Norway’s Ulsom captures Iditarod

Joar Ulsom of Norway won the world’s most famous sled dog raceWednesday after a grueling dash across Alaska’s rough terrain, but he earned tens of thousands of dollars less than last year’s top musher at the struggling Iditarod.

After nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers), Ulsom and the eight dogs on his team came off the Bering Sea ice onto Nome’s main street. He slapped hands with fans who lined the streets and went under the finish line at 3 a.m. local time Wednesday.

“I don’t know what to say about it. It’s out of this world,” he said before hugging each of his dogs. His supporters crowded the finish line, one waving Norway’s flag.

The 31-year- old took the lead Monday when Nicolas Petit got off course in a blizzard.

Tennis

FEDERERSTAYSHOT>> Roger Federer defeated Jeremy Chardy 7- 5, 6- 4 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, and at 15- 0 the world’s top-ranked men’s player is off to his best start since 2006.

The 36-year-old Swiss superstar can equal his season-best start of 16- 0 with a win in the quarterfinals, where he will meet 23rdseeded Chung Hyeon in a rematch of their Australian Open semifinal.

Simona Halep, the world’s top-ranked woman, outlasted Petra Martic 6- 4, 6-7 (7), 6-3 and improved to 18-1 in matches this year.

Baseball

VOGT STILL AILING >> Milwaukee Brewers catcher Stephen Vogt will not be ready for the season opener because of a shoulder strain.

• The Marlins say third basemanMartin Prado will begin the season on the disabled list while he recovers from right knee surgery. Hamstring and knee injuries limited the 34-year- old Prado to 37 games last year.

Soccer

MESSI NETS NO. 100 >> Lionel Messi joined Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League’s 100-goal club after scoring twice to lead Barcelona past Chelsea and into the Champions League quarterfinals for an 11th straight season.

Motor sports

LOWE’S TO DROP JOHNSON >> Lowe’s, one of the last remaining corporate giants in NASCAR, announced that it will not sponsor seventime champion Jimmie Johnson after this season, an ominous sign for the nation’s top racing series.