[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 4119]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         FORTY-SECOND IDITAROD

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, I am happy to be on the floor this 
afternoon to give the announcement and the update about the running of 
the 42nd Iditarod in my State of Alaska. It is an extraordinarily 
famous and fabulous sporting event where man and dog test the elements 
of a course of almost 1,100 miles beginning in Willow, AK, and going 
all the way to Nome.
  This year there were 69 teams that started out, and the first team 
crossed the finish line at 4 a.m. Alaska standard time this morning. It 
was one of those races that truly came down to almost a photo finish, 
with the leaders trading off literally in the last several hours. This 
was a situation we honestly have not seen in quite some time with the 
Iditarod.
  With that buildup, I am pleased to announce that this year Dallas 
Seavey has become the winner of the 42nd running of the Iditarod, 
beating out Aliy Zirkle by 2 minutes 22 seconds. He and Aliy Zirkle 
battled it out in the last hour of the race not even understanding that 
the frontrunner, who had been in place of Aliy and in place of Dallas, 
Jeff King, had to scratch because of a ground blizzard that forced him 
off the trail, losing his sled and effectively having to call and ask 
for assistance. It was a very dramatic ending to a pretty fascinating 
race.
  The weather has been problematic throughout. We had warm weather 
conditions at the outset of the race, and then to have the weather 
really be the No. 1 opposition at the end made it something we are 
going to be talking about for years.
  The Presiding Officer has had the opportunity to attend the 
ceremonial start of the Iditarod and is familiar with the excitement 
when there are 60 to 70 dog teams, mushers, and all their supporters 
around handling the dogs. There were literally 1,000 dogs in the 
downtown area of Anchorage. It is really quite exciting. It is a 
fabulous way to come to understand the history of the Iditarod but, 
more importantly, to understand the mindset of some of these mushers 
and the dedication they have to this sport and the passion they have 
for their dogs.
  This year I was in the chute, and I like to visit with each of the 
mushers as they are coming down. Dallas Seavey was in the chute, and I 
was talking to him. He was really excited about the course because he 
said: This is going to be fast. This is going to be the quickest course 
we have seen. It is just perfect for someone like me who is young and 
fit and can stand up on his sled and literally be running next to his 
sled the whole way.
  Three mushers later is Jeff King, and Jeff is telling me: This race 
is the perfect race for us older guys.
  Jeff is my age.
  He said: It is perfect because it takes the maturity and the wisdom 
and having been through a series of Iditarods to know exactly how to 
handle a course like this.
  I think both of them were right. We saw the energy and determination 
of young Dallas Seavey 2 years ago. When he won for the first time, he 
was the youngest musher to win. He demonstrated a level of energy and 
determination that truly knocks your socks off. But what Jeff King was 
able to do with his methodical planning and strategy that goes into 
that race is certainly something to be embraced. And then, of course, 
Aliy Zirkle, a 44-year-old woman demonstrating once again that tough, 
independent female spirit--my gosh, she was in there all the way. This 
is the second year now that she has come in--actually, it is not the 
second year she has come in second. She has come in second more times 
than any other musher out there.
  Dallas Seavey broke the Iditarod record this morning at 4 a.m. He 
came in at 8 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, 19 seconds. He shaved off 
almost 5 hours from John Baker's previous win back in 2011.
  There were a lot of firsts and a lot to be celebrated. There are 
still more mushers out on the trail.
  When I talked to Dallas about an hour ago to congratulate him, I 
said: You must be pooped and ready to go to sleep after the last 8 
days.
  He said: Well, I am going to wait up for my dad.
  His dad, Mitch Seavey, is in third place at this point in time. We 
expect him to come across the finish line.
  I said: Isn't it nice to know that after all the years your dad 
waited up for you, you get to wait up for your dad before you take a 
break?
  Alaskans are pleased with the outcome. We are happy to celebrate 
amazing athletes--both human and canine--doing amazing things in an 
amazing State. I am pleased to be able to announce today's results.
  I thank the indulgence of the Chair.

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