Jeff King on Front Street in Nome

Jeff King had a shot at his fifth Iditarod championship and in doing so he’d have set a record for being the oldest champion.  When King drew his bib number at the Thursday Musher Banquet before the race, he said, “My starting number is my age, 59.”  King and team were putting together a really great race until Huslia when his dogs started showing signs of needing to slow down.  Wisely King listened to his canine athletes and revised his race strategy.  He has younger dogs on his team and he knows they’ll be stronger next year for what they’ve learned this year.  Slowing down was a great investment in the future of his dogs.

King is a wonderful story teller and he took time after signing off the trail to share many stories about the race.  When King won the Millennium Alaska First to the Yukon Award in Galena, he invited Paddy Nollner to enjoy the 5 course meal with him.  As a thank you, Paddy presented King with a pair of hand crafted beaded fur trimmed gloves.  King was wearing those gloves when he came on to Front Street and drove his dogs to the burled arch.   

King placed 7th in the 43rd Iditarod with a time of 9 days 5 hour and 47 minutes.   He’s run Iditarod 25 times and he’s a four time champion who would like to tie Rick Swenson’s record of five victories.  Of his 25 races, he’s scratched twice and finished out side the top ten twice.  Do the math and the guy has 21 top ten finishes. out of 25 races.  With his win in 2006, King at the age of 50 was the oldest champion until Mitch Seavey took over the honor in 2013 at the age of 53.  King’s fastest Iditarod time was on the northern route in 2010 when he made Nome in 9 days 2 hours and 22 minutes.