Iditarod! Rootin for Newton!

[Nanook]

Never before has a Jamaican dog musher ran the Iditarod! The toughest race on earth...the last great race. And Newton Marshall is ready for the task.

The run through the wilds of Alaska from Anchorage to Nome starts on Saturday! Pre-race activities have been going on all week as well as pre-race publicity.

There are several ways to follow how newton is doing and I'll be updating here as well.

Jamaica Dog Sled Team on facebook


Iditarod site

twitter



(photo credit to Jamaica Dog Sled Team on Facebook)

[Nanook]

Re: Jamaican pride: Marshall's trek to Alaska serves as....

Jamaican pride: Marshall's trek to Alaska serves as inspiration

Newton Marshall trained for sled-dog racing with stray mutts pulling a sled on wheels through the streets of Jamaica.

Now he's poised to begin the grueling Iditarod race across the snow-streaked interior of Alaska, where he faces fierce weather and competition from a world-class field of 70 other mushers. The Iditarod starts Saturday in Anchorage and will cover more than 1,100 miles.

The hope among Marshall's supporters is that he will inspire others who might see his accomplishments and believe they can also do great things.

Singer Jimmy Buffett is among Marshall's strongest supporters. "He's absolutely a hero to kids in Jamaica," Buffett said.

Buffett's Margaritaville restaurants are key sponsors for Marshall's dog-sled team, and the famed songwriter says he did not hesitate to back Marshall after learning of his story. Buffett first heard of the Jamaican after meeting Danny Melville, who runs a family-owned tour business in Jamaica where Marshall was employed as a guide.

"I thought from the beginning it was just very cool what he was doing," Buffett said. "I thought it was so far out there, but it made people smile when they heard about it."

Marshall, who turned 27 Tuesday, once trained with mutts from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals but now runs with some of the best dogs from three-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey's kennel. Marshall has been training with Mackey in Alaska in recent months.

During previous races over the last two years, the Jamaican's mettle has been tested.

"He works very, very hard at his craft," says Chas St. George, spokesman for the Iditarod. "He ran the 2009 Yukon Quest, and as a rookie he finished that race. It's a 1,000-mile race. Many rookies who later on in their careers have run all kinds of races have failed to finish that particular race."

Marshall became the first Jamaican to finish the Yukon Quest, coming in 13th out of a field of 29 mushers.

His journey to the Iditarod began in Edmonton, where Melville was looking for dune buggies for his tourism business.

He spotted a sled with wheels, "and I thought, we could do that, we've got thousands of dogs in Jamaica that have no home," Melville says.

In Jamaica, Marshall was guiding tours and met Shelly Kennedy, a retired school principal from Michigan who moved to Jamaica with her husband. She taught Marshall to read during tutoring sessions after his workday ended.

When Hurricane Ivan threatened Jamaica, Kennedy fled her home with jewelry, cash and other belongings. "All Newton took was his books," she says. "He's motivated, and I think that's the main thing with him."

Melville met Buffett in 2005 and told him about the dog sled on wheels. Buffett recalls how tears came to his eyes when he watched a documentary film about Marshall. "He has some kind of fortitude that is unexplainable," Buffett says.

In the run-up to the Iditarod, Marshall says he's been listening to reggae music while sledding near Fairbanks. His favorite artist is Jamaican Buju Banton.

"One of his songs —All Will Be Fine— that one touched me to the bone," Marshall said. He loves the lyrics:

"Today you're down, comes tomorrow

Chances of rising again seems hollow

Doubt may be in your mind oh, oh give it time

And all will be fine."

Marshall is somewhat concerned about the cold, given that frostbite attacked his nose during a previous race. As the Iditarod approaches, though, "I don't see any big worries. I just can't wait to get there," he says. "I'm planning on finishing the race."



photo and story

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Rootin for Newton!

There are discussion forums here where it might be a fun read while the race is happening. I wonder what the comments will be about Newton!

Iditarod forums

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Rootin for Newton!



Newton has officially made it through the ceremonial start and is ready for the official race start tomorrow!

Last night was the mushers banquet:



The best dressed table...



Newton feeding his dogs after the banquet.





