Mushing Royalty: Ryan Redington Wins Iditarod

Ryan Redington, who is part of the Iditarod’s historical legacy, has won the 2023 Iditarod race. Here’s Alaska Public Media with some details:

Redington and his team of six dogs cruised down Front Street in Nome at 12:13 p.m. Tuesday to claim his first Iditarod win on his 16th try. The team was led by 4-year-old Sven and 6-year-old Ghost. Redington pumped his fists in the air as the crowd cheered. Temperatures hovered in the single-digits on the sunny afternoon. He pet each of his dogs. He got hugs from family. He thanked his fans.

“It means everything to bring that trophy home,” said Redington in the finish chute. “And, yeah, it’s been a goal of mine since a very small child, to win the Iditarod. And I can’t believe it. It finally happened. It took a lot of work, took a lot of patience and we failed quite a few times, you know, but we kept our head up high and stuck with the dream.”

Redington, 40, has deep mushing roots, and his Iditarod win is the first in his family.

Indeed, as Redington’s website bio says, the Last Great Race has been defined by his brood:

Born in Knik, AK into the mushing family, Ryan Redington proudly carries on the family legacy of running dogs, racing, and raising awareness for the sport of dog sledding. His grandfather, Joe Redington Sr, is known as the “Father of the Iditarod” for co-founding the 1,000 mile race in 1973, and helping to establish the route as a National Historic Trail. A dedicated heir of the sport, Ryan has been mushing ever since he “could hold onto the sled”, and has excelled at sprint and marathon sled dog races across the Midwest and Alaska. His daughter Eve and son TJ are also carrying on the family tradition of racing sled dogs.