Latest news with #LifeBelowZero
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jessie Holmes says his dogs deserve all the credit for his 'magical' first Iditarod win
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Bundled-up well wishers lined a street along the Bering Sea coastline in the early morning darkness Friday, cheering musher Jessie Holmes as he won Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Holmes pumped his fist as he ran alongside his sled with a headlamp beaming from his forehead, as he and his 10-dog team finished the 1,128-mile (1,815-kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness in the Gold Rush town of Nome. The distance for this year's running was the longest in the Iditarod's 53-year history. He said his win felt 'magical' and he gave credit — and hugs — to his dogs, whom he described as family. Who is Jessie Holmes? Holmes lives in the Interior Alaska community of Nenana, about 300 miles (480 kilometers) north of Anchorage, where he is a carpenter and lives a subsistence lifestyle. He found reality TV fame as a yearslong cast member of 'Life Below Zero,' a National Geographic program that documents the struggles of people living in remote parts of Alaska. Originally from Alabama, Holmes has lived since 2004 in Alaska, where he found a passion for the wilderness and competing in sled dog races. This year was Holmes' eighth Iditarod, and he has now finished in the top 10 six times, including third last year and in 2022. In 2018, his first Iditarod, he won Rookie of the Year honors with his seventh-place finish. His win this year comes on the heels of adversity. He was helping repair buildings in the remote community of Golovin after the region was walloped by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok in 2022 when part of a house fell on him. He suffered several broken ribs and a broken wrist and was forced to train that winter with one arm, the Anchorage Daily News reported. His dog team Holmes said he bred the 10 dogs that took him to victory, adding that he had held each of them in his hands as puppies. 'I'm really proud of these dogs and I love them. And they did it. They deserve all the credit,' he said. He lavished particular praise on his lead dogs, Hercules and Polar, who were adorned at the finish with floral wreaths. 'These are the best in the world, right here,' he said, smiling, his arms draped around them. The trail A lack of snow this year forced changes to the route and starting point of what is typically a 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race. There are checkpoints along the route for rest or refueling. Mushers feed their dogs and put out straw for them to lay down, and catch some sleep themselves if they can. Mushers' sleds must be able to carry and provide cover to injured or tired dogs, in addition to equipment and food. They must carry adequate emergency food for their dogs when leaving a checkpoint, as well as routine meals and snacks. The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing. He came in about three hours ahead of the second place finisher, Matt Hall. Paige Drobny finished third. 'I'll tell you one thing: I damn sure ain't tired,' Holmes said to a chorus of cheering fans. 'It's hard to put into words, but it's a magical feeling, and it's not about this moment now. It's about all those moments along the trail.' He described witnessing a beautiful sunset, the moon shimmering on the snow and the northern lights, and said he had time to ponder his mentors and race legends who had died, 'looking down on me and telling me I could do it. I just wanted to join that club with them. I've wanted that for a long time.' What does Holmes win? Holmes is taking home $57,200 for his victory, in addition to awards including $4,500 worth of gold nuggets and 25 pounds of fresh salmon for finishing first in earlier stages. He described the race as '10 quality days. I got my money's worth.'
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Jessie Holmes says his dogs deserve all the credit for his 'magical' first Iditarod win
Bundled-up well wishers lined a street along the Bering Sea coastline in the early morning darkness Friday, cheering musher Jessie Holmes as he won Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Holmes pumped his fist as he ran alongside his sled with a headlamp beaming from his forehead, as he and his 10-dog team finished the 1,128-mile (1,815-kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness in the Gold Rush town of Nome. The distance for this year's running was the longest in the Iditarod's 53-year history. He said his win felt 'magical' and he gave credit — and hugs — to his dogs, whom he described as family. Who is Jessie Holmes? Holmes lives in the Interior Alaska community of Nenana, about 300 miles (480 kilometers) north of Anchorage, where he is a carpenter and lives a subsistence lifestyle. He found reality TV fame as a yearslong cast member of 'Life Below Zero,' a National Geographic program that documents the struggles of people living in remote parts of Alaska. Originally from Alabama, Holmes has lived since 2004 in Alaska, where he found a passion for the wilderness and competing in sled dog races. This year was Holmes' eighth Iditarod, and he has now finished in the top 10 six times, including third last year and in 2022. In 2018, his first Iditarod, he won Rookie of the Year honors with his seventh-place finish. His win this year comes on the heels of adversity. He was helping repair buildings in the remote community of Golovin after the region was walloped by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok in 2022 when part of a house fell on him. He suffered several broken ribs and a broken wrist and was forced to train that winter with one arm, the Anchorage Daily News reported. His dog team Holmes said he bred the 10 dogs that took him to victory, adding that he had held each of them in his hands as puppies. 