Anchorage man scores fifth Iditarod Trail Invitational win

Anchorage resident Peter Basinger has for the fifth time won the human-powered trail race through icy Alaska wilderness otherwise known as the Iditarod Trail Invitational. Basinger was announced as the race winner mid-day Thursday at the race's website and, later, word came from Alaska Dispatch correspondent Craig Medred, who's been following the bikers and skiers since Sunday. Basinger, 29, won the race on a fat-tire bike crafted at Speedway Cycles in Anchorage; according to Medred, he was on pace to have set a new record finish in the Invitational -- beating his own best a few years back. Basinger's back on top of the Invitational after last year, when he decided to ski instead of bike the 350 miles to McGrath. Coming in behind Basinger was Jeff Oatley in second place and rookie Greg Matyas in third place. Congratulations to all the entrants, some of whom will now continue on the rest of the Iditarod Trail to Nome. For more on the characters and athletes along the Iditarod Trail, check out some of Medred's previously-filed Iditarod Trail Invitational reports.