Aliy Zirkle is a professional dog musher from Alaska who has had much success in long-distance sled dog races. She began mushing for recreation after college but decided in 1998 to make it her career. Some of her accomplishments include winning the Yukon Quest, considered one of the toughest sled dog races, and placing second in the Iditarod race for three consecutive years, setting a personal record in 2014. Zirkle enjoys the outdoors and coffee when not racing dogs.

1. ALIY ZIRKLE
By: Tess Garrett

2. INTRO
 Aliy Zirkle was born in New Hampshire in 1970. Her
child hood was spent in Puerto Rico, New
Hampshire, and Missouri. She went to University of
Pennsylvania and graduated with a degree of
biology. She has lived in Two Rivers, Alaska for the
last sixteen years. When she isn't dog racing she
works for the Untied States Fish and Wild life
service. Plus she really enjoys the outdoors and
coffee.

3. BEGINNING OF DOG RACING
 Aliy Zirkle started riding sled dogs right after
college. At first it was just for fun and to get around
but in 1998 she decided that mushing is what she
wanted to do. That’s when she moved to Two
Rivers, Alaska.

4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 Aliy has competed in and won many short/mid-
distance races. Aliy has also won the Yukon Quest
which is known as “The World’s toughest Sled Dog
Race.” But Aliy’s main focus is on the Iditarod.

5. 2014 IDITAROD
 This year Aliy Zirkle placed 2nd for the third year in a
row. She started with 16 dogs and finished with 10.
She only lost by 2 minutes against Dallas Seavey
but she did set a PR with 8 days 13 hours 6
minutes and 41 seconds. The whole race Aliy
stayed in the top 9. She did awesome!!

7. CONNECTION
 The connection between Gary Paulsen and Ally
Zirkle is that they both love the outdoors and dogs.
Also they both started riding sled dogs just to get
around or to hunt or for fun and it ended up leading
to whole different path in there life.