March 14, 2023

Ryan Redington wins his first Iditarod championship in 51st Running of the race

The Grandson of the ‘Father of the Iditarod’ is the Champion of the 2023 Iditarod

Veteran musher Ryan Redington  (bib #5), of Knik, Alaska, crossed  the finish line of the 51st  running of the Iditarod in Nome at 12:13 pm today, claiming his first  Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race championship. Redington wins his first championship in his 15th time competing.  

Redington had 6 dogs in harness when he triumphantly crossed the finish line to win the Iditarod 2023 title in 8 days, 21 hours, 12 minutes and 58 seconds. Of course, Redington could not have made it the approximately 998 miles from Anchorage to Nome without his team of six dogs, featuring leaders, 6-year-old Ghost and 4-year-old Sven.

Winning the 51st Iditarod  comes with the largest percentage of the $500,000 purse for the 2023 race. On his charge to Nome, Ryan also won the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award, Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award, Ryan Air Gold Coast Award and the Northrim Bank Achieve More Award.  His winnings from those awards total $5,000 in cash, $1,500 in gold nuggets and 25 pounds of salmon.

“It is difficult to fully express the magnitude of Ryan’s win today; his grandfather envisioned the Iditarod 51 years ago and Ryan’s fully honored the Redington legacy with grit, determination and love for his dogs that will inspire not only future generations of Redington mushers but all of Iditarod Nation,” said Iditarod CEO, Rob Urbach.

As the winner of Iditarod 2023, Redington adds more mushing accolades to his career.  Aside from his two Iditarod Jr. Championships in 1999 and 2000, Ryan is now one of six Redingtons to have finished the Iditarod since it started 50 years ago. Redington has competed in the Iditarod 15 times, garnering the Rookie of the Year award in 2017 and in addition his 2023 Championship, he has had three Top 10 Finishes in the last three years.