Allen Moore winner of Yukon Quest sled dog race 2014

Allen Moore crossed the finish line at Takhini Hot Springs, in Canada’s northwestern Yukon territory, early Monday morning, making him the winner of the Yukon Quest International Dog Sled Race.

Moore, from Two Rivers, Alaska, arrived at the finish line at 3:12 a.m. PT.

Two mushers, Moore and Brent Sass, from Eureka, Alaska, were neck and neck for most of the race passing one another at a nail-biting pace. But, Sass was struck down in a race-ending fall on the path between Carmacks and Braeburn checkpoints. Sass was assisted off the trail by the Canadian Rangers

Moore was resting ahead of Sass at the time of the fall and delayed his departure from the last checkpoint to see his race-mate off as Sass was taken to Whitehorse for medical attention.

Sass’s team Wild and Free Mushing posted on Facebook that their musher was out of the hospital and doing well.

Now that all the focus is off of the two front-runners, the dog sledding community turns to those vying for second and third place.

Hugh Neff, from Tok, Alaska, is 27 kilometres from the finish line and Matt Hall from Two Rivers, Alaska is currently resting at Carmacks.

The 1,600-kilometre journey began Feb. 1 in in Fairbanks, Alaska.