John Baker became the Western Alaska native to win the 2011 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Tuesday morning, crossing the finish in Nome shortly before 10 a.m., in record time. Baker ran the 1,000-plus miles from Anchorage to Nome in approximately 8 days, 19 hours, and 46 minutes, breaking Martin Buser’s record set in 2002 (8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes), and ending Lance Mackey’s streak of four consecutive Iditarod victories.
Iditarod 2011: John Baker Wins Race In Record Time
It was thought that there could be a final sprint for the finish, but Baker pulled away and had a snowy Front Street all to himself.
The 39th running of the Last Great Race on Earth was a two man dash for the last day or so, but Baker, who finished third in 2009, was able to hold off Ramey Smyth on the run from White Mountain to Safety, and put enough distance between him to secure his first ever Iditarod title.
For Baker, the win is especially gratifying -- he was leading the race last year, but got lost near Cripple, a checkpoint about halfway along the Northern route. As reward for leading a team of 16 dogs through Alaska’s unforgiving, isolating wilderness, Baker receives $50,400 and a new Dodge pickup truck.
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