The famous round arch finish line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska has collapsed into a wooden piling, officials said.
Nome Mayor John Handeland told Anchorage television station KTUU that rotting wood was likely the cause. He learned of the collapse on Saturday night and collected the pieces of wood for safekeeping.
Record-setting Iditarod victory overshadowed by deaths of three dogs
The iconic arch, which is relocated to Nome’s Front Street every March for the Iditarod finish line, was in a city park in the middle of town when it collapsed. The mushers will start the race at Willow and lead their dog teams under the arch to complete the 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race across Alaska.
Volunteers help raise the Iditarod finishers banner at the Burl Arch finish line in Nome, Alaska, March 16, 2015. Nome Mayor John Handeland said the arch collapsed on Saturday, April 27, 2024, likely due to rotting wood. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Messages sent to Mr. Handeland and Iditarod race officials who were traveling Monday seeking information about the arch replacement were not immediately returned to The Associated Press.
This year’s Iditarod was marred by the deaths of three sled dogs and the serious injury of another during the race. This prompted the race’s biggest critics, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, to renew their calls for the race to end.
“There is nothing more beautiful than the decay and collapse of the #Iditarod finish line arch, marking the final leg of the race,” the animal rights group, which learned of the arch collapse on Monday, posted on social media platform X.
The arch that collapsed was not original. The first arch was built by musher Red “Fox” Olson. It weighed 5,000 pounds (2,267.96 kilograms) and took approximately 500 hours to complete in 1974.
The arch was damaged in 1999 while being moved away from Front Street. The statue has been restored and is now displayed on the wall of the Nome Recreation Center.
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The new arch was completed in time for the 2000 race, but cold salt winds from the Bering Sea required frequent repairs, leading to extensive construction in 2013.
This sign was a popular selfie spot for tourists to take photos, whether it was on Front Street or moved to another location after the race.
