It was not a best time because the course was the longest ever. Racers started at Pike's Waterfront Lodge in Fairbanks and, after embarking on a loop at Kaltag, had a halfway checkpoint at Grayling before heading home to Nome on a route changed by poor trail conditions.

Holmes, who spent much of the race as the front-runner, won $57,200 as part of an overall purse of $500,000. He began his Iditarod in 2018, finishing seventh. After a subpar 27th place the following year, he strung together stronger and stronger finishes of ninth, third, fifth, and third. He had a history in television as well, as one of the featured actors on the reality show Life Below Zero.

The total of 33 tied with 2023 for the lowest ever. The 2024 field totaled 38. The largest field was in 2008, when 96 mushers contested the race. The first race, in 1973, featured 34 mushers. Race officials say that the average since then has been 63.

Matt Hall finished second, for the second

Among this year's 33 mushers, 22 are men and 11 are women. A full 16 overall are rookies. And only four are not Americans: a Dane, a Norwegian, and two Canadians.

This is the 100th anniversary of the Serum Run, which involved a series of dog teams transporting much-needed medicine to children in Nome.