Alaska musher Zirkle maintains Iditarod lead

Aliy Zirkle is maintaining her lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 41-year-old musher from Two Rivers and her team of 12 dogs were greeted by fans as they pulled into Unalakleet (YUN'-uh-la-kleet) at 7:28 a.m. Alaska time Sunday.

For being first to Alaska's western coast, she wins a gold cup and $2,500 in gold nuggets.

Dallas Seavey of Willow was close behind her, getting to the Norton Sound community at 8:19 a.m. Musher Aaron Burmeister of Nome was 11 minutes behind Seavey, and defending champion John Baker of Kotzebue pulled at 9:08 a.m.

There are six more checkpoints in the nearly 1,000-mile sled dog race across Alaska before mushers reach the finish line in Nome. Sixty-six teams started the race March 4; four mushers have scratched.