Roger Dahl, Alta, Norway Forty-four year old Roger Dahl was born and raised in Norway. An investigator in the Norwegian police department, Roger has been working with sled dogs since 1977 and has dreamed of running the Iditarod ever since. Roger was born in the same area of northern Norway that Leonhard Seppala came from. And his grandfather married a woman from the Seppala family. He says, "The Seppala’s adventures became part of our family history and it is a therefore a great opportunity for me to follow in his footsteps." Roger has competed in the FinnmarkslÆepet nine times and has been its race director for many years. He won the race in 1992. Roger will not bring his own dogs to Alaska for the Iditarod. He plans to stay with Jeff King and do his final training with dogs from Jeff’s kennel. He says, "Hopefully my 20 years of experience will help me to make a team of the dogs and me. And I certainly will do what I can to bring me and the team to Nome. And I will do it in the spirit of Leonhard Seppala." Roger is married and the father of a 14 year old. He says when he’s not spending time with his family or his dogs, he enjoys canoeing.

Jim Davis, Palmer, Alaska Jim Davis was born on Christmas Eve in 1948 in Pennsylvania. He came to Alaska in 1981 to be a teacher and is employed as a special education teacher by the Mat-Su Borough School District, currently teaching at Wasilla Middle School. Jim began mushing in 1989 while helping his friend Peter Kelly train for the Iditarod. Jim is married to Nancy Marty, a pre-school teacher and together they have a kennel of 30 dogs. Jim says, "My wife and I work together with our dogs. She is a great asset to me and the dogs. Without her help, getting to the starting line would be a lot harder." Jim has participated in the Knik 200, the Copper Basin 300 and the Kobuk 440. He says running the Iditarod in 1992 taught him a lot about himself and he looks forward to his second effort. He lists ocean kayaking and mushing as his hobbies.