Complete Junior Iditarod Race Coverage

Cali King Wins 2002 Junior Iditarod

Sunday, February 23, 2002 3 PM

After taking second place in the 2001 Jr. Iditarod in the closest finish in race history, Cali King beat Tyrell Seavey to the finish line to become only the second girl to win the race in its 30-year history.  

King left Yentna Station at 2:57 this morning, just four minutes ahead of Seavey.  By the first checkpoint on the return leg of the race, she had stretched that lead to 12 minutes, and by the time she was 45 miles from the finish of the 154-mile race, the lead was 17 minutes.  By the finish, the lead was just under 33 minutes.  However, King had no way of knowing how far behind her Tyrell Seavey was, and she did not stop pushing and running behind her sled until the finish line was in sight.  "I heard a noise behind me and jumped, thinking it was Ty," she said at the finish.

14-year-old Dallas Seavey runs with his team as he approaches the finish line.  Dallas took 6th place in his first Junior Iditarod.

Cali's father, three-time Iditarod Champion Jeff King, and mother, Donna Gates King, were eagerly waiting to see Cali's team cross Knik Lake, five miles from the finish.  As soon as they saw her team fly by, they jumped in a van and headed for the finish line at Settler's Bay, both wearing huge smiles of excitement and perhaps even relief.

Jeff King and 5-year-old Conway Seavey wrestle at the finish line while awaiting Tyrell Seavey's finish.

While awaiting her arrival at the finish, a number of race volunteers and spectators gathered to watch the finish.  Many congratulated Jeff and Donna on Cali's impending win, and some even chided Jeff saying, "She's done her part, and now it's your turn to do yours!"

After finishing the race and taking care of her dogs, Cali watched Tyrell Seavey's finish, giving him a warm embrace and congratulating him on a good race.  Tyrell told spectators and reporters that he was very happy with his strong second place finish, and that he really enjoyed this year's race.  

Behind King and Seavey, Max Kornmuller took third followed by Heather Hardy in fourth.  Interestingly, the order of the finish of these teams was the same as the order of their departure from Yentna Station early this morning.  

Finishers are still continuing across the line, now, with the last finisher expected in late this afternoon.

A banquet and awards presentation is scheduled for 7 PM tonight.  Tomorrow, Ultimate Iditarod will have a final race-recap and story, including numerous pictures from the finish.

For Ultimate Iditarod, Jim Gallea

© 2002 Ultimate Iditarod, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team
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