Mushers lead the way: Buser, King highlight 2017 Alaska Sports Hall of Fame class

WASILLA — Four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser headlines the 2017 Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Class. Buser has been racing in the Iditarod for a long time, but he didn’t expect this to happen.

Buser was out camping with his dogs around the time the announcement was made, but he didn’t know anything about it. Out where he was, there was no phone service, no connection to the outside world, where Buser hung out with his dogs during the holidays, but when he was mushing back, his phone started buzzing.

“All kinds of people were calling me to congratulate me,” said Buser about the announcement. “My phone was like a disco ball.”

Buser talked about how it caught him off guard when he received word from the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. He was honored by the whole experience. The real induction doesn’t happen until later into 2017, but regardless, Buser was happy to hear his name was called. Since 2006, when the Hall was created, there have been 11 classes inducted into the exclusive group. With names like Mark Schlereth and Mario Chalmers representing Alaska in the major sports of the Outside, Iditarod is adding two names from its sport in Buser and Denali Park’s Jeff King.

Buser has been in Alaska for a long time. He came to this state back in 1979, and didn’t start racing the Iditarod until 1980. He is a four time champion of the Iditarod, with his last win coming in 2002. He has a record of 31 straight finishes of the race, and is regarded as one of the best racers in the Iditarod’s history. For Buser, the experience and getting used to the audience that started appearing for the start of the race took some getting used to. People line the roads for the ceremony, where all the mushers begin the race.

“The first couple of days the race is near the road. We had to get used to the audience, and I had my own little fan base.” said Buser about the crowds at the race.

The Hall is now calling Buser’s name, which means the man from Winterthur, Switzerland will mush into Alaska Sports Hall of Fame along with King, Nicole Johnston and Vern Tejas. Buser has been part of the Valley for years, as he runs the Happy Trails Kennels in Big Lake. In a statement by the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director Harlow Robison, he talked about this new class coming in.

“We’re excited about the Class of 2017,” said Robinson. “The inductees represent classically Alaskan sports. It’s a group of household names in our state that have been in the discussion for induction for many years.”

The induction ceremony date has not been announced yet.