Update: 5:46 p.m.
KNOM’s Ben Matheson was in Nome for Mitch Seavey’s victory. He spoke with Alaska Public Media’s Lori Townsend on the feeling in the area.
Original post:
For the sixth year in a row, a member of the Seavey mushing family has claimed the top spot in the Last Great Race. This year it was Mitch Seavey who finished the Iditarod at 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
According to the Associated Press, Seavey is the oldest musher to win the race at the age of 57. The new record for the Iditarod is eight days three hours 40 minutes and 13 seconds. The previous record was held by Mitch’s son Dallas Seavey.
Following behind Mitch at the time of his win are Dallas Seavey and Nicolas Petit roughly two miles apart, about 40 miles from the finish.
The elder Seavey and his team ran the final stretches of Iditarod 2017 in impressive speed. He ran from White Mountain to Safety in only 5 hours 33 minutes, an average rate of 9.91 miles per hour.
Mitch Seavey’s victory today is also a half-day faster than Dallas’ victory in 2015, the last time the Iditarod was routed over the alternate trail from Fairbanks (rather than from Anchorage).
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
CORRECTION: This article erroneously stated that Mitch Seavey was the oldest to complete the Iditarod. It should have stated that he is the oldest winner. It has since been corrected.
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
