Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Thursday 19 March 2020
Norwegian musher achieves boyhood dream, wins Iditarod race

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) here and do the race."
— As a young boy grow- Waerner became the sec-
ing up in Norway, Thomas ond Norwegian musher
Waerner spent idle hours in the last three years and
thinking long and hard third this century to win the
about two different kinds of race. Joar Leifseth Ulsom
iconic American modes of won in 2018 and Robert
transportation: muscle cars Sorlie took titles 2003 and
and the sled dogs in the Idi- 2005.
tarod. All three Norwegians
Waerner, 47, made one earned Rookie of the Year
of those dreams reality on honors before winning.
Wednesday, winning the Waerner encouraged oth-
nearly 1,000-mile (1,609-ki- er Norwegian mushers to
lometer) Iditarod Trail Sled follow in their footsteps.
Dog Race across Alaska. "This is a great race you can
He took a commanding do," he said. "Just start train-
lead in the late stages of ing."
the race and held a five- Warner's victory was also
hour advantage over the a moment of pride for the
next closest musher, three- Anchorage Sons of Norway
time champion Mitch chapter. Members consid-
Seavey. Thomas Waerner, of Norway, arrives in Nome, Alaska, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, to win the ered throwing a banquet
"This is awesome," Waerner Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. in his honor at a lodge, but
said after winning the race. Associated Press restrictions put into place
"This is something special." by the city over fears of the
Waerner took his dog team But fans didn't employ so- fore handing out treats. the Year honors. Wearner coronavirus derailed those
over mountain ranges, on cial distancing as they He called K2 "an amazing last year won the 745-mile plans.
the frozen Yukon River and poured out of bars and dog." (1,200-kilometer) Finnmark- "We are super excited,"
across treacherous Bering hotels to cheer Waerner as "He has this inside engine slopet, the longest sled dog said Lise Falskow, the Nor-
Sea ice to the finish line he drove the team off the that never stops," Waerner race in Europe. wegian honorary consul in
on Nome's main street in 9 Bering Sea ice and down said. As an 11-year-old boy in Alaska
days, 10 hours, 37 minutes Nome's Front Street to the Bark is the tough one, the Norway, he read mush- "Whenever a Norwegian
and 47 seconds. finish line just after 12:30 winning musher said. ing magazines touting the is involved in the Iditarod,
The race started March 8 a.m. "He's the one just charg- achievements of some of it's something that we all
north of Anchorage and He will earn a minimum of ing through everything. the Iditarod's most famous rally behind and get very
was one of the few sport- $50,000 and a new pickup It doesn't matter what mushers of that era. Their excited because the Nor-
ing events in the U.S. that truck for winning the race. comes, he will just go ranks included the race's wegians, they're tough and
wasn't canceled because The actual cash amount through it, storms or what- only five-time winner, Rick they're determined and
of the new coronavirus. will depend on how many ever," Waerner said. So Swenson, and a four-time like Alaskans, they don't shy
The Iditarod encouraged mushers finish the race, they two together are an winner, the late Susan away from the Iditarod,"
fans not to travel to Nome a factor in how the prize amazing team." Butcher, who in the 1985 she said.
for the finish as the city money is divvied out. Waerner, who began race had to fight off an an- Waerner lives in Torpa, Nor-
closed public buildings to Waerner immediately mushing in 1984, won the gry moose with an axe af- way, with his wife, Guro.
help prevent the spread of thanked the 10 dogs in har- Iditarod in only his second ter it killed two of her dogs. She is a veterinarian who
the coronavirus. Events like ness, petting and rubbing attempt. Waerner told reporters at helps out with their kennel.
the musher's banquet were each dog, ending his with He finished 17th in 2015, the finish line that it was al- He also owns an electrical
postponed. lead dogs K2 and Bark be- when he earned Rookie of ways his "dream to come business.q

Roger Mayweather, boxer

and trainer, dies at 58

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Roger of the ring," Mayweather ba," held titles at 130 and
Mayweather, a former said. "Roger was a great 140 pounds in a pro career
world champion who also champion and one of the that spanned 72 fights.
trained his nephew Floyd best trainers in boxing. Un- A native of Grand Rap-
Mayweather Jr., has died fortunately, his health was ids, Michigan, he fought
at the age of 58. failing him for several years such names as Julio Cesar
Floyd Mayweather an- and now he can finally rest Chavez and Pernell Whita-
nounced the death in a in peace. Roger meant ker and was 59-13 with 35
statement on Tuesday. the world to me, my father knockouts in an 18-year In this April 28, 2010, file photo, Roger Mayweather, speaks dur-
Roger Mayweather had Floyd Sr., my uncle Jeff, our career that began in 1981. ing a news conference in Las Vegas.
been ill with diabetes and whole family, everyone Mayweather was a colorful Associated Press
other long-term health is- in and around the May- figure in the boxing world,
sues. weather Boxing Gym and winning titles but gaining of Floyd Mayweather's big- weather's children, was
"My uncle was one of the the entire boxing world." more notoriety later as a gest fights. found dead in her car in
most important people in Mayweather, whose nick- trainer for his nephew. He Last week, Josie Harris, the front of her house in Valen-
my life inside and outside name was the "Black Mam- was in the corner for some mother of three of May- cia, California.q