March 15, 2006

• It’s not over, but it’s won.

  
  Photo credit:  Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News

  Reaching Nome at 1:11 this morning, Jeff King, the ranger from Denali
  National Park, won the Iditarod for the fourth time.  His time was
  9 days, 11 hours, and 11 minutes.  At 50, he is the oldest musher
  ever to win this race.

  He praised his team and talked about some of the “fun runs” such as the
  stretch out of Takotna when his team was rested and strong and the sky
  was filled with aurora.  Asked when he would start thinking about
  getting ready for next year’s race, he laughed and said, “I was
  thinking about that on the way into town tonight.”

  
  Jeff with lead dogs, Salem on the left,
  
  Bronte on the right.
  
  Photo credit:  Al Grillo, AP

  Jeff
  said that he’s not an athlete; the dogs are the athletes and he’s just
  supposed to train, coach, plan strategy and such.  After the
  bright lights and hoopla in Nome, he went to sleep, but got up again to
  join a much smaller crowd and welcome Doug Swingley at 4:18.

  The latest update I have, at 9:49, shows the following teams in Nome:
  3) Paul Gebhardt
  4) DeeDee Jonrowe
  5) John Baker
  6) Bjornar Andersen

  Out of Safety, on the way to Nome and due to finish within the next three hours:
  7 Ed Iten
  8) Jason Barron
  9) Mitch Seavey
  10) Lance Mackey

  Through White Mountain and on their way to Safety are Aliy Zirkle,
  Jessie Royer, Aaron Burmeister, Sonny Lindner, Cim Smyth, Ken Anderson,
  Ramey Smyth, Melanie Gould, Louis Nelson, Sr., Hugh Neff, and William
  Hanes.

  It looks like the rookie of the year will be one (or  maybe both)
  of the Norwegian husband and wife pair, Tore Albrigtsen and Tove
  Sorensen.  They’re out of Elim in 23rd and 24th place, about two
  and a half hours ahead of another rookie, Mike Jayne. 

  Behind those three leading rookies, in 26th place, is hard-luck
  nine-fingered 4-time Champion Martin Buser.   Leaving Elim
  within six minutes after Marty were Jessica Hendricks and 5-time
  Champion Rick Swenson.

  The pack is strung out along the coast through Koyuk, Shaktoolik and
  Unalakleet, and the last eleven trailing mushers are still on the Yukon
  from Kaltag back through Nulato to Galena, where the Red Lantern, Ben
  Valks, has just checked out.  

  [EDIT, around noon:   jassmine asked:

   Did the girl who was legally blind finish? Judi

  Not even close, but she has moved up a few positions in the last couple
  of days.  She is on the coast between Unalakleet and Shaktoolik,
  in 57th position. 
  
  
  

  • 2:51 pm
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