King's Iditarod win a victory for all Alaskans

In the wee hours of Wednesday, Denali Park musher Jeff King drove his dog team under the famed Burled Arch in Nome to win his fourth Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 34th running of the annual Alaska classic was not without the usual assortment of challenges presented by the 1,150-mile trail, which crosses the Alaska Range and windswept and dangerous Interior flatlands before following the Yukon River and Bering Sea coast to Nome in the state's northwest corner. The field of 83 mushers who started the race boasted perhaps the largest contingent of bona fide contenders in the history of the event.

Yet it was the 50-year-old King who pre-vailed. In so doing, he became the oldest musher to win The Last Great Race.

King was followed to the finish line, in order, by three other 50-somethings, proving that the wisdom that comes from experience is at least as important as youthful energy and enthusiasm when it comes to prevailing in a competition as grueling and draining as the Iditarod.

Of no less significance, King's victory returns the championship to Alaska. After Norwegian Robert Sorlie posted his second Iditarod victory last year, Alaskans seemed to have lost their pre-eminence in the race.

But King's effort this year says otherwise. It speaks to the adaptability, creativity and perseverance of this state's top mushers, and gives Alaskans someone to be proud of.

King always has been an excellent ambassador for the race and for Alaska. We congratulate him on his impressive victory.

Speaking of perseverance, one of those 50-somethings who followed King into Nome was the Valley's own DeeDee Jonrowe. The Willow resident, long a favorite of Iditarod fans, crossed the finish line in fourth place to become the first Valley musher to complete the race this year. Her placing serves notice that the 52-year-old, who has 14 top-10 finishes on her record, should not be counted out for the race win that has eluded her for so long.

Jonrowe's return to top form is all the more impressive because of her 2002 battle with breast cancer. She is an inspiration and a role model. We look forward to watching her in action in the future.