Richie Beattie is last Iditarod musher to Nome, winning Red Lantern Award
Mar. 21—Richie Beattie of Fairbanks was the last musher in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to arrive under the burled arch in Nome on Friday night, marking the official end to this year's competition. He received the Red Lantern Award, which is traditionally presented to the last Iditarod musher to cross the finish line and comes with a $1,000 prize.
Beattie finished the race in 12 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 46 seconds, arriving at 7:49 p. m. with eight dogs in harness.
A major windstorm had held up nine teams, including Beattie's, at the White Mountain checkpoint late in the race, some having to stay put for nearly two days. The checkpoint is a mandatory 8-hour rest spot for mushers. But Kotzebue rookie Kevin Hansen arrived at the checkpoint on Wednesday at 3:08 p.
m. and didn't depart until Friday at 9:33 a. m.
Rookie Sadie Lindquist, who arrived at White Mountain at 1:56 a. m. Thursday, was the first to leave Friday morning at 9:09 a.