Baker Wins Iditarod

Kotzebue musher John Baker reached the Burled Arch in Nome just before 10 a.m. Tuesday, capping a record-setting run in the 2011 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He is only the second musher to run the race in less than nine days, after Martin Buser’s win in 2002. His official time has not yet been released, but is around 8 days and 20 hours, two hours less than Buser's of 8 days 22 hours, 46 minutes in 2002.
Baker beat a wide-ranging field of traditional favorites, including The Last Great Race’s only five-time champion, Rick Swenson. His win also checks the ambitions of four-time champions Martin Buser and Lance Mackey to match Swenson’s achievement this year.
Baker was behind the front-runners for much of the race, conserving his strength for a late push; Trent Herbst picked up $3,000 in gold nuggets for being first to the halfway point at Iditarod, while Hugh Neff claimed a seven-course meal and $3,500 for being first to Anvik.
The Alaska Native musher made his move in the approach to the coast, overtaking the field and earning $2,500 in gold nuggets for being first to Unalakleet.
At that point, he said his dogs were running a bit slow, but Baker was in familiar territory, and locals were rooting for him on the trail to Nome.
"We're just hoping and pulling for him. (It's) great to have one of our own local people from the Norton Sound win...pretty exciting," said Debbie Anungacuk of Golovin.
Willow musher Ramey Smyth tried to keep up with Baker in the race’s last days, but was behind him by almost 50 minutes out of White Mountain and took seven hours, 14 minutes to reach Safety -- almost half an hour longer than Baker. He left Safety an hour and a half after Baker.
Expected in next are Hans Gatt and Dallas Seavey.