Lance Mackey

Lance Mackey (born 1970) is an American dog musher and dog sled racer from Fairbanks, Alaska, who is a three-time winner of the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest and 2007 winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In 2007, Lance became the first person to win both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year. This feat was considered almost impossible by many and is considered one of the most impressive feats by a musher. Lance was nominated for a 2007 ESPY Award based on his performance.

His father Dick Mackey was one of the founders of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and won the event by 1 second over Rick Swenson in 1978. Also, Lance's half-brother Rick Mackey won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1983. All three of them won the race on their sixth attempt wearing bib number 13.

Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001 but continued dog sled racing entering the 2002 Iditarod race. After scratching from that race, he took a full year off from racing to recover from the disease. He is now considered cancer free, however, Mackey suffered nerve damage in his left index finger as a result of the operation to remove the cancerous tumor. The nerve damage caused such unbearable pain in the finger that Mackey chose to have the finger surgically removed.

Mackey is married to his high school sweetheart Tonya who is also a musher. They have 4 children, Amanda, Brittney, Alanah, and Cain. They run the Comeback Kennel in Fairbanks, Alaska.

External links

• Comeback Kennel