Youngest Musher Makes Iditerod History

By Good News Network Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Recreation - Sports

Dallas Seavey won his first Iditarod Championship as thousands of fans lined the street in Nome, Alaska to greet the youngest person to ever win the grueling thousand-mile sled dog contest.

When Dallas set off from Anchorage he was 24 years old. Nine days and four hours later when he finished the race he was 25. Previously, the youngest musher to win the Iditarod was Rick Swenson who won at age 26 in 1977.

Dallas Seavey comes from a long line of Iditarod finishers and, in fact, competed this week against both his father, Mitch, who won in 2004 and 74-year-old grandfather, Dan, who was the only 2012 competitor to have run in the first Iditarod Championship in 1973.

The young musher was born in Virginia but moved with his family to Alaska when he was five. He grew up helping his father (photo, left) train champion sled dog teams. Seven years ago, Dallas became the youngest musher ever to compete in the race history, crossing the finish line when he was just 18 years old.

Dallas is owner/operator of WildRide Sled Dog Rodeo in Anchorage. His wife, Jen, also an Iditarod veteran, and the mother of their one year old daughter, Annie.

For being first to Nome, Seavey wins $50,000 and a new truck.