Jessie Holmes Repeats as Iditarod Champion

The musher is just the sixth person to win the 1,000-mile race back-to-back.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 5:34am

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Jessie Holmes, a 44-year-old musher from Alabama who now lives in Alaska, has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the second consecutive year. Holmes crossed under the burled arch in Nome, Alaska, to cheers shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, cementing his status as one of the elite long-distance mushers in the sport.

Why it matters

Winning the Iditarod once is an incredible feat, but repeating as champion is even more impressive. Holmes joins an exclusive club of just six mushers who have accomplished the back-to-back victory, underscoring his skill, endurance, and mastery of sled dog racing.

The details

Holmes ran his first Iditarod in 2018, finishing in seventh place. He's entered and finished every Iditarod since, placing in the top 10 the majority of the time. This year's victory marks the second time he's won the 1,000-mile race, a rare accomplishment achieved by only five other mushers prior to him.

  • Jessie Holmes crossed under the burled arch in Nome, Alaska, shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
  • Holmes ran his first Iditarod in 2018, finishing in seventh place.

The players

Jessie Holmes

A 44-year-old musher from Alabama who now lives in Alaska and homesteads along the Brushkana River off the Denali Highway. He was mentored by longtime musher Bill Cotter and has starred in the reality TV program 'Life Below Zero'.

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The takeaway

Jessie Holmes' back-to-back Iditarod victories cement his status as one of the elite long-distance mushers in the sport, joining an exclusive club of just six other racers who have accomplished this feat. His success highlights the skill, endurance, and mastery required to conquer the grueling 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.