Jessie Holmes hugs his lead dogs Polar, left, and Hercules after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Friday morning, March 14, 2025 in Nome. (Loren Holme/Anchorage Daily News via AP) ...

The countdown to Iditarod 54 starts Saturday with sign-ups and a volunteer picnic in Wasilla. Reigning champ Jessie Holmes ...

Jessie Holmes hugs his lead dogs Polar, left, and Hercules after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Friday morning, March 14, 2025 in Nome. (Loren Holme/Anchorage Daily News via AP) ...

NOME — Jessie Holmes, a 43-year-old who came to Alaska from Alabama more than 20 years ago, earned his first victory in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Friday.

Jessie Holmes, who appeared on the Nat Geo series Life Below Zero, won the famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on March 14, 2025 in Alaska.

The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing.

The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing.

The temperature in Nome when Holmes finished was -6 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 Celsius). He crossed the finish line after 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds of racing.