A Trail of the Frozen North
The winner of the 39th running of the grueling Iditarod® dogsled race in Alaska has crossed the finish line in Nome, with several pursuers close but unable to catch John Baker as they passed the final checkpoints. J.J. Keller & Associates Inc. President Jim Keller is now in Alaska, cheering on all of the mushers and blogging about the race. The company sponsors one of the youngest contestants, Dallas Seavey, who had moved up to fourth place according to the latest leaderboard tally posted by the Anchorage Daily News.
J.J. Keller has sponsored Dallas Seavey since 2007 and his father, Mitch Seavey, since 2008. Mitch won the Iditarod in 2004 but had to leave this year's race to be treated for a severe cut on one hand, according to Jim's March 10 blog entry.
The Iditarod is the longest dogsled race in the world. Dallas Seavey, 24, who finished eighth last year, prepped for the 2011 race by winning the 1,000-mile 2011 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race last month. He is the youngest musher to win that race in its 28-year history.
About a week before he flew to Alaska, Jim Keller said he is convinced Dallas Seavey will win the Iditarod someday soon. Baker, the man who won the race, lives north of the Arctic Circle and is the first Inupiaq Eskimo to win it, according to Jim's blog.
Posted by Jerry Laws on Mar 15, 2011