People

By Guy D. Garcia

The grueling 1,100-mile course traversed two mountain ranges, the Yukon River and the frozen Norton Sound. Besting 61 starters and unusually bad weather conditions, as well as overcoming a gender barrier, was Libby Riddles, 28, the first woman ever to win Alaska's Anchorage-to-Nome Iditarod dogsled race. Two weeks into the 18-day trek, while her competition opted to sit out a fierce snowstorm, the musher from Teller, Alaska, pressed on with her team of 13 dogs. Out on the ice, almost unable to see, "I kept telling myself how foolish I was being for doing this," recalls Riddles. But fools who rush on can sometimes beat the waiting wise men cold. She swept across the finish line 2 1/2 hours ahead of her nearest rival. What plans does Riddles have for her $50,000 prize? "Maybe Hawaii," said the champion snowbird. "And a box of biscuits for each of the dogs."