Lance Mackey, one of mushing’s most colorful and accomplished champions who also suffered from health and drug issues, has died.

Musher Brent Sass is maintaining his lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and was the first to arrive at the checkpoint in Kaltag early Saturday.

And they're off to Nome.

Fans, dogs and mushers have returned in droves to downtown Anchorage in the midst of a snowstorm for Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race's ceremonial start.

Defending champion Dallas Seavey could make history in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Dallas Seavey poses with his dogs after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race race near Willow, Alaska, early Monday, March 15, 2021. Seavey on Monday collected his fifth Iditarod title, winning the pandemic-shortened race by more than three hours over second-place musher Aaron Burmeister. He matched the record of five wins by Rick Swenson, known as the King of the Iditarod for picking up those titles from 1977-91. Seavey said he didn’t allow himself to think about a fifth win on the trail because he didn’t want to jinx it. He said he holds no animosity toward the Iditarod and said the entire Seavey family loves the race and what it means to Alaska.

FILE -bIn this Oct. 15, 2019, file photo, Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach poses for a photo in Anchorage, Alaska. Urbach is encouraging fans to watch the race start and finish live on TV or on the Internet. AdHe said he told Redington before the first Iditarod in 1973: “There’s nobody in Iditarod. AdUrbach has had challenges at every turn as he tries to pull off the second Iditarod during the coronavirus pandemic. The next year, the Iditarod reversed its decision and cleared Seavey, but he took his dogs to Norway to race instead.

Thomas Waerner, of Norway, arrives in Nome, Alaska, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The 2021 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be about 140 miles (225 kilometers) shorter than normal as a result of complications stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Facial coverings and social distancing will be mandated at checkpoints, according to race officials. The Iditarod is scheduled to start on March 6, 2021, in Anchorage, with a restart scheduled for Willow the next day. Race officials said they would soon announce the finalized details about where exactly in Willow the race will start and begin.