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Oldest But Fastest: Mitch Seavey wins the 2017 Iditarod Race [VIDEO]

By Gerard Black | Update Date: Mar 16, 2017 10:09 AM EDT

Mitch Seavey has yet again won the Iditarod Race as the oldest but fastest musher after crossing the finish line in Nome, Alaska at a record-setting 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds

This is the third time that Mitch Seavey has won the Iditarod Race. He also won the 2004 and 2013 editions of the race. ESPN reports that his feat broke the time record set last year by his son, Dallas Seavey who ruled the 2016 Iditarod Race with 8 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes and 16 seconds.

Mitch Seavey also was the oldest winner in 2013 at the age of 53. This year, according to the Los Angeles Times, he broke his own record as the oldest winner of the Iditarod Race at the age of 57. Mitch Seavey's win in the 2017 Iditarod Race made him $75,000 richer and got him a brand-new pickup.

Mitch Seavey's win comes as a surprise because his son Dallas Seavey was gunning for a fifth Iditarod Race title to tie Rick Swenson for the most number of wins. Dallas and Mitch Seavey have 7 titles between them in the last fifteen editions of the Iditarod Race. Interestingly, Dallas Seavey holds the Iditarod Race title as the youngest ever to join and to win the race.

The win by Mitch Seavey was however marred by the record number of dog deaths in this year's race. Two died in the course of the race, one ran over by a car in Anchorage and another while it was being transferred back to Anchorage. PETA has weighed in on the issue and raised again the calls to stop the race entirely.

The Iditarod Race is the most prestigious dog sled race. The race to Nome, Alaska started in 1973 and this year started in Fairbanks on March 6. This year the race was had 71 participants with five of them dropping out in the course of the 979-mile race.

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