13 Iditarods is enough for the Yukon Fox

The Associated Press

NOME - Emmitt Peters, the 1975 Iditarod champ, crossed the finish line 40th Friday in the 2000 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, shaving a day off his fastest time set nearly 20 years ago. Peters, 59, and his 10-dog team finished the 1,100-mile race from Anchorage to Nome in 12 days, 2 hours and 42 minutes. His best time before this year was in 1981, when he completed the race in 13 days, 14 hours and 14 minutes.

As Peters' team trotted down Front Street, his sons, Emmitt Jr., 18, and Emory, 14, ran to greet him and helped guide his team under the burled arch. About 50 people gathered to congratulate Peters.

"Way to go, Emmitt!" people yelled as Peters finished. "All right, Emmitt, yeah!"

"This was fun," a weary-looking Peters said.

The musher nicknamed "The Yukon Fox" said this will be his 13th and last Iditarod.

"That's it," Peters said. "No one is going to talk me into anything else."

Peters, an Athabaskan from Ruby, wanted to run the Iditarod one last time, but didn't have the money. Two friends who chipped in about $10,000 each helped make Peters' dream come true.