Veteran Iditarod musher Dallas Seavey (bib #23) of Talkeetna, Alaska, crossed the finish line of the Iditarod Gold Trail Loop in Deshka Landing at 5:08 a.m. today, claiming his fifth Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race championship. Seavey is now tied with mushing legend Rick Swenson with five total championships.
Seavey had 10 dogs in harness when he glided across the finish line to win the Iditarod 49 title in 7 days, 14 hours, 8 minutes and 57 seconds. Of course, Seavey could not have made it the approximately 848 miles without his 14-dog race team, consisting of Prophet, Gamble, Canton, Pecos, Swifter, Cobra, West, Viacon, North, Mustang, Yak, Rip, Frisbee and Ace.
Winning Iditarod 49 comes with a majority stake of the $400,000 purse for the 2021 race in addition to the choice of either a 2022 Ski Doo 600R ETEC SWT or 2022 Ski Doo 900 ACE SWT from Alaska Mining & Diving Supply. During this year’s race, Seavey also won the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award, The Lakefront Anchorage First Musher to the Yukon Award, the Ryan Air Gold Coast Award and the Northrim Bank Achieve More Award.
“Dallas Seavey’s win in Iditarod 49 epitomizes the grit, determination and perseverance for which our race is synonymous,” said Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach. “This year, teams were challenged unlike ever before, which included traversing the notorious Dalzell Gorge and Alaska Range twice, and Dallas showed incredible adaptability with being able to excel in arctic camping, strategic run timing and dog whispering in concert with our stringent COVID-19 protocols. Congratulations to Dallas and we thank Iditarod Nation for their support this year.”
As the winner of Iditarod 49, Seavey adds more accolades to his mushing career. Seavey became the youngest musher in history to run the Iditarod at 18 years old in 2005. In 2009, he won most improved musher going from 41st place in 2006 to sixth place. He won the Yukon Quest in 2011 and became the youngest Iditarod champion in history in 2012. With today’s win, Seavey has 10 finishes in the top 10.
Mushers currently on the Iditarod trail will continue to make their way to Deshka Landing. The race finishes when the last musher crosses the finish line, claiming the “red lantern,” a longstanding Iditarod tradition and symbol of perseverance.
The Iditarod awards banquet, traditionally held the Sunday following the champion’s finish will not be held this year, and trail award winners will receive their prizes at a later date.
