Bethel's own Pete Kaiser crossed under the burled arch in Nome this morning, coming in ninth in the 2017 Iditarod a bit behind Two Rivers musher Aliy Zirkle. The two left White Mountain within minutes of each other and traded the lead back and forth. First Pete was in front; then Aliy. They mushed so close together that at times they almost ran into each other. Zirkle said she wanted to put glow tape on Pete so she could keep track of him.
Zirkle ended up in front of Kaiser by about a mile. When Kaiser arrived in Nome, he spoke with KNOM reporters just after checking in with Iditarod race officials. Kaiser completed the 2017 Iditarod in 8 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes, and 39 seconds.