Around 2000 dogs participate in sled dog race in Alaska

The sounds of barking dogs filled downtown Anchorage as the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicked off. It's the world's most famous sled dog race. Mushers from around the world gathered for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. About 2,000 dogs belonging to 72 mushers waited their turn _ some more patiently and less vocally than others _ to hit the trail this year. The race spans nearly 1,000 miles of Alaska wilderness, including the last stretch when the teams battle the frozen Bering Sea coast en route to the finish line in the community of Nome.