Dave Olesen -- Yellowknife, Northwest Territory Dave Olesen, 38, is self employed pilot, outfitter, author and dog musher. When asked to describe himself, he says, "I’m a Dave of all trades." He began his mushing career in 1978 and after racing and traveling by dog team in the mid 1980’s, he entered his first Iditarod in 1986. He won the sportsmanship award and finished in 31st position. In 1987, he finished 28th and won the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award. He entered the Iditarod again in 1991 and has run every Iditarod since. He has also competed in the John Beargrease in Minnesota several times as well as races all over Canada. Dave is a member of the Canadian Owners & Pilots Association and enjoys flying, hiking, bird watching and running. He is married to Kristen and credits her for being patient and supportive of his training and racing. Dave says, "There is a Chinese proverb, ‘you can climb a hundred mountains, or you can climb the same mountain a hundred times.’ Running the Iditarod each year is now, for me a way to test myself and my dogs, to see friends, to travel and spend winters in a way I truly enjoy and when (not if) I win, the prize money will put me in a sailboat somewhere off the coast of Tahiti."

Tim Osmar, Kasilof, Alaska Tim and wife Tawny have two children, Nicole, 6, and David, 4. They make their home in Kasilof where Tim is a commercial fisherman. Tim was born in Alaska 28 years ago. He grew up with Alaska traditions and values. He began mushing in 1979 and won the Jr. Iditarod three times. In 1985 at the age of 18, still the youngest musher to ever compete in the Iditarod, his 13th place finish made him the youngest musher in the world of top contenders. Since then he has run eight more Iditarods. He ran the Yukon Quest in 1986 and finished third. Tim’s father, Dean, won the Idtairod in 1984. Tim is hoping to be the second son of an Iditarod winner to be an Iditarod winner.