
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 15, 1990                   TAG: 9003152289
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NOME, ALASKA                                 LENGTH: Short

BUTCHER WINS FOURTH IDITAROD/

Greeted by sirens, banners and cheers, Susan Butcher stormed into this historic Gold Rush town Wednesday in sub-zero temperatures and record time to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the fourth time in five years

Butcher was running about two hours ahead of defending champion Joe Runyan in a reversal of roles from the 1989 finish. Runyan won that race with a 65-minute cushion over Butcher.

Butcher, who had to drop three of her veteran dogs - including two leaders - credited the unknowns among her team for the victory.

"This team has been absolutely incredible," she said. "I've never had a team go as strong as this."

Butcher joins Rick Swenson as the only four-time winner of the Iditarod, a 1,158-mile marathon from Anchorage to Nome.

Her official time was 11 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes, 23 seconds.

She won $50,000 in first-place money, plus another $20,000 from Purina Pro Plan, one of her sponsors.

by CNB