ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The winner of the 2011 Iditarod race says he will not return to trail to compete in the 2018 competition.

Former champion John Baker tells KTVA-TV he is tied up with various projects that his company Remote Solutions is working on.

Baker’s company helps rural communities and the Department of Transportation make state and federal projects more cost effective and ensure that they will be beneficial.

In 2011, Baker was the first Inupiat Eskimo to win the Iditarod and the first Alaska Native musher to win since Jerry Riley in 1976.

Last year, Baker competed in the race and finished in 18th place, beating his fiancee Katherine Keith by one second.

Keith says she will compete again this year.

Baker says she will be running with his dogs.

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