Mackey and Gatt first and second in historic Iditarod finish

Lance Mackey made history this afternoon as he headed under the Burled Arch in Nome.  No musher has ever managed to win four Iditarod’s in a row.

And, even more interesting, the second place Iditarod finisher, Hans Gatt, won the Yukon Quest this year.  And Lance Mackey was this year’s second place finisher in the Yukon Quest.  Last year and the year previous, Mackey was the winner of both the Quest and the Iditarod. Gatt crossed under the burled arch about an hour after Mackey.

Several mushers, including Gatt and Mackey, have questioned their future and have publicly stated that this might be their last Iditarod.

Mackey was swarmed with fans lining the streets of Nome.  Even though he now has four wins under his belt, he is still considered an underdog among many people.