麻豆社区

Lance Mackey, a four-time back-to-back winner of the Iditarod and a four-time Yukon Quest champion has withdrawn from the 2017 edition of the Iditarod.

A post on the Iditarod Trail Committee Facebook page announced Mackey鈥檚 withdrawal.

鈥淒ue to health reasons, Lance Mackey has withdrawn from the 2017 Iditarod. Let's wish Lance the best as he continues his journey improving his health,鈥� it said in part.

For Mackey, mushing is a family legacy. His father, Dick Mackey, was one of the Iditarod鈥檚 founders in 1973. He then won the race in 1978 and his son, Rick, won in 1983.

In 2001, Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer. He started the 2002 Iditarod with a feeding tube still in place, but dropped out, taking the next few years off to recoup.

In 2005, he won his first Yukon Quest as a rookie, then proceeded to win three more, in 鈥�06, 鈥�07, and 鈥�08.

He started his Iditarod winning streak in 鈥�07, following that with wins in 鈥�08, 鈥�09 and 鈥�10.

A cancer survivor, Mackey was the first musher to win both the Quest and the Iditarod in the same year; a feat he accomplished not once, but twice, and which hasn鈥檛 been repeated.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty special moment,鈥� he told the Star in 2008 after winning his fourth Quest championship and a few weeks before winning his second Iditarod. 鈥淚 find myself doing a lot of firsts these last few years.鈥�

More than 400 comments were attached to the Iditarod Trail鈥圕ommittee鈥檚 post, many of whom were wishing Mackey well.

Jenne Smith, Mackey鈥檚 partner, wrote on his kennel鈥檚 Facebook page, 鈥淟ANCE鈥圡ACKEY鈥橲 Comeback Kennel,鈥� writing that he had no new medical conditions, but that they were taking 鈥渆xtra precautions and putting his health first this year.鈥�

鈥淪till working out this year鈥檚 plans, and my personal hope is to help him get back to 110 (per cent) so he鈥檒l be more than ready for 2018 with his incredible team.鈥�

鈥淗e is happily out running dogs as I type this, so all can rest assured he is doing just fine.鈥�

Mackey鈥檚 sled team may still run the Iditarod, but with another musher.

鈥淭he team I have deserves to compete,鈥� he told the Alaska 麻豆社区miner this week. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to predict you鈥檒l see them on the trail, but it won鈥檛 be me driving.鈥�

He also told the 麻豆社区miner that he won鈥檛 be signing up for the Yukon Quest next year either.