus is a Grand Marais, Minnesota, musher who had 10 dogs in harness when she arrived in Ruby on Saturday afternoon, all in good health, according to the Iditarod. Altemus officially called it quits at 4:38 a.m. Sunday.
“My very best leader is not wanting to lead, which I have never seen him balk in a race before, so that’s odd,” she said earlier this week. “I was doing a lot of switching around of leaders. You see dogs start funny behaviors this far into a race.
“We’ve done Beargrease (sled dog race) many times and usually it’s like that 250-300 miles where they just start acting real goofy, stopping to go to the bathroom constantly, the whole team will fold up and they’re all looking at each other … ‘C’mon guys, I know you’re not actually that tired. I think you have some reserve left.’”
Altemus, a nurse, has been racing dogs with her husband for 12 years and says she wanted to run Iditarod for many years, but the dream was on hold for a while after the birth of her daughter Sylvia, now six years old.
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It’s Pride Night, presented by adidas, as the Portland Timbers (6th, 7-7-6, 27pts) – unbeaten in their last six matches – host Minnesota United FC (5th, 6-6-5, 29pts) on Saturday night at Providence Park at 7:30pm PT.
Viewing/Broadcast Details
🖥️ TV/Streaming: Live coverage available in English and Spanish on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Enjoy 25% off for the rest of the season when you subscribe today.
Match Details | All You Need To Know ↓
🏳️🌈 Pride Night: Purchase a special Timbers Pride T-shirt! Available only at PTFC Authenics locations at Providence Park, proceeds benefit Wild Diversity and their work to present a personal connection to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color and the LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Additionally, Kourtni Capree Duv will be singing the national anthem as well as joining drag collective Hot Chocolate PDX for a special pregame performance outside Gate F from 5:45pm-6:15pm PT.
The Opponent: Minnesota United FC (5th, 6-6-5, 29pts)
The Loons arrive in the Rose City in need of a result to right their ship. They’re winless in their last four outings and have suffered three straight defeats. In fact, since beating the Timbers on May 18 they have dropped their form into a 1-4-2 stretch over that span. Head coach Eric Ramsay has stuck with a 3-4-3 formation in their last two games, despite not registering a point.
A lot of the finishing responsibility will fall on the shoulders of midfielder Robin Lod as he continues to push The Loons offense with 15 goal contributions (5g, 10a) this season. Canadian striker Tani Oluwaseyi leads the way in scoring with 7 tallies (to go with 4 assists), however he is out on international duty with Canada at the Copa América. In the midfield, winger Joseph Rosales has been a jack-of-all-trades for Minnesota – taking on the left-side of the pitch both offensively and defensively he’s delivered five assists already and leads the team in interceptions per game at 2.7. Ceterbacks Michael Boxall and Miguel Tapias hold the backline with veteran goalkeeper Clint Irwin likely inbetweeen the posts with Dayne St. Clair’s international duty absence.
Notes & Numbers
Home Sweet Home
In their last five matches at Providence Park, the Timbers have become increasingly assertive and are racking up the points. Following the loss to Seattle, the Timbers won two-straight, settled for a draw with Houston, and then defeated Vancouver making Providence Park a home sweet home.
#14
Timbers #14 Jonathan Rodriguez is currently riding an impressive stretch of form. He’s recorded a goal contribution in seven of his last eight matches and nine of his last 11, providing seven goals and three assists.
Since 5/18
The Timbers seem to have turned things around following their defeat at Minnesota in mid-May. Since May 18, Portland is undefeated with a 4-0-2 record with a +6 goal differential to show for and are on their longest unbeaten streak this year.
3+
After 20 matches, the offensive load has been distributed nicely across the Timbers attack. Portland are the only club in MLS with three or more players with eight or more goals this season.
Terrence Shannon was the primary scoring option the past two seasons for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Those will only have to serve as fond memories during his rookie NBA season. He enters as perhaps the third, fourth or even fifth option his first year with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The T-Wolves already have their superstar in guard Anthony Edwards, the No. 1 pick in 2020. So Shannon just wants to learn much as possible. He was drafted No. 27, becoming the Illini’s first player picked in the first round since Meyers Leonard in 2012.
“Ant is an amazing player,” Shannon said. “He’s one of the best two-way players in the NBA. That’s something I’m looking to do. I’m looking to be there right with him, compete with him, lock down the best players in the NBA.”
Edwards had the young Timberwolves two victories from making the NBA Finals. They lost to the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the Western Conference finals. With Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns as the offensive leaders, the Wolves will look for defense and secondary scoring from Shannon in the beginning.
The Wolves drafted Shannon because they feel he could be the missing piece to help them reach the next level.
“I think he’s a three-position defender,” Wolves team president Tim Connelly said. “I think he’s an unbelievably competitive guy. He’s got size. Another downhill guy who’s going to play with pace.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illini Now. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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Twitter: @IlliniNow
Taiyon Coleman has been writing since she was a child. At age eight, she announced to her family that a novel was in the works.
Today, she’s a published author and a professor of literature at St. Catherine University. But the road from there to here wasn’t as straight-forward as you might think.
Coleman joins host Kerri Miller on Big Books and Bold Ideas this week to talk about what happened in the in-between. Some of it is detailed in her new collection of personal essays, “Traveling without Moving: Essays from a Black Woman Trying to Survive in America.”
But the deeper story is held in Coleman’s body, in her voice, in her strength. Don’t miss this vulnerable and moving conversation about mothers and ancestors, writing and truth-telling and the power of being a teacher.
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