56-year-old Allen Moore crossed the finish line with his 11-dog team in Takhini Hot Springs at 2:12 am on Monday breaking his own record time and taking home the Yukon Quest title for the second time in a row.

Moore, bib #8, finished the race solo after a grueling eight days, fourteen hours and twenty-one minutes on the 1,000 mile trail to take home the race purse of $22,700.

Up until Sunday Moore had been running neck and neck with fellow musher Brent Sass. But Sass took a spill on the trail as the two were racing towards the final checkpoint in Braeburn. Sass suffered head injuries in the spill, taking him out of the race.

Moore who was ahead at the time of the incident, continued on to Braeburn and arrived there at 6:40 am on Sunday.

Canadian Rangers responded to the scene and transported Sass to Braeburn by snow machine, from there, Sass was airlifted to Whitehorse for further evaluation. He has since been released from the hospital and is reported to be ok.

Fellow musher, Hugh Neff, assisted with Sass’s dogs after meeting up with a Canadian Ranger who was with the dogteam waiting for the arrival of race judge Scott Smith. Neff assisted in feeding and watering the dogs. When Smith arrived, Neff assisted in leading the three-time Yukon Quest Sportsmanship Award winner’s dog team to Braeburn.

Moore was still in Braeburn when Sass arrived, and in a show of support, Moore delayed his departure from the checkpoint by an hour as he saw Sass off as Sass was being airlifted to Whitehorse.

As a result of Sass’s injuries and non-completion of the race, he will not collect the $5,000 worth of gold he was to claim for arriving at Dawson City first. Mushers must complete the race to claim that prize. That purse will now be claimed by Moore.

Just a week before, Moore’s wife, Aily Zirkle took the title at the Yukon Quest 300. Together the couple owns SP Kennels in Two Rivers just outside of Fairbanks. Zirkle was the first woman to ever win the Yukon Quest in 2000.

Currently, Hugh Neff, bib #14, owner of Laughing Eyes Kennel, is in the 2nd place spot, traveling at 4.5 mph at mile 911.4.

Currently in third palce is bib #3, Matt Hall of Smokin’ Ace Kennels, he is at mile 777.7 traveling at 7.1 mph.

Alaska Native News thanks Marcel Vander Weir of the Whitehorse Star for his imagery at the finish line in Takhini Hot Springs.