JESSIE ROYER - 2009 IDITAROD QUEEN

George Frideric Handel's "Arrival of the Queen" is in honor of Jessie Royer, who is the first female musher to reach Nome this year. She arrived there at 9:07:25 EDT this morning.

Jessie Royer, the 2001 rookie-of-the-year, 32, has finished eighth in her eighth Iditarod, and is the first female to finish this year - making her the Queen of the iditarod, 2009. Jessie's top finish prior to this year was also eighth, in 2005. Her mentor is Doug Swingley, four time Iditarod champion, and one of only three mushers (the other two are Susan Butcher and Lance Mackey) to have won three in a row. Jessie has finished in the Top 21 in all of her Iditarod races. Way to go, Jessie!

Note: Jessie's photo can be seen in an earlier post: "The Iditarod Lady Mushers."