Iditarod mushers make final push

NOME, Alaska, March 10 (UPI) -- Just eight minutes separated the first two dog teams in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News reported Monday.

After nearly 1,000 miles of racing, defending Iditarod champion Lance Mackey and four-time victor Jeff King remained in a tight race, the newspaper reported.

The two teams pulled into the Koyuk checkpoint Monday afternoon, just 130 miles from the finish line in Nome, Alaska.

Trailing the front-runners were a group of mushers vying for Top 10 finishes. The newspaper said less than two hours separated third place from 14th place.