FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MITCH SEAVEY FIRST INTO UNALAKLEET – WINS WELLS FARGO GOLD COAST AWARD

Nome, Alaska – Sunday, March 10, 2013 – Mitch Seavey (Bib# 36) of Seward, Alaska arrived into Unalakleet as the leader in the 2013 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race at 10:13 Alaska Time.  Seavey arrived into Unalakleet with 11 dogs, and was greeted by a crowd of race fans. Seavey’s run from Kaltag to Unalakleet earned him the Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award.

The Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award includes a beautiful gold cup and $2,500 (1.5 ounces) in gold nuggets. Seavey was presented the award and gold nuggets by Greg Deal, Area President over Western Alaska based out of Kodiak and Scott A. Johnson, Area President over Northwest Alaska including Nome and Kotzebue.

The gold nuggets are local Nome gold nuggets from Anvil Creek and were purchased from longtime resident and gold miner, Jim Hanson.  There is a perpetual trophy that resides at the Nome Wells Fargo Branch for this award.

Unalakleet is located on the coast of Norton Sound, just north of the Unalakleet River. There are only six more checkpoints remaining between Unalakleet and the burled arch of Nome.

Scott A. Johnson will bring the gold back to Nome, where it will be represented to Seavey on Sunday, March 17th, during the Iditarod Awards Banquet along with a scale model of the cup.

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