Iditarod champ turns on the speed in Rendezvous races

Next weekend, he might be mushing down Fourth Avenue for the final time as an Iditarod musher.

"I think I'm done with the Iditarod after this year, at least as a participant," King, the four-time Iditarod champion, said Saturday. "Maybe I'll come to them looking for a job."

King, 54, moved to Alaska in 1975, ran his first Iditarod in 1981 and won the Yukon Quest in 1989. His string of success in the Iditarod began with a victory in 1993; he added wins in 1996, 1998 and 2006.

The musher has already sold many of the dogs from his renowned kennel near Denali National Park.

"I've sold about half of my dogs already to good friends. They are good racers and they went to good homes," King said. "If I don't get rid of them, I'd be so distracted."

If King gets the itch to run again, a future Iditarod isn't out of the question, because he plans on keeping the young dogs who will run this year's Iditarod.

"They're awesome," King said. "At least I'll have them next year, so I'll have an excuse not to sleep in."

King has something close to rock-star status at Fur Rondy, waving to his many fans while mushing through town at speeds far faster than the Iditarod. He's running a team from Blayne Streeper's kennel that includes a number of sprint champions, including 9-year-old leader Dee.

"She's won this race four times," said King. "The Streepers told me that fifth was in reach with this team, so that is my pie-in-the-sky goal. I'd be disappointed if I wasn't in the top 10. If we don't do it, it's my fault, not the dogs."

King is in sixth place heading into today's final heat, which begins at noon on Fourth Avenue. Streeper, the five-time champion from Fort Nelson, British Columbia, is impressed with the Rondy rookie so far.

"Things are going well for him," he said. "Jeff has been training with them since last week and they have really responded well. It's uncommon for them to take to a new driver right away, but Jeff has a way with dogs."

Although King said he wants to do more Fur Rondy races, he won't start a kennel of sprint dogs. He's more keen on another setup like he has this year with the Streeper family.

"I would commit to this kind of arrangement again if they would do it," he said. "Or if someone else would. For me to produce a team that could keep up with this team, which is a by-product of their kennel and its No. 1 team, would take a lot of work and a lot of years."

Although the Fur Rondy course follows much of the same trail as the Iditarod ceremonial start, King said there are many differences between the races.

For one, he hasn't had to stop and camp. He also isn't using his sit-down sled chair.

"The Streepers kind of looked at me weird when I asked if snowshoes were required equipment," King said. "And I bet I can build a fire faster than any of these guys.

"It is certainly really exciting, it is more like a carnival ride. I'm absolutely amazed at how close the race is, with seconds separating teams after 90 minutes at breakneck speed.

"Still there is nothing here that can compare with going down in Dalzell Gorge."

Find Richard Larson online at adn.com/contact/rlarson or call 257-4335.