jessie holmes crossed the Iditarod finish line Tuesday night in Nome, Alaska, locking in a second straight victory in the roughly 1, 000-mile sled dog race. The defending champion arrived about 9: 30 p. m. ET as fans cheered along Front Street and police vehicles escorted the 12-dog team to the Burled Arch. The win puts him in a rare group of repeat champions in the race’s long history, while the event also faced fresh scrutiny after one dog death was confirmed this year.
Finish-line moment in Nome: a second straight title
Race night in Nome mixed celebration with biting cold as the temperature dipped below zero and the crowd marked St. Patrick’s Day while waiting for the champion’s arrival. The musher, 44, pumped his arms and exchanged high-fives after running down Front Street with his team.
In the finish chute, jessie holmes kept his message simple: “Dogs first, man, dogs first. They deserve all the glory. ” After a short interview, he fed his dogs ribeye steaks.
Officials presented Holmes with a check for $80, 000. He selected two lead dogs—Zeus, a black-and-white three-year-old, and Polar, an all-white nine-year-old—as Golden Harness-winning most valuable dogs, and wreaths of white roses were placed around their necks.
Race route, pace, and the approach that powered the run
The 2026 race started March 8 in Willow, one day after a ceremonial start in Anchorage. The trail carried teams over two mountain ranges, along the frozen Yukon River, and across unpredictable Bering Sea ice before the final push to Nome.
Team Can’t Stop finished in 9 days, 7 hours, and 32 minutes after leading most of the way. Earlier Tuesday, on the run to White Mountain—where mushers must take a mandatory eight-hour break before the final 77-mile push—Holmes gave his dogs extra snacks and rubbed frost off their snouts, showing attention to each animal on the team.
Holmes also described his strategy as continuous reinvestment in dog care. “I invest back into the dogs constantly with rest and food, and it perpetuates power, which perpetuates speed, ” he said. “If you ain’t got power, you ain’t got speed, and you aren’t going to be able to race. ”
Reactions, records, and the money behind this year’s purse
Holmes called the win a personal milestone shaped by the communities along the route. “It’s a blessing to be out here. I was just so full of gratitude and gratefulness being welcomed into all these communities, and being out in all this beautiful country with the most amazing dog team I’ve ever seen, ” he said.
Race history underscores the rarity of repeating immediately after a first title: in the 54-year history of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, he is the third competitor to do so, after Susan Butcher (1986–1987) and Lance Mackey (2007–2008). Holmes said he mushed into Nome thinking about Butcher and Mackey, noting the legacy of repeat champions.
This year’s purse was boosted with financial support from Norwegian billionaire Kjell Rokke, who participated in a newly created, noncompetitive amateur category. Rokke provided $100, 000 in additional prize money and $170, 000 to Alaska Native villages that serve as checkpoints. Another participant in the noncompetitive “expedition” class, Canadian entrepreneur Steve Curtis, pledged $50, 000 for youth sports programs in villages; Curtis did not finish the race.
Safety debate resurfaces after one confirmed dog death
The race’s longtime critic People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has claimed that more than 150 dogs have died in the history of the Iditarod and urged Rokke to spend his money to help dogs rather than put them through “hazards and misery. ” The Iditarod has never provided its own count of dogs who have died on the race.
Iditarod Tuesday that one dog has died in this year’s race: a 4-year-old female named Charly from musher Mille Porsild’s team. a necropsy will be conducted.
What’s next: eyes already on a three-peat attempt
Holmes has now raced in the Iditarod nine times, with seven top 10 finishes and top-five placements in each of the last five races. Asked at the finish line whether he would pursue a third straight win with the race set to run its southern route in 2027, he answered: “That’s what we’re going to be shooting for. And we’re going to be shooting to break that southern route record, because that’s our favorite route. We can’t wait. ”
For now, jessie holmes leaves Nome as champion again—celebrated for a fast, controlled run and a visibly energetic team, while the event’s safety questions remain active as officials move forward with a necropsy and the sport heads toward its next season.
