Thomas Waerner Wins 2020 Iditarod; Will Earn at Least $50K in Prize Money

Thomas Waerner of Norway crossed the finish line early Wednesday morning to win the 2020 Iditarod trail sled dog race in Alaska to capture the grand prize of at least $50,000 and a pickup truck.

"This is awesome," Waerner told reporters. "This is something special."

The 47-year-old Norwegian musher and his 10 canines, led by lead dogs K2 and Bark, crossed nearly 1,000 miles of Alaskan terrain in nine days, 10 hours, 37 minutes and 47 seconds.

It was the second Iditarod appearance for Waerner, who was named the race's Rookie of the Year in 2015.

His final payout will be determined by how many mushers complete the course, but the European musher said the quest wasn't about financial gain.

"This is a money-spending sport," Waerner said Monday.

The 2020 Iditarod was one of the few high-profile worldwide sporting events to move forward despite the coronavirus pandemic, though efforts were made throughout the journey to practice social distancing.

This year's race started March 8 near Anchorage and finished in Nome.