Iditarod 32 officially comes to an end

Iditarod 32 is officially over.

On Monday the final musher passed under the infamous burled arch on Front Street in Nome, signifying the end of the Last Great Race.

Perry Solmonson entered the finish chute at 12:50 p.m. Monday to finish 77th and win the Red Lantern award. The Whittier musher finished 14 minutes behind Willow's G.B. Jones.

The size of the 2004 field was notable on many levels. More than 100 originally signed up for the 32nd run of the race. Eighty-seven teams departed Willow for Nome and 77 teams finished.

Only 10 mushers scratched this season, most notably Sonny Lindner and Doug Swingley. Lindner, a 12-time Iditarod veteran with three top-three finishes, scratched in Unalakleet. Swingley, a four-time champion, was forced to stop in Takotna after suffering a major eye injury.

Mitch Seavey won his first Iditarod title, arriving in Nome 9 days, 10 hours and 20 minutes after he departed from Willow.

With his win, Seavey was awarded the $69,000 first-place cash prize once he arrived in Nome. Seavey also won a 2004 Dodge Ram T-2500.

Jeff King, who placed second to Seavey, won the PenAir Spirit of Alaska Award, given to the first musher into McGrath, and the Millennium Hotel Award, given to the first musher into Ruby. His earnings totaled $4,000 and a seven course meal prepared by master chefs in Ruby.

Kjetil Backen, the third-place finisher in Iditarod 32, won the Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award and $2,500, as the first musher to hit Unalakleet.

In awards handed out at the post-race banquet, Big Lake's Cim Smyth was recognized twice. Smyth earned both the Chevron Most Inspirational Musher and Fred Meyer Sportsmanship Awards. The awards earned Smyth $2,000.

Smyth's brother Ramey won the Nome Kennel Club's Award , given to the musher with the fastest time from Safety to Nome, for the sixth time.

Smyth made it between the final two checkpoints in 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Jason Barron was named the most improved musher after improving 30 spots this year. Barren placed 42nd in 2002 and 12 in 2004.

Hugh Neff's 22nd place finish earned him rookie of the year honors.