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SPORTS A21
Wednesday 16 March 2016
Dallas Seavey has knack for winning Iditarod with few dogs
4 minutes, 19 seconds. His friends,” Mitch Seavey said, “It requires stiff competi-
only loss during the past reiterating how proud he tion. Without that compe-
five years was to his father, is of his son’s accomplish- tition, you’re not going to
Mitch Seavey, who won in ments. push the team that will al-
2013. “It’s an interesting dynamic low them to break the re-
Mitch Seavey took second to be the biggest competi- cord,” he said. If his father
place in this year’s race, tors and best friends at the wasn’t within minutes of his
coming in just after his son same time,” he said. team, he said he wouldn’t
early Tuesday morning. Dallas Seavey said his re- have urged them along as
The Seaveys are close, but cord breaking run had to hard as he did.
also competitive. have three elements, a The 2016 Iditarod will partly
“Win or lose the race or not phenomenal dog team, a be remembered for an at-
doesn’t change the fun- very good trail and the final tack on two mushers on the
damentals of our relation- element was a nod to his trail near the checkpoint in
ship — that as family and father. Nulato.
Dallas Seavey poses with his lead dogs Reef, left, and Tide after
finishing the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Tuesday, March 15,
2016, in Nome, Alaska. Seavey won his third straight Iditarod, for
his fourth overall title in the last five years.
Associated Press
MARK THIESSEN you to Nome quickly,” he
Associated Press said. “It was a concern, but
NOME, Alaska (AP) — Dal- not a showstopper.”
las Seavey did more with Seavey completed the
less this year at the Iditarod nearly 1,000-mile race in a
Trail Sled Dog Race. record time of 8 days, 11
He set a record pace early hours, 20 minutes, 16 sec-
Tuesday morning when he onds. He arrived in Nome
won his third straight Iditar- at 2:20 a.m.
od and fourth race in the He said at the finish that
last five years. And he did it he spent the first two-thirds
with just six dogs, after start- of the race “dead on my
ing the race nearly 1,000 feet” and had never been
miles across Alaska with 16. so tired.
No other musher this year “This was a heck of a trip,
has fewer dogs. all the way from the start.
And the record Seavey It was up and down,” said
beat? It was the one he set Seavey, who picked up
in 2014, when he brought $75,000 and a new pickup
only seven dogs into Nome. for winning the race.
“The key is always to run The Iditarod started March
the dogs you have, on the 6 in Willow, about 50 miles
trail you have, the best way north of Anchorage, and
you can moving forward,” took mushers across two
Seavey said. mountain ranges, down
This year a virus hit two of the mighty Yukon River and
his dogs hard, and he said along the wind-scoured
it was apparent on the first Bering Sea coast.
day of the race he’d have Eighty-five mushers began
to drop them. One, a dog the race, but 12 have so
named Hero who led him far scratched, including
to Nome last year, hurt the four-time champion Lance
most, he said. Mackey. He dropped out
Worry set in when he lost Monday, citing personal
two more dogs. health concerns.
“Then you try to formulate a Seavey’s record time beat
plan using those elements his previous record set in
that might be able to get 2014 of 8 days, 13 hours,
