King Defies Snow To Claim Iditarod Jonrowe Finishes Three Hours Behind Winner

Jeff King battled through deep, blowing snow, strong winds and poor visibility to earn his third victory Tuesday in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

King, of Denali Park, Alaska, crossed under the burled arch that represents the finish line of the 1,100-mile race from Anchorage to Nome at 4:52 p.m. Alaska time, with an unofficial time of 9 days, 5 hours and 52 minutes.

Arriving in second place at 7:39 p.m. with an unofficial time of 9 days, 8 hours, 49 minutes was Willow’s DeeDee Jonrowe, greeted by handwritten signs reading “Go DeeDee Go!”

Her time was just 12 minutes off last year’s first-place finish, turned in by Martin Buser of Big Lake.

Jonrowe, a sentimental favorite still seeking a win in 16 Iditarod tries, praised her nine-dog team, saying they had tried their best. She led much of the way to Nome, falling back in the race’s last third along the windswept Norton Sound coast.

King gave his lead dog, Red, much of the credit for the victory.

“He went from a good lead dog to a fantastic lead dog throughout this race. I’ve never had a better one,” King told Gov. Tony Knowles, who called to offer his congratulations.

The final 77 miles from White Mountain were particularly tough, with snow and winds so fierce that King said he could barely see Red at the front of the harness line. But Red, a veteran, knew the way to Nome.

King also credited a strategic Monday at Koyuk, when he and Jonrowe began to head out and agreed to return to their tents for more rest.

“I had a heart-to-heart talk with DeeDee,” King said. “She was hunkered by her sled, I was hunkered by the sled, each of us waiting for the other to go.”

King said he and Jonrowe, who are friends and ran the trail together the past several days, agreed to work together to secure first and second place by not battling each other at that point in the race.

With that, the two leaders returned to resting tents, allowing the dogs to rest 90 minutes longer as well. King said when it came time to go, he awoke Jonrowe as promised - leaving three other ex-champs to rest on - and the two departed together.

He said he never gave up watching over his shoulder for Jonrowe until he was past the final checkpoint at Safety, after Jonrowe had returned to the trail at Elim where she wound up repairing her sled with baling wire and string.

Fifty-three teams remained on the trail, while 10 have scratched.

King receives $51,000 and a new pickup truck for his victory.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STEPPING UP Only Rick Swenson (five) and Susan Butcher (four) have won more Iditarods than Jeff King.