Alaska News

If times hold, Iditarod on pace to shatter previous speed record

From Beth Bragg in Anchorage --

In 2011 when John Baker of Kotzebue set the record, he left Koyuk at roughly 3 a.m. Monday.

Four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion and current leader Jeff King of Denali Park, and Gold Coast award winner Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, left Koyuk at 6 p.m. Sunday.

That time puts King and Zirkle nine hours ahead of Baker's record-setting speed to Nome. The current Iditarod speed record: 8 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 39 seconds.

Baker finished at 9:46 a.m. Tuesday. If that nine-hour gap remains, someone's in Nome around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning.

This graphic shows the top-10 fastest finishes in Iditarod's history.

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com

Anchorage

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