Osmar wins Junior Iditarod

SUSITNA LANDING -- For some, mushing just runs in the family.

Nicole Osmar won the 27th annual Junior Iditarod on Sunday. Osmar hit the finish chute at 9:54 Sunday morning to win the title. The 15-year-old musher gave the Osmar family their fourth Junior Iditarod title. Her father, Tim, won the race three times and grandfather, Dean, is an Iditarod champion.

Osmar led the field of 20 mushers for virtually the entire race. She was the first to reach the halfway point, checking into Yentna at 4:32 p.m. Saturday, and earned a sizable lead during the second half of the race on Sunday.

Dallas Seavey finished second for the second time in his Junior Iditarod career. Seavey, who won a state wrestling championship in the 130-pound class for Skyview High School last month, returned to Susitna Landing at 10:03 a.m. Sunday.

The 2004 Junior Iditarod was to begin at Settler's Bay Golf Course in Wasilla, but due to poor racing conditions, the start was moved north to Susitna Landing. The new trail called for mushers to go from Susitna Landing to Yentna and back. Mushers were required to take a 10-hour layover in Yentna.

Osmar's winnings include a $5,000 scholarship care of the University of Alaska College Savings Plan. The organization provided the $11,000 purse for the event. Seavey earned $2,500 for finishing second and third-place musher Tessa King received $1,500. Winners of the sportsmanship and humanitarian awards will also receive $1,000.

Of the 20 mushers in the event, five hail from the Valley. Nikolai and Rohn Buser (Big Lake) finished fourth and fifth respectively, Max Kornmuller (Willow) placed seventh, Jeremy Hoover (Willow) placed 14th and Justin Vanover (Palmer) finished 18th.