The 1,000 mile Iditarod dog sled race - widely considered the toughest contest on earth - has come to an end , with a 28-year-old musher claiming victory for the third time in the last four years . Dallas Seavey managed to beat his 55-year-old father to the finish line in Nome , Alaska , early Wednesday morning with a time of eight days , 18 hours , 13 minutes and six seconds - five hours slower than his record-setting performance last year . In reward for his win , the married father-of-one scored a check for $ 70,000 and a brand new Dodge SUV valued at $ 40,000 . During the race , Seavey 's dogs traveled an average of 7.6mph in temperatures as low as 50 below zero . Apparently the musher had frost in his beard when he pulled up to the finish line , with a windburned face to match . Iditarod winner : Dallas Seavey beat his 55-year-old father to the finish line in Nome , Alaska , early Wednesday morning with a time of eight days , 18 hours , 13 minutes and six seconds . Zapped by the cold : Apparently the musher had frost in his beard when he pulled up to the finish line , with a windburned face to match . An exhausted Seavey , who also won the Iditarod in 2012 and 2014 , petted and hugged his dogs after their victory . 'It takes a whole team to get any of us here , ' he told reporters at a finish line ceremony , which was broadcast and live-streamed . Later , he hoisted two of his dogs onto his lap and officials draped the animals with garlands of yellow flowers . 'As long as you take care of the dog team ( and ) make good decisions , good things will happen . Wins are a result of doing what we love , ' Seavey said , adding that he tried to keep the race fun . He said he and his father , Mitch Seavey , who won titles in 2013 and 2004 , encouraged each other along the way . The elder Seavey was in second place . Coming up with the goods : In reward for his win , the married father-of-one scored a check for $ 70,000 and a brand new Dodge Ram truck valued at $ 40,000 . Team effort : The younger Seavey said he and his father , Mitch ( pictured above ) , who won titles in 2013 and 2004 , encouraged each other along the way . Pit stop : Seavey tends to his lead dogs shortly after arriving at the Koyuk , Alaska , checkpoint during the Iditarod race on Monday , March 16 . Dallas Seavey increasingly put distance between himself and the rest of the field during the latter part of the race . He held a 25-mile advantage early Tuesday - a far cry from how he won the race last year . He was running third in the 2014 Iditarod when a freak snowstorm blew the leaders out of the race , and Seavey did n't know he had won the race until a cameraman broke the news to him . The winner 's purse increased this year , and the top prize was $ 19,600 more than what he pocketed for last year 's race . ' I 'm pretty tired right about now - it 's been a tough race , ' he said . 'The cold zaps you . The dogs , they 're very lively , but it takes a lot of effort to keep them well-fed , keep them rocking and rolling . This is a hard dog team to keep up with . ' Aaron Burmeister was running in third place , while Jessie Royer and Aliy Zirkle were battling for fourth . Royer and Zirkle each had attempted to become the first woman to win the race since the late Susan Butcher won her fourth title in 1990 . Poor weather south of the Alaska Range this year forced the official start farther north to Fairbanks , on the northern side of the mountains . Not much snow fell south of the range , and officials said the conditions in the normally treacherous Dalzell Gorge were made even more dangerous by a lack of snow . That 's the location where many mushers crashed their sleds in 2014 , causing many to scratch . Dinner is served : Seavey makes food for his dogs - the canines burn thousands of calories a day on the race . Close shave : Dallas Seavey looks back at Aaron Burmeister , whom he had just passed , as they head into the Koyuk , Alaska , checkpoint . Other comptetitors : Aaron Burmeister was running in third place ( pictured ) , while Jessie Royer and Aliy Zirkle were battling for fourth . A new race route also was created , with much of it run on river ice . The new route allowed new communities to serve as checkpoints , including the Athabascan community of Huslia , famed for its sprint sled dog races . The ceremonial start in Anchorage went on as planned on March 7 . Snow had to be trucked in so mushers could navigate paved streets , but there was little snow elsewhere in the city . The snow brought in for the race barely lasted the few hours it was needed because of temperatures nearing 40 degrees and rain . A total of 78 mushers began the race March 9 in Fairbanks . Eight scratched , and one was disqualified . Two dogs have died in this year 's race , including one that was hit by a car after getting loose during the ceremonial start . The other dog that died was on the team of four-time champion Lance Mackey .
Dallas Seavey beat his 55-year - old father to the finish line in Nome , Alaska , early Wednesday morning . His time of eight days , 18 hours , 13 minutes and six seconds was five hours slower than his record - setting time last year . During the race , colt 's horse ran an average of 24 miles in temperatures as low as temperatures below zero .