The Iditarod always knew how tough two time Champion Lance Mackey was.  After all Lance is the only athlete to win back to back 1000 mile plus championships including the Grandaddy of them all “The Last Great Race on Earth”.  ESPN knew; they nominated Lance twice as for the coveted ESPY Award.  Now the world knows that when the people get a chance to vote (and vote they did) The Toughest Athlete on the Planet is Lance Mackey!

Versus, a media partner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, conducted their Red White Black and Blue (RWBB)  ”Cam Pain” to see just who was the toughest athlete on Earth with 32 contestants.  On September 15th, Lance was neck and neck with just one other competitor “Team Hoyt”, a triathlon duo of father Dick Hoyt and son Rick, who has severe brain damage.

The last few hours of the online competition were a testament to the phenomenal fan base of “Lance fans” that that has grown over the last couple of years. Mackey’s lead  (which was only a few tenths of a percentage point) grew into a more than six point lead at the end of the day!

Lance beat out the likes of Bret Farve and another Lance… Lance Armstrong during the competition, but this was a race he could not have won without the support of Iditarod Race fans from around the globe.  That’s another thing the Iditarod has always known… this race has ”The Greatest Fans in the World.”

Congrats Lance!