The final sprint for the finish line is underway, with 2011 Iditarod race leader John Baker having pulled out of the White Mountain checkpoint at 12:04 a.m. local time. Ramey Smyth followed 50 minutes later, hoping to track down Baker before the finish line in Nome, roughly 77 miles to the West. But with such a big deficit to make up, does Smyth have a chance? History says yes.
Iditarod 2011: Finish Could Be Decided In Nome As Ramey Smyth Chases Down John Baker
Last year, Smyth made the run from White Mountain to Nome 40 minutes faster than Baker. Moreover, Smyth has won the award for the fastest time from Safety (the last checkpoint before the finish) to Nome. And he’s done it seven times (a record), most recently in 2009.
“This race could be decided on Front Street,” said Iditarod veteran Aaron Burmeister, who will be in the crowd on Front Street watching. “We have a heck of a race on our hands.
“Those are two of the toughest racers in the sport, but between White Mountain and Nome, I’d much rather be racing against John than Ramey Smyth. The joke among mushers is that you want Ramey three hours behind you by the time you reach White Mountain.”
In fact, in the last 10 years, Ramey Smyth has been faster than John Baker from White Mountain to Nome, every single year.
See More:
