Seavey wins 2nd Junior Iditarod title in 3 years

BIG LAKE — Score another win for the Seavey clan.

Conway Seavey (son of defending Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey and younger brother of 2012 Iditarod champ Dallas) notched a first-place finish in the Junior Iditarod.

Seavey, 17, reached the finish line at Happy Trails Kennel near Big Lake at 7:50 a.m. Sunday to earn his second Junior Iditarod title in three years. Seavey, of Sterling, was also second in the 2013 race.

Seavey and his team of 10 dogs edged Wasilla’s Benjamin Harper by less than two minutes. Seavey’s win included a total race time of 11 hours, 32 minutes and 33 seconds. His average speed on the trail was 2.84 mph, which tied with Harper for the fastest in the field.

Race organizers put together an alternative route for 2014 due to poor racing conditions on the traditional trail. Rather than sending teams from the old start at Knik Lake through Yentna Station to the finish at the Willow Community Center, the race started and finished at Happy Trails, the kennel of Iditarod veteran Martin Buser.

Seavey was the first musher to reach the halfway mark at Yentna, arriving at the roadhouse at 3:56 p.m. Saturday, about six minutes ahead of Harper.

Following the mandatory layover, Seavey left Yentna at 2:08 Sunday morning, two minutes ahead of Harper.

Wasilla’s Kevin Harper, a rookie, finished third in the race. He reached Happy Trails at 8:37 a.m. Sunday. Chugiak’s Jimmy Lanier was fourth and Wasila’s Andrew Nolan finished fifth.

Kevin Harper was the first of five rookies to finish.

Both Benjamin and Kevin Harper received honors during the awards ceremony at the Willow Community Center Sunday evening. Benjamin Harper won the humanitarian award and Kevin earned the sportsmanship award.

Seavey is the first musher since Ryan Redington to win multiple Junior Iditarod titles. Redington won the race in 1999 and 2000. Seavey is also the seventh musher to win at least two championships, joining Redington, Dusty Whitmore (1995, 1996), Ramey Smyth (1992, 1993), Jared Jones (1989, 1990), Lance Barve (1985, 1986) and Tim Osmar (1982, 1983, 1984). Osmar is the only three-time winner in the history of the race.

Junior Iditarod

Final standings

1. Conway Seavey (Into finish), 7:50 a.m.; 2. Benjamin Harper, 7:52 a.m.; 3. Kevin Harper, 8:37 a.m.; 4. Jimmy Lanier, 8:47 a.m.; 5. Andrew Nolan, 10:06 a.m.; 6. Jannelle Trowbridge, 10:21 a.m.; 7. Ashley Guernsy, 11:11 a.m.; 8. Joshua Klejka, 11:38 a.m.; 9. Nicole Forto, 3:20 p.m.