Small seems to be brought back to Shaktoolik after the team stands Monday morning

NOME, Alaska (KTUU) – Once in the lead of the race, the boy from last year, Iditarod, Nicolas Petit, seems to return to the checkpoint of Shaktoolik Monday night.

Petit's dog team stalled on the ice just outside Shaktoolik for hours on Monday morning before heading to a shelter.

The GPS tracker of the race indicates that Petit has slightly progressed beyond the cabin towards Monday morning, around 11 am, before returning to the cabin. At around 1630, GPS tracking indicated to the Petit team heading south towards Shaktoolik at approximately 1700 hours. The team was moving at about 16.4 mph, depending on the tracker, almost double the average of 7.9 mph on the race.

Petit told crews on Monday Iditarod Insider that a fight in his team and his scream in response had prompted the team to slow down and begin to crawl. After a long rest on the ice, the team headed towards the cabin.

[Dispatches from the Trail: DeeDee on Nicolas Petit’s dog team slowdown]

The Iditarod volunteers at Nome said that they knew no attempt to recover Petit or his team with a snowmobile, but that if Petit's team returned to Shaktoolik, the wind was blowing in their backs , which could explain the 16 mph speed shown on the GPS Plotter.

Race Marshal Mark Nordman said Monday night that he had not received an official message about Little's status at 19:25.

The last update of the GPS was at 17:34. and he showed the Petit team to 7 miles north of Shaktoolik.

The first steps of the team took place just south of where Petit and his team lost track – and head – last year on Norton Bay. That year, Petit and his team skidded and had to turn back, giving Joar Leifseth Ulsom the lead and the final victory.

This year, Petit had led many parts of the race, winning awards for being the first at the Kuskokwim River checkpoint in McGrath, the Yukon River at Anvik and the Gold Coast at Unalakleet.

The three leaders of the race, Pete Kaiser, Joar Leifseth Ulsom and Jessie Royer, entered and exited Koyuk at 14:15, 15:15 and 16:55. respectively.

Although Petit is still officially fourth, having checked with Shaktoolik before the others, GPS tracking indicates that Aliy Zirkle, Jessie Holmes, Mitch Seavey, Travis Beals, Matt Hall, Paige Drobny, Aaron Burmeister and Matt Failor have also bypassed. Small along the trail.