'I'm really proud of these dogs and I love them. And they did it. They deserve all the credit,' he said. He lavished particular praise on his lead dogs, Hercules and Polar, who were adorned at the finish with floral wreaths. 'These are the best in the world, right here,' he said, smiling, his arms draped around them. The trail A lack of snow this year forced changes to the route and starting point of what is typically a 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race. There are checkpoints along the route for rest or refueling. Mushers feed their dogs and put out straw for them to lay down, and catch some sleep themselves if they can. Mushers' sleds must be able to carry and provide cover to injured or tired dogs, in addition to equipment and food. They must carry adequate emergency food for their dogs when leaving a checkpoint, as well as routine meals and snacks. The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing. He came in about three hours ahead of the second place finisher, Matt Hall. Paige Drobny finished third. 'I'll tell you one thing: I damn sure ain't tired,' Holmes said to a chorus of cheering fans. 'It's hard to put into words, but it's a magical feeling, and it's not about this moment now. It's about all those moments along the trail.' He described witnessing a beautiful sunset, the moon shimmering on the snow and the northern lights, and said he had time to ponder his mentors and race legends who had died, 'looking down on me and telling me I could do it. I just wanted to join that club with them. I've wanted that for a long time.' What does Holmes win? Holmes is taking home $57,200 for his victory, in addition to awards including $4,500 worth of gold nuggets and 25 pounds of fresh salmon for finishing first in earlier stages. He described the race as '10 quality days. I got my money's worth.'
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Jessie Holmes says his dogs deserve all the credit for his ‘magical' first Iditarod win
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Bundled-up well wishers lined a street along the Bering Sea coastline in the early morning darkness Friday, cheering musher Jessie Holmes as he won Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Holmes pumped his fist as he ran alongside his sled with a headlamp beaming from his forehead, as he and his 10-dog team finished the 1,128-mile (1,815-kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness in the Gold Rush town of Nome. The distance for this year's running was the longest in the Iditarod's 53-year history. He said his win felt 'magical' and he gave credit — and hugs — to his dogs, whom he described as family. Who is Jessie Holmes? Holmes lives in the Interior Alaska community of Nenana, about 300 miles (480 kilometers) north of Anchorage, where he is a carpenter and lives a subsistence lifestyle. He found reality TV fame as a yearslong cast member of 'Life Below Zero,' a National Geographic program that documents the struggles of people living in remote parts of Alaska. Originally from Alabama, Holmes has lived since 2004 in Alaska, where he found a passion for the wilderness and competing in sled dog races. This year was Holmes' eighth Iditarod, and he has now finished in the top 10 six times, including third last year and in 2022. In 2018, his first Iditarod, he won Rookie of the Year honors with his seventh-place finish. His win this year comes on the heels of adversity. He was helping repair buildings in the remote community of Golovin after the region was walloped by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok in 2022 when part of a house fell on him. He suffered several broken ribs and a broken wrist and was forced to train that winter with one arm, the Anchorage Daily News reported. His dog team Holmes said he bred the 10 dogs that took him to victory, adding that he had held each of them in his hands as puppies. 'I'm really proud of these dogs and I love them. And they did it. They deserve all the credit,' he said. He lavished particular praise on his lead dogs, Hercules and Polar, who were adorned at the finish with floral wreaths. 'These are the best in the world, right here,' he said, smiling, his arms draped around them. The trail A lack of snow this year forced changes to the route and starting point of what is typically a 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race. There are checkpoints along the route for rest or refueling. Mushers feed their dogs and put out straw for them to lay down, and catch some sleep themselves if they can. Mushers' sleds must be able to carry and provide cover to injured or tired dogs, in addition to equipment and food. They must carry adequate emergency food for their dogs when leaving a checkpoint, as well as routine meals and snacks. The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing. He came in about three hours ahead of the second place finisher, Matt Hall. Paige Drobny finished third. 'I'll tell you one thing: I damn sure ain't tired,' Holmes said to a chorus of cheering fans. 'It's hard to put into words, but it's a magical feeling, and it's not about this moment now. It's about all those moments along the trail.' He described witnessing a beautiful sunset, the moon shimmering on the snow and the northern lights, and said he had time to ponder his mentors and race legends who had died, 'looking down on me and telling me I could do it. I just wanted to join that club with them. I've wanted that for a long time.' What does Holmes win? Holmes is taking home $57,200 for his victory, in addition to awards including $4,500 worth of gold nuggets and 25 pounds of fresh salmon for finishing first in earlier stages.
