The Yukon Quest is pleased to announce a new way for fans to connect with their favorite Yukon Quest mushers.

The "Official Starter” program will allow fans to bid on the chance to receive an official starters package, which consists of the following:

– One ticket to the start banquet to join your musher's table.

– Access pass to the staging area pre-race to watch (help) your musher prepare.

– Ride to the start line with your musher (Either on the runners or a volunteer snow machine).

– Autographed poster signed by your musher.

– Picture at start line holding sled with your musher in the start chute.

– Name read by announcer at Start.

Bidding is now open at yukonquest.com and will continue until Feb. 1 at 12 p.m. PST. The minimum bid is $100 and bid increases are in increments of $25. Full auction details are available at www.yukonquest.com/site/auction/ and bids will be updated on this page four times daily.

"We're thrilled to have so many mushers participating in this program,” said Marti Steury, Executive Director of the Yukon Quest International Limited (Alaska). "This new program is great for fans and we hope to make this an annual auction.”

Fans can bid on Official Starter packages with the following mushers:

Ken Anderson, Cindy Barrand, Normand Casavant, Josh Cadzow, Dave Dalton, Katie Davis, Sam Deltour, Peter Fleck, Hans Gatt, Kelly Griffin, Jocelyn LeBlanc, Jason Mackey, Lance Mackey, Hugh Neff, Jen Raffaeli, Brent Sass, Ramey Smyth, Zack Steer and Abbie West.

Individuals and businesses can also have their name on the bib of a musher as they cross the finish line in Whitehorse. A $500 sponsorship provides businesses with their name on the front and back of a musher's bib.

Sponsors will get a specific bib number assigned rather than a specific musher. Mushers will draw their bib number at the Start Banquet in Fairbanks on Feb. 3.

More information on the complete benefits can be found at www.yukonquest.com/site/bib . To become a sponsor, fill out the form online or contact Wendy Morrison, Executive Director by email at yukonquest@polarcom.com or by phone at 867-668-4711.

Submitted by the Yukon Quest Society.