The regular entry period for the 2007 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race has closed with 33 mushers signed up for the 1,600-kilometre trail.

'The field is so diverse,' Stephen Reynolds, the Quest's manager on the Canadian side, said in an interview Wednesday afternoon.

'It's going to be exciting and it's going to be something that's fun to watch.

Lance Mackey, the 2005 and 2006 Quest winner, three-time champion Hans Gatt, two-time title holder John Schandelmeier and Quest legend Frank Turner, who won in 1995 and took a year-long break from the 2006 run, will all be returning for 2007.

The number of champions returning is very interesting, said Reynolds.

'Some of them are rather prolific champions.'

The ages of the mushers range from 19-year-old Kiara Adams to Turner at 59.

There are 15 rookies signed up for the race and 18 veterans. Among the returning veterans to the race are some big names.

William Kleedehn, who placed third this year and finished only eight minutes behind Mackey in 2005, will run again.

Hugh Neff, who was forced to withdraw at the Dawson City layover and said he would not be returning to the Quest, has also put his name forward.

Alaskan David Dalton, one of the grandfathers of the race, having run the Quest 16 times, will again strive toward his personal quest of not retiring from the race until he does win.

Local musher Gerry Willomitzer will also return for another try, after executing a three-year plan that saw him push his standings from 12th to fifth place in his previous runs on the trail.

Veteran musher Mark Stamm will also be back in 2007 after having not run the race since 1988.

Other faces from the past include: David Sawatzky, who last ran the ran in 2001; Tom Benson, who hasn't run since 2004; Catherine Pinard, who withdrew her name from the 2006 race before reaching the starting line after a poor training season; and Peter Ledwidge, who took a break from the 2006 race.

Fifteen of the mushers from the 2006 race will return for the 2007 trail.

Adams and Yuka Honda, who were forced to scratch from the race following their rescue by a Black Hawk helicopter off of the 1,105-metre Eagle Summit after whiteout conditions stranded them on the mountain, will attempt the Quest again.

Russ Bybee, who scratched at Mile 101, will also return for 2007, as will Kyla Boivin, who withdrew in Pelly Crossing after back problems left her feeling unable to do the hilly return loop to the year's adjusted finish line in Dawson.

Rookie of the Year Richie Beattie and Red Lantern winner Regina Wycoff will also again be hitting the trail, as will veterans Kelley Griffin and Michelle Phillips.

Two Quest 300 mushers, winner Brent Sass and Bob McAlpin will also be joining this year's race.

There are 10 Canadians signed up for the race and seven women.

Of those registered to run the Quest, 15 have also completed the Anchorage-to-Nome Iditarod trail. Among them is Paul Ellering, who ran the trail in 2005 as the visual interpreter for Rachel Scdoris.

'It's quite a different field than those who follow the Yukon Quest are used to seeing,' said Reynolds.

The lineup for the 2007 race is rounded out with rookies Benedikt Beisch, Aaron Burmeister, Devan Currier, Michael 'Shane' Goosen, William Hanes, J.T. Hessert, Mike Jayne and Greg Parvin.

It's a good field, a good variety,' said Reynolds. 'We've got mushers from every walk of life and the whole age range.'

But with the late registration period open until Jan. 10, Reynolds said, there may still be a few more names added to the list before the teams head to the Feb. 10 starting line in Whitehorse.

The Quest decided to extend the application period this year, with an additional $1,000-fee, to allow mushers unsure about if they would be able to run the race some extra time to decide.

'Some haven't been able to make a good decision about joining the race before Christmas in the past,' said Reynolds.

Changing weather conditions or an additional sponsor may help a musher decide it's feasible for them to run the race, he said, and the extra time keeps the window of opportunity open.

The Quest is generally pleased with the numbers for the 2007 starting line, said Reynolds.

This year, only 22 mushers left the starting chute in Fairbanks, Alaska. After the brutal conditions that included blizzard-like and whiteout situations on the Alaska side, an air rescue of five mushers off of Eagle Summit and a race reroute that saw the finish line move to Dawson, only 11 raced to the finish line.

The interest of returning mushers this year is 'absolutely good news' for the race, said Reynolds.

The higher numbers for this year's Quest are directly related to the increase in the race's purse money, he added.

It is the first boost the purse has seen since 1997.

The prize money rose by $75,000 US with a total of $200,000 US available.

The winner of the race will be taking home $40,000. The amount is $10,000 more than the previous $30,000-award for first place.

Second place will receive $30,000, up from $24,000, while the third finisher will take home $22,000 rather than the previous award of $18,000.

The rules have also been changed to see anyone who reaches the finish line receive $1,000. The amount is just short of the approximately $1,250-entry fee.

The total money available is now 60 per cent larger than this year.

The new money made several mushers who indicated they would not be returning for 2007 to 'take a serious second look' at the race, said Reynolds.

Among those who said they may not be returning after the rocky 2006 were Gatt, Kleedehn, Willomitzer and Neff.

The return of the mushers is a show of support for the race, said Reynolds.

The Yukon government put $50,000 toward the purse increase, but the whole of the new purse money hasn't yet been secured.

Reynolds said several local sponsors have agreed to return to the race and others have upped their donations. However, it had been hoped to secure some new large sponsors at a national level.

There are still discussions occurring. While the race isn't expecting any new money to be forth coming for the 2007 Quest, it is hoped there will be some for the 25th anniversary run in 2008, said Reynolds.

For now, the Quest has turned to plan B on raising the money and is again hosting a raffle for a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 quad-cab 4x4 diesel, a 12-day cruise package with Holland America and a dogsledding adventure package.

It was the raffle of a Hummer leading into the 2006 race that helped the Quest defer $27,000 in extra expenses on the Canadian side alone, collected due to the unexpected circumstances on the trail.

The raffle netted approximately $63,000 for the race.

If the 2007 raffle still doesn't raise enough for the elevated purse, there is a plan C in the works and the money will definitely be in the pot, said Reynolds.

For now, the focus is on preparing the logistics of the race and looking at the trail.

The race will definitely start out of downtown Whitehorse, whatever the weather conditions, said Reynolds. He added with the cold snap in November, the traditional route looks good to go for now.

'I hope no one is complaining in January about cold weather or lots of snow,' he said.