CBC
14-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Former reality TV star Jessie Holmes wins longest-ever Iditarod
Jessie Holmes, a former reality television star, won the longest-ever Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Friday, celebrating with fist pumps to a cheering crowd and posing for photos with his two floral wreath-adorned head teammates, Hercules and Polar. Holmes was first to the finish line in the Gold Rush town of Nome, on the Bering Sea coast. The race began March 3 in Fairbanks after a lack of snow forced changes to the route and starting point. That made the normally 1,609-km race a staggering 1,817 km across the Alaska wilderness. Holmes finished in 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds. "It's hard to put into words, but it's a magical feeling," Holmes said shortly after crossing the finish line. "It's not about this moment now. It's about all those moments along the trail." He will take home $57,200 US for winning the race, along with $4,500 worth of gold nuggets and 25 pounds of fresh salmon for finishing first in earlier stages. Holmes, who was competing for the eighth time, previously finished in the top 10 five times, including third last year and in 2022. In his first Iditarod, in 2018, his seventh-place finish earned him Rookie of the Year honors. Matt Hall, who was born in Eagle, a tiny community on the Yukon River in eastern Alaska and began mushing at age 2, finished in second place. His parents owned an expedition company, and he grew up with sled dogs and guiding weeklong trips for clients. This year's longer distance was grueling, he said after crossing the line three hours after Holmes. "It was too long," he said with a laugh. Paige Drobny finished third, becoming the first woman on the podium since Jessie Royer placed third in 2020. It was Drobny's 10th attempt in the race. Drobny lives in Cantwell, Alaska, with her husband and fellow long-distance musher Cody Strathe where they raise sled dogs at Squid Acres Kennel. The name comes from her master's thesis on squid in the Bering Sea. Holmes, who was born and raised in Alabama, left at age 18 and worked as a carpenter in Montana for three years. He arrived in Alaska in 2004 and found adventure running dogs on a remote location of the Yukon River. "It's been a truly amazing 10 days and I soaked in every part of it — the lows, the highs, the in-betweens. ... I'm really proud of these dogs and I love them. And they did it. They deserve all the credit," Holmes said. He gave a special salute to his two lead canines, Hercules, his half-sprint dog, and Polar, saying, "He's the brains behind the operation." Holmes now lives in Nenana, where he works as a carpenter and lives a subsistence lifestyle. From 2015 through 2023, he was a cast member of "Life Below Zero," a National Geographic program that documents the struggles of Alaskans living in remote parts of the state. Besides the lack of snow north of the Alaska Range that forced the change of starting point to Fairbanks, race organizers also had to make changes to the ceremonial start in Anchorage. With snow trucked in to cover streets in the state's largest city, the usual parade route there was shortened from about 18 km to under 3.2 km, and the number of dogs was reduced. It was the fourth time in this century that the race was forced north from the Anchorage area because of a lack of snow. Only 33 mushers started in Fairbanks, tied with 2023 for the smallest field ever. The drop in participants has raised concerns about the viability of the race, which has had to contend with inflation, climate change and pressure from animal rights groups. One dog died in this year's Iditarod: a pregnant female on the team of musher Daniel Klein, who under race rules scratched due to the death. Nearly a third of the mushers quit early, including eight who scratched and two who were withdrawn for not being competitive. This year's Iditarod run paid tribute to another famous mushing event, the 1925 Serum Run, in which sled dog teams saved Nome from a deadly diphtheria outbreak.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jessie Holmes wins the 2025 Iditarod
Richard Arlin WalkerICT Former reality TV star Jessie Holmes won the 53rd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Friday, March 14, ending a run that was as commanding as the race was long. Holmes and his dog team crossed the finish line in Nome at 2:55 a.m. Alaska Time, finishing the 1,128-mile race in 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes 41 seconds. It was the longest race in Iditarod history after the trail was revised because of low snowfall totals on the usual route. Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, the only Alaska Native in the race, was on track to a top 10 finish. SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. Holmes said the race was a 'magical' experience: crossing the Blueberry Hills to the Norton Sound coast, the Northern Lights dancing in the night sky and the moon shining on the snow, the thoughts of race legends who've inspired him and the anticipation of joining them in the exclusive club of Iditarod champions. And so he has. 'It's been 10 quality days. I definitely got my money's worth,' Holmes told race officials at the finish line. 