Battered Buser still a factor

march 20, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

NOME - Veteran Big Lake musher, Martin Buser, said the 2005 Iditarod might well be his toughest ever. Late Wednesday morning, the four-time Iditarod champion pulled into Nome with six skinny dogs. They finished the race in 13th place, with Buser's severed finger still in pain and his dog team was visibly worn out.

Days before this year's race, Buser sliced off the top section of his right middle finger, while cutting a board at home. Despite the injury, Buser decided to compete for his fifth championship.

"I knew I had a big challenge and I knew I'd be miserable," Buser said just minutes after crossing the finish line in Nome. "The choice was to be miserable at home, following [the race] in the media on the Internet or be miserable out on the trail."

With the injured finger, the most basic chores were difficult to perform for Buser. Even zipping up his coat was a challenge. When it came to helping his dogs, Buser said he thought he could have done more for them if not for the

injury.

"All along the trail, everything took longer," he said. "I couldn't help my dogs as much as I would have like dto," he said. "I think I neglected the feet a little bit and I think I could have been more on top of that with two good hands."

Despite the challenges, Buser was once again a major factor. With less than two days before the finish, he was only two hours behind eventual winner, Robert Sorlie, and closing fast.

"When I look back on the race I look at the people who were a factor," Buser said. "There were not too many people who were factors in this race. Sorlie was a factor; he won. You should ask him who he was scared of in this race. Those were the people who were factors in this race."

Being a factor in the Iditarod doesn't necessarily add up to a championship but Buser said fellow mushers respect those who influence the race.

"When you win you win big and when you lose, you lose big," Buser said. "I'm a good example."

Despite finishing his first Iditarod with only nine-and-a-half fingers, Buser joked with supporters at the finish line. In a reference to race champion, Sorlie, Buser held up his wounded finger and said, "I've got a little Sorlie myself."

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com