Swingley Wins 3rd Straight Iditarod

NOME, Alaska (AP) _ Doug Swingley won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Wednesday for the third straight year, completing an 1,100-mile trip through the Alaska wilderness. <br><br>The musher from Lincoln,

Wednesday, March 14th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NOME, Alaska (AP) _ Doug Swingley won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Wednesday for the third straight year, completing an 1,100-mile trip through the Alaska wilderness.

The musher from Lincoln, Mont., arrived at the finish in Nome at 6:55 a.m., ending his trek in 9 days, 19 hours, 55 minutes and beating a field that featured six previous champions.

Swingley, who finished first in 1995, has equaled Susan Butcher's total of four victories. The only five-time champion is Rick Swenson.

Swingley won $62,857 and a new pickup truck. The first 30 finishers share in the race's $550,000 purse.