Jamaican Dog Sled Team on Facebook source and more pics...

[halfwaytree]

Re: Iditarod! Rootin for Newton!

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Rootin for Newton!

Yo Milo!

Less than two hours to go!

I'll be watching it live on my subscribed video and share GPS tracking info as the race goes on...

Quote from Newton during an CNN interview...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Marshall's competitive mantra is simple:

&quot;Expect the unexpected. This is the big one, you know. The toughest race on Earth,&quot; he said. </div></div>




Anchorage, Alaska (CNN) -- It's the world's most famous sled dog race, a feat of endurance for mushers and dog teams who must travel across 1,049 miles through some the most unforgiving and extreme terrain on the planet.

It is the Iditarod. Organizers call it the &quot;Last Great Race on Earth,&quot; and only the toughest mushing teams and survivalists need apply.

First-time Iditarod musher Newton Marshall was seen this week taking care of 17 dogs in a hotel parking lot in Anchorage, Alaska. Each dog was chained to Marshall's borrowed kennel pickup, several of them barking to regain their leader's attention.

Marshall, 26, is among 22 rookies on the 2010 Iditarod starting roster of 71 teams, but that's not the reason he made history as the ceremonial start to the race got underway Saturday.

&quot;Hey, mon! ... I'm from Jamaica. I'm running the Iditarod!&quot; Marshall exclaimed while performing the not-so-glorious task of cleaning up after his dog team.

Wait, WHAT? Did he just say Jamaica?

&quot;They look at me and think I'm crazy,&quot; Marshall said with a chuckle. &quot;I'm not supposed to be up here.&quot;

source and more story


<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-size: 8pt">By the way, anyone can become an Iditarod Insider with a subscription if you so choose, via the Iditarod official site.</span></span>

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

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[SistahD]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

Good background and updates!


GO NEWT!!!

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

Here's a shot of Newtons start from the team facebook page...



It was really cute the way Newton did a little dance on his way out of the chute!

[SistahD]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here's a shot of Newtons start from the team facebook page...

It was really cute the way Newton did a little dance on his way out of the chute!

</div></div>


Yeah, I noticed that - surprised the announcer did not comment - went well with their comments about his good nature!

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...




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Jamaican dogsled team seeks Iditarod title, Snausages
Mon Mar 08,2010 10:45 AM ET By Rick Chandler

If you're following the Iditarod, and I'm sure you are, then you know that Newton Marshall is currently in 23rd place as the event enters its third day. That's significant because Marshall is the musher for the Jamaican dogsled team, which sounds totally made up by I assure you it's real. Inspired by the Jamaican bobsled team and, it's my guess, lots and lots of ganja, Mr. Marshall gathered up several mutts from dog shelters on his native island and formed them into a crack dogsled team. He and the pooches have now not only inspired their tiny island, but also singer Jimmy Buffet, who is helping to fund the effort. But as always, the ever-fussy specter of PETA looms.

Video following the jump.

Marshall, 27, was a tour guide in Jamaica when one of his clients saw a dog sled on wheels during a trip to Canada in 2005, and got the idea to train some dogs to pull it with Marshall as the musher. Marshall initially trained with mutts from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but now runs with leased sled dogs from three-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey's kennel (due to local laws, dogs that leave Jamaica cannot come back into the country).

Last winter, Marshall became the first Jamaican to finish the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest, coming in 13th out of a field of 29. This has made him somewhat of a hero in Jamaica.

&quot;I thought from the beginning it was just very cool what he was doing,&quot; Buffett said. &quot;I thought it was so far out there, but it made people smile when they heard about it.&quot;

NBC Sports

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

Interview with Newton this morning at Finger Lake:

click here..

[Leddih]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Interview with Newton this morning at Finger Lake:

click here.. </div></div>


He sounds just like my cousins from St. Elizabeth.

[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

Newton is doing fantastic! He still has all 16 dogs, and is holding his own thus far.

I got cold watching this video, you can hear in the snow how extreme the temps are...

Go Newton!!!

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[Nanook]

Re: Iditarod! Newton's start video...

A little taste of Jamaica is the wilds of Alaska. Newton dancing in his host Lance Mackey's house

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