Norwegian musher wins sled dog race

Joar Ulsom’s ANCHORAGE, dreams of making it big in the dog-mushing world started small.

When he was a boy growing up in Norway, he watched videos of the world’s most famous sled dog race and figured out a way he could replicate the Iditarod: He borrowed his neighbors’ two small house dogs and had them pull him around on skis.

The dogs and equipment got bigger and better until he finally captured the biggest prize in the sport on Wednesday. The 31-year-old became the third person born outside the United States to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that spans nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) over rugged Alaska terrain.

“I don’t know what to say about it. It’s out of this world,” he said before hugging each of his dogs.

Ulsom came off the Bering Sea ice in the small city of Nome early in the morning and ran his dogs down the last few blocks as a crowd cheered him on. His supporters crowded the finish line, one waving Norway’s flag.

His victory generated heavy media attention in Norway, a winter sports nation still basking in the glory of winning the most medals at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.