Yukon Quest musher Matt Hall wins Rookie of the Year

Yukon Quest musher Matt Hall crossed the finish line Tuesday afternoon, earning him third place and the title of Rookie of the Year.

The 22-year-old from Eagle, Alaska, had the fastest run of all the musherson the final stretch of the race, so far. Hall clockeda time of 10 hours and 14 minutes fromBraeburnto TakhiniHot Springs. In comparison, Quest winner Allan Moore, took more than 11 hours to complete the same section of trail.

"It was awesome, a lot of miles but we had a blast!" Hall told the media at the finish line.

He also said that he had already started planning to race next year when he stopped at the race's halfway pointin Dawson City, Yukon.

Ken Anderson arrived in fourth place shortly before noon. John Schandelmeier is not far behind him.

This year's race has been fraught with issues. Earlyin the race a section of the trailover one of the mountain summitswas taken out of the racedue to poor trailconditions.The race was re-routed along theYukon River between Eagle, Alaska, and Dawson City. Competitors complained of rough conditions on that section.

A handfulof mushers have experienced race-endingissues on the trail. One time race front-runner,Brent Sass, fell offhis sled and hit his head on some ice.He was taken out of the race on Sundayand flown to Whitehorse for medical attention.

Also just outside the Braeburn checkpoint, Quest veteran Cody Strathe activated the help button on his GPStracking device early Tuesday morning. Thatautomatically pulled him from the race and prompted an RCMP search.

On Saturday, Tony Angeloof Fairbanksalso pushed his help button.And tragedy struckDave Dalton's teamfrom Healy, Alaska. The musher scratched in Pelly Crossing after one of his dogs died. He said the decision to pull out was for the well-being of the rest of his team.

Yukon mushersJean Denis-Britten and Normand Casavant both scratched on the second day of the Quest.

Only one Yukon musher, BrianWilmshurstof Dawson City, remainsin the race. On Wednesday morning, he had yet to reach the Carmacks checkpoint.

The 1,500-kilometre journey began Feb. 1 in Fairbanks.Weather conditions caused the finish line of the race to be moved. This year the race ends at Takhini Hot Springs, 30 kilometres north of Whitehorse.