'I damn sure ain't tired.' He shared the spotlight at the finish line with two of his dogs, Hercules and Polar, calling them 'the brains behind the operation.' Holmes, an Alabama native who moved to Alaska in 2004, is perhaps best known for his regular appearances on NatGeo's 'Life Below Zero' from 2015-2023. He is not a newcomer to the Iditarod, having previously finished third in 2022 and 2024, fifth in 2023, ninth in 2020, and seventh in his first Iditarod in 2017, garnering Rookie of the Year honors. He also won the 2017 Kobuk 440, a highly respected mid-distance race in Kotzebue. Holmes works as a carpenter and lives in Nenana in the Alaska interior, where conditions were ideal for training this season. The musher and team's experience, discipline and training showed in their performance. Holmes, Matt Hall and Paige Drobny leapfrogged for the lead for much of the race, but Holmes outpaced and out-rested them to widen a lead that became unsurpassable by White Mountain, where all mushers and teams are required to take an eight-hour rest. Holmes left White Mountain for Safety and Nome three hours before Hall and six hours before Drobny. At the time Holmes crossed the finish line, Hall was leaving Safety at mile 1106 on his way to a second consecutive second-place finish. Drobny was 22 miles behind Hall and on her way to finishing third. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the top 10 was expected to be rounded out by three-time past champion Mitch Seavey, Michelle Phillips, Bailey Vitello, Travis Beals, Redington, Mille Porsild, and Matt Failor or Ryan Dyche. Holmes received a check for $57,200. On his charge to Nome, Holmes also won awards for being the first musher to reach White Mountain, the Bering Sea coast, the halfway mark of Grayling, and the checkpoint at Kaltag. His winnings from those awards total $4,500 in cash, $4,500 in gold nuggets, 25 pounds of fresh Bristol Bay salmon and multiple trophies to commemorate each achievement. Commentator Bruce Lee, an Iditarod veteran, said Holmes' team seemed energized by the cheering crowds as they neared the finish line under police escort. The energy they displayed after the finish seemed to be a testament to their pre-season training and care during the race. Holmes showed 'remarkable strategic thinking' throughout the race, the Iditarod Race Committee said in a statement issued after the finish. Holmes made 'well-timed decisions in response to the unpredictable challenges that the Iditarod is known for. His careful balance of speed and caution allowed him to maintain a lead in the final stretch, with his sled dog team displaying exceptional endurance and teamwork.' After the finish, Holmes snacked his dogs on beef steaks and walked over to greet the crowds and take selfies with fans. The celebrity energy and crowd reaction prompted Iditarod Insider commentator Greg Heiser to quip, 'Jessie Holmes for president!' Holmes, 43, was born in Alabama and moved at age 18 to Montana, where he worked as a carpenter for three years. He made it to Alaska in 2004, running dogs on a remote trap line on the Yukon River, and has lived in the Last Frontier since. His love of the wilderness and sled dogs eventually led to his competing in sprint and distance races. Redington was set to claim his fifth top 10 finish. He won the championship in 2023 and finished ninth in 2022, seventh in 2021, and eighth in 2020. He's also a two-time champion of the Kobuk 440 in Kotzebue and the John Beargrease Memorial Sled Dog Marathon in northern Minnesota. Redington's grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., who was non-Native, founded the race in 1973 to celebrate the heritage of the Alaska sled dog. The race was won by Alaska Natives in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2019 and 2023. The top three finishers in 1974 and 2023 were Alaska Natives. And 2011 champion John Baker, Inupiaq, is the sixth-winningest Iditarod musher of all time, with a total of $602,658 in earnings in 22 races. Throughout the race, Redington seemed to enjoy being on the trail with his dogs. 'The team is doing good. They're a little frisky yet,' Redington told Iditarod Insider on March 12. 'They're having fun and it's an enjoyable team to mush. … We had a really nice run last night. It seemed like almost a full moon. The only thing that could have made it better would have been Northern Lights to go with it.' Thirty-three mushers and teams left the starting line in Fairbanks on March 3, one of the smallest fields in the race's history. Some 23 mushers and teams were still in the race on March 14, believed to be the smallest field of finishers in the race's 53 years. From Fairbanks, mushers and dogs traveled 456 miles along the Yukon River to Kaltag, then turned south on a 329-mile loop to Shageluk and back. Upon returning to Kaltag, mushers and dogs turned west on an 81-mile run to Unalakleet, then traversed the Norton Sound coast on the 262 miles to the finish line in Nome. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter. ICT, formerly Indian Country Today, is a nonprofit news organization that covers the Indigenous world with a daily digital platform and news broadcast with international viewership.
