Rick Swenson at the beginning of the 2012 Iditarod
Personal information
Nickname
"King of the Iditarod"
Nationality
American
Born
1950 (age 73–74) Willmar, Minnesota
Home town
Two Rivers, Alaska
Years active
1976-2012
Sport
Sport
Dog mushing
Event
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Rick Swenson, sometimes known as the "King of the Iditarod", (born 1950 in Willmar, Minnesota), is an American dog musher who was first to win the 1,049-mile (1688.2 km) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across the U.S. state of Alaska five times, a record he held for 30 years, until Dallas Seavey matched it by winning the 2021 Iditarod. Swenson won in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1991, and is the only person to win in three separate decades. He won his first Iditarod race at the age of 27.
Swenson competed in the Iditarod for the first time in 1976, placing 12th. The next year, he beat Jerry Riley by just 4 minutes and 52 seconds, and became known for close finishes. Swenson has won by less than an hour four times, and by less than five minutes twice. Between 1976 and 2012, he has entered the race 36 times and has completed 34 Iditarods, more than any other musher, finished in the top ten 24 times and has won $612,576 in prizes, third among all entrants. He was awarded Sportsmanship awards in 1983 and 1996, and the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian award for dog care twice, in 1992 and 2004.
The most controversial finish in the history of the Iditarod is his 1978 loss to Dick Mackey. Swenson believed he had won—he personally crossed the finish line before Mackey. But Mackey had more dogs and a longer harness, and the nose of his lead dog crossed the finish line in 14 days, 18 hours, 52 minutes, and 24 seconds, one second ahead of the nose of Swenson's lead dog.
Swenson moved to Alaska in 1973 to run sled dogs. He lived first in Eureka, then moved to Two Rivers in the late 1980s. He has been a fur trapper, gold prospector, and is currently a kennel owner. He also enjoys woodworking and is the father of three children. He is a member of the Alaska Miner Association, Two Rivers Mushing Association, and is on the board of directors of the Iditarod Trail Committee, which manages the race. As of 2012, he has stopped competing in the Iditarod.
RickSwenson, sometimes known as the "King of the Iditarod", (born 1950 in Willmar, Minnesota), is an American dog musher who was first to win the 1,049-mile...
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became the Official Opposition. Devine resigned as PC leader in 1992, and RickSwenson—who, like Devine, was not implicated in the expense fraud scandal—became...
minutes, and 57 seconds, capturing his fifth championship and matching RickSwenson for most Iditarod wins. During the 2024 Iditarod, Seavey was given a...
mushers scratched, including the only five-time champion of the Iditarod, RickSwenson, and the legally blind Rachael Scdoris, who caused a media sensation...
from low-cost overseas furniture manufacturers. In the spring of 2010, RickSwenson and his business partner, Gary Hath, purchased the Hitchcock name, plans...
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the 2005 race. He entered the 2006 race. The only five-time winner is RickSwenson. Doug took control of the race early and led the race coming into the...
Kari Swenson (born 1961) is a veterinarian in Bozeman, Montana and former biathlete who earned a bronze medal as a member of the 1984 U.S. relay team...
thus becoming the second legacy winner. In 1978, Mackey pulled ahead of RickSwenson during the last leg of the race from Point Safety to Nome. With less...
from its dormancy. The case was not settled until 2014, when PC leader RickSwenson announced that his party had been given control of the fund. By 2007...
four-time winners Martin Buser, Jeff King, Lance Mackey, Doug Swingley, and RickSwenson who won five, and Dallas Seavey who won six. Butcher married fellow dog...
University Jeremy Swayman 1998 living Anchorage ice hockey goaltender RickSwenson 1950 living Manley Hot Springs, Two Rivers sled dog racer Jim Sykes 1950...
Race, and won the event by a one second margin over RickSwenson in 1978. Lance's half-brother Rick Mackey also won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in...
2008 Bill Spencer Skiing Anchorage, Alaska Service High School 2012 RickSwenson Dog Mushing Willmar, Minnesota Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race 2008 Vern...
because two friends donated USD $10,000 each, and he leased a team from RickSwenson. While Alaska Natives won the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Iditarods, and accounted...
Conservatives after the party was revived by his former cabinet colleague RickSwenson. He was eventually named President of the PC Party. Schmidt's son Kurt...
Progressive Conservative Opposition respectively. (4)Mr. Richard James Swenson was designated Leader of the Opposition on January 1, 1993. (5)Ms. Lynda...
Laviscount as Earl Grey Glen Powell as Chad Radwell Billie Lourd as Sadie Swenson / Chanel #3 Jamie Lee Curtis as Dean Cathy Munsch Abigail Breslin as Libby...
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