News coming out of the Rainy Pass Checkpoint and Iditarod Headquarters today – Four time champion Doug Swingly scratched from the race at 12:36pm on Monday, March 5th 2007. Swingly, who many thought could win the race this year, tying Rick Swenson’s record of 5 Iditarod championships is the first musher to officially scratch from the race. The scratch appears to come from injuries sustained between finger lake and rainy pass checkpoints. According to officials at the checkpoint Swingly appears to have possibly broken bones and dislocated one of his thumbs. Swingly has scratched from the race once in the past, in 2004 he withdrew after fearing that he had froze his corneas while not wearing protective eyewear following lasic eye surgery. For KICY, I’m Josh Rogers
2 Responses to “Swingly Scratches”
That is too bad! I was hoping he would do well this year! Thanks for the info though.
Something to say?
Doug, for all that some people don’t like him, is one tough sunuvagun. If *he* doubts his own ability to care for his dogs, then you can pretty much take it to the bank that he took a *serious* beating. That stretch of trail seems to eat someone’s dreams every year. This year, Doug fed the beast.
Left by Laird on March 5th, 2007