Iditarod 2011 - White Mountain
Musher John Baker pets his lead dogs Snickers and Velvet after winning the the 2011 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 in Nome, Alaska. (AP Photo/The Anchorage Daily News, Bob Hallinen)
NOME, Alaska — Behind his 10 tireless huskies, local hero John Baker mushed into immortality on Tuesday morning.
The new hero from the Bering Sea coast never let Ramey Smyth catch a glimpse of him as he clinched not only his first Iditarod crown but the first by an Alaska Native in 35 years — in record time no less.
“We’re lucky when we’re able to do something good that we can share with other people,” a modest Baker said after crossing under Nome’s fabled Burled Arch in 8 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 39 seconds. “So I can’t wait to go home and be around all of my friends and family up there.”
Baker’s mark on the slightly slower southern route was four hours faster than Martin Buser’s previous record from 2002 on the northern route.
His 9-year-old daughter Tahayla, adult son Alex and wife Iva shared the special moment. Iva and Tahayla flew in from Kotzebue in the nick of time, landing a half-hour before Baker finished.
“I’m so proud of him,” Tahayla said.
Andy Baker said his older brother’s breakthrough is a victory for the entire Native Alaskan community.
“It really goes along with John’s message he delivers to schools,” said Andy, adding that John is the only one of his six siblings who mushes. “If you work hard and follow your dreams, you can do it.”
All of Western Alaska seems eager to celebrate with the 48-year-old commercial pilot and motivational speaker, who was born and raised in Kotzebue and won on his 16th Iditarod attempt after being a longtime contender. Just last year Baker seemed on track for victory before becoming disoriented about whether he was on the right trail near Cripple. He lost valuable time and never fully recovered from the blunder, finishing fifth.
There were no such foibles this time, as Baker executed a nearly flawless race. Despite a fast early trail that didn’t suit him especially well, he stayed in contention when Martin Buser took the 936-mile race out hard, grabbed the lead on the Yukon River on Friday night, then kept the competition at bay with long runs that his tough coastal dogs could endure with increasingly little rest as the finish line neared.
“There was just no catching him no matter what I did,” said Smyth, who crossed 64 minutes after Baker and said he slept just five hours in the previous six days. Smyth was within an hour the last several days but could never bridge the gap.
Baker is also the first Native champion of Inupiaq descent. The late Herbie Nayokpuk, known as the “Shishmaref Cannonball,” came close with second place in 1980 and Joe Garnie was runner-up in 1986.
Baker’s team got tangled briefly on the snow ramp leading to the finish line, so he walked across with leaders Snickers and Velvet while showing little emotion other than waving several times to the festive crowd that basked in the sun under yet another cloudless sky.
“It’s always good to have more heroes within Alaska history and Native history,” said Phillip Blanchett, who as part of the group Pamyua, which greeted Baker with traditional Native drumming at the finish. “Now we’re starting to get these documented heroes that we can celebrate.”
The last Native winner was Jerry Riley of Nenana in 1976, while Emmitt Peters of Ruby in 1975 and Carl Huntington of Galena in 1974 also claimed crowns in the infancy of the Iditarod. All three were Athabascan.
Among those to congratulate Baker was Tonya Mackey after Baker ended her husband Lance Mackey’s unprecedented dynasty of four consecutive victories. Mackey was far back on the trail in 16th place Tuesday evening.
Considering Smyth’s closing speed — seven times he’s won the award for the fastest homestretch from Safety to Nome — pundits predicted the race might not be decided until the final miles because the Willow musher trailed Baker by just 51 minutes upon leaving the final checkpoint of White Mountain shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday.
But Smyth, perhaps exhausted from the lack of rest for him and his dogs, was actually slower on the final leg. Choosing the wrong runner plastic didn’t help his cause either as it created extra friction and forced him to run behind the sled — wearing lightweight mukluks — even more than normal.
“I thought I would (close the gap) but when I saw how quickly he got to Safety I knew we didn’t have a chance,” said Smyth, who finished his 17th Iditarod in 18 years. “(Baker) told me he had the best run of the race leaving White Mountain where he had to stand on the drag going uphill. That’s how strong his dogs were.”
Smyth took pride in his run — which also shattered Buser’s standard — but a win wasn’t in the cards on his 36th birthday.
“There’s no person that I’d rather by beaten by if I’m going to come in second than John,” Smyth said after tending to his dogs and being reunited with wife Becca Moore and their young children, Ava and Banyan.
Smyth said his team actually had to contend with digestive issues and a case of kennel cough.
“I had no intention of breaking a record,” said Smyth, a son of Bud Smyth, who mushed during the early days of the Yukon Quest and Iditarod. “I had no idea that the dogs would end up performing this well, but I did go into the race to win.”
Instead Baker earned the glory, $50,400 and a new Dodge truck.
“I didn’t have doubt as far as the team was going,” Baker said. “But I didn’t allow myself to think about winning until we won.”
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