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Photos: Iditarod finishers continue mushing into Nome

NOME -- Although the excitement surrounding Dallas Seavey's win in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was clearly Wednesday's race highlight, throngs of people continued to gather along the finishing chute as the rest of the front-runners arrived in continually-warming temperatures through the afternoon.

Montanan Jessie Royer capped a career year with a personal best fourth-place finish, crossing the line just before noon. Shortly afterward she was followed in by good friend Aliy Zirkle, whose string of three second-place finishes was broken as she finished fifth.

If Zirkle was bothered by slipping slightly in the standings she didn't let it show. The perennial fan favorite flashed a huge smile at the adoring crowd, which chanted "Aliy! Aliy!" and may have been the most enthusiastic of the day.

"The state of Alaska and the people of Alaska are really fantastic to me," Zirkle said.

Zirkle took time out to congratulate the race winner as well as Royer, who she described as one of the best in the business.

"Jessie and I have always been great competitors," she said. "It seems like I beat her 50 percent of the time and she beats me 50 percent of the time."

READ MORE: Afternoon Iditarod finishers revel in warm crowd and warming temperatures

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