Sunday just before 12:30pm, Kaci Murringer crossed under the burled arch in Nome to cap off what has been an eventful running of this year’s Iditarod sled dog race.
In case you missed a musher’s finish in Nome due to COVID-19 related closures, social distancing, or for some other reason, don’t worry. KNOM Radio spoke with the top 25 of the eventual 34 finishers at the finish line in Nome and has portions of those live recordings for you to hear.
Thomas Waerner, of Norway, was the 2020 Iditarod winner. Waerner arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 12:37am with a finishing time of 9 days, 10 hours and 37 minutes.
Mitch Seavey of Seward, Alaska was second. Seavey, a three-time Iditarod champion, arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 6:15am with a finishing time of 9 days, 16 hours and 15 minutes.
Jessie Royer of Montana was third. Royer tied her highest-place Iditarod finish when she arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 7:47am with a finishing time of 9 days, 17 hours and 47 minutes.
Brent Sass of Eureka, Alaska was fourth. Sass, the 2020 Yukon Quest champion, arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 8:57am with a finishing time of 9 days, 18 hours and 57 minutes.
Aaron Burmeister of Nome/Nenana, Alaska was fifth. Burmeister told KNOM he won’t be satisfied with a top ten finish until he’s won the Iditarod. This year he arrived home Wednesday morning at 9:18am with a finishing time of 9 days, 19 hours and 18 minutes.
Joar Leifseth Ulsom of Norway was sixth. Ulsom arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 9:48am with a finishing time of 9 days, 19 hours and 48 minutes. Paige Drobny of Cantwell, Alaska was seventh. Drobny tied her highest Iditarod standing as she arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 9:54am with a finishing time of 9 days, 19 hours and 54 minutes. Both mushers’ were interviewed by KNOM’s Emily Hofstaedter just minutes apart while they were in the race chute.
Ryan Redington of Skagway, Alaska was eighth and this is the first time he has finished in the top ten. Redington, coming off a 2019 Kobuk 440 and a 2020 Beargrease win, arrived into Nome on Wednesday morning at 10:40am with a finishing time of 9 days, 20 hours and 40 minutes.
Jessie Holmes of Nenana, Alaska was ninth. Holmes, out raced Travis Beals to the finish line when he arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 11:09am with a finishing time of 9 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes. Travis Beals of Seward, Alaska was tenth. Beals was just a couple minutes behind Holmes, arriving into Nome Wednesday morning at 11:11am with a finishing time of 9 days, 21 hours and 11 minutes. KNOM’s Davis Hovey spoke with both of them before either had time to leave the race chute.
Ramey Smyth of Willow, Alaska was 11th. Smyth, who has been in the top 20 for every Iditarod he’s finished following his rookie year, arrived into Nome Wednesday morning at 11:52am with a finishing time of 9 days, 21 hours and 52 minutes.
Wade Marrs of Willow, Alaska was 12th. Marrs arrived into Nome Wednesday afternoon at 12:04pm with a finishing time of 9 days, 22 hours and 4 minutes.
Michelle Phillips of Tagish, Yukon/Canada was 13th. Phillips is coming off her best Yukon Quest finish and has now tied her highest Iditarod standing. She arrived into Nome Wednesday afternoon at 12:42pm with a finishing time of 9 days, 22 hours and 42 minutes.
Pete Kaiser of Bethel, Alaska was 14th. Kaiser, last year’s Iditarod champion, arrived into Nome Wednesday afternoon at 12:56pm with a finishing time of 9 days, 22 hours and 56 minutes.
Mille Porsild of Denmark was 15th. Porsild, the Iditarod Rookie of the Year, arrived into Nome Wednesday afternoon at 3:43pm with a finishing time of 10 days, 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Jeff Deeter of Fairbanks, Alaska was 16th. Deeter arrived into Nome Wednesday evening at 7:08pm with a finishing time of 10 days, 5 hours and 8 minutes. Unfortunately KNOM Radio does not have a recording of Deeter’s finish in Nome, and we apologize for the slip-up on our end.
Kelly Maixner of Big Lake was 17th. Maixner, running Dallas Seavey’s team arrived into Nome Wednesday evening at 8:21pm with a finishing time of 10 days, 6 hours and 21 minutes.
Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, Alaska was 18th. Zirkle, who previously had three second place finishes in a row, arrived into Nome Wednesday evening at 9:28pm with a finishing time of 10 days, 7 hours and 28 minutes.
Tom Frode Johansen of Norway was 19th. Johansen, the elder Iditarod rookie arrived into Nome Thursday morning at 5:37am with a finishing time of 10 days, 15 hours and 37 minutes. He was welcomed in by one of his handlers, Nora Själin who competed with Johansen’s dogs in her rookie running of the Yukon Quest last month. KNOM’s JoJo Phillips spoke with both Själin and Johansen at the Iditarod finish line.
Tim Pappas of Big Lake, Alaska was 20th. Pappas, who ran Martin Buser’s A-team this year, arrived into Nome Thursday afternoon at 2:57pm with a finishing time of 11 days and 57 minutes. Right behind him was Lance Mackey of Fairbanks, Alaska who placed 21st. Mackey, four-time Iditarod champion, arrived into Nome Thursday afternoon at 3:06pm with a finishing time of 11 days, 1 hour and 6 minutes.
Jessica Klejka of Bethel, Alaska was 22nd. Klejka, a veterinarian competing in her second Iditarod, arrived into Nome Thursday afternoon at 4:25pm with a finishing time of 11 days, 2 hours and 25 minutes.
Lev Shvarts of Willow, Alaska was 23rd, his personal best although he says he doesn’t put too much stock in his standing this year. Shvarts, who was the last musher to go through overflow of water near the Front St. snow ramp, arrived into Nome Thursday afternoon at 5:00pm with a finishing time of 11 days, and 3 hours.
Grayson Bruton of Sterling, Alaska was 24th. Bruton, who was running Mitch Seavey’s puppy team, arrived into Nome Sunday morning at 7:20am with a finishing time of 13 days, 17 hours and 20 minutes.
Martin Buser of Big Lake, Alaska was 25th. Buser, who ran his own puppy team and crossed the line with 14 dogs in his 37th Iditarod, 35th consecutive finish, arrived into Nome Sunday morning at 7:50am with a finishing time of 13 days, 17 hours and 50 minutes.
Image at top: A few mushers from the group known as the “Elim 11” greet Kaci Murringer into Nome as she completes the 2020 Iditarod sled dog race. Photo from JoJo Phillips, KNOM (2020).
