Swingley pulls out of Iditarod

RAINY PASS, Alaska – Four-time champion Doug Swingley withdrew from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Monday, with race officials saying he may have broken ribs and possibly dislocated a thumb.

The 53-year-old Swingley, from Lincoln, Mont., sustained the injuries between Finger Lake and Rainy Pass, about 110 miles northwest of Anchorage, officials said. Details of how he was injured were not immediately available.

Swingley told officials he didn’t want to continue because he didn’t think he would be able to physically care for his dogs throughout the rest of the race.

Meanwhile, Cim Smyth, 29, of Big Lake, Alaska, was in the lead Monday, the first musher to leave Rainy Pass. Smyth was about 90 minutes ahead of Lance Mackey, 36, of Fairbanks. Aliy Zirkle, 37, of Two Rivers, Alaska, left Rainy Pass about 20 minutes after Mackey.