Dutch rookie kicked out of Iditarod

Musher unable to keep up with back-of-the-pack teams

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updated 9:21 p.m. ET March 19, 2006

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Iditarod officials have booted a Dutch rookie musher from the from the 1,100-mile race for his slow pace.

Ben Valks, of Haarlem, Holland, couldn’t keep up with other back-of-the-pack mushers, race marshal Mark Nordman said. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race removes laggards because of the difficulty of keeping volunteers at checkpoints.

Valks left Unalakleet Friday night in 72nd and last place, then lost time on the next-to-last musher when he encountered difficulty on the 40-mile trip along the Bering Sea coast. Nordman removed him from the race Saturday.

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Denali musher Jeff King claimed his fourth Iditarod win early Wednesday.

Also on Saturday, a fourth dog in this year’s Iditarod died. The 5-year-old male named Jack belonged to the team of Tomahawk, Wis., musher Ron Cortte.

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Veterinarians examined the dog at the White Mountain checkpoint, 77 miles from the finish line in Nome, and thought he was fine. The dog died about 30 minutes later.