Photos: Moore edges Petit in Copper Basin 300 race

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Allen Moore of Two Rivers, Alaska, leading the pack into the finish of the Copper Basin 300 in Glennallen. Jan 13, 2013

Allen Moore, the defending 2013 Yukon Quest champion, managed to hold off Girdwood's Nicolas Petit by just seven minutes to earn back-to-back victories in the Copper Basin 300 that starts and finishes in the Interior Alaska community of Glennallen. Moore, who operates SP Kennel in Two Rivers with fellow Quest champ and two-time Iditarod runner up Aliy Zirkle, owns four prior Copper Basin wins.

About four dozen spectators and race officials gathered for the finish at Old Paths Baptist Church in Glennallen Monday afternoon to watch the close finish, which earned Moore $4,000 in prize money. The two mushers traded congratulations at the finish line, though Petit -- a tall, gangly musher who was raised in France -- jokingly threatened Moore with a pole. Petit was a surprise fifth-place finisher in last year's Iditarod, earning him that race's Most Improved Musher award. By finishing seven minutes behind Moore at the Copper Basin, Petit took home $3,000.

With his fifth Copper Basin victory, Moore is the winningest musher in race history.

READ MORE: Moore wins Copper Basin 300 with minutes to spare