Husky News

Reach the finish line, earn a check.

That was the mantra for mushers in Bethel this weekend, when all 17 finishers in the two completed races — the premier Kuskokwim 300 and the shorter Bogus 150 — earned paydays. The last musher across the line in either race earned at least $2,500.

John Baker of Kotzebue took home $20,000 and his first major mushing victory in a career that stretches back to the early 1990s and includes two third-place finishes in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The gracious 47-year-old complimented his competitors in a finish-line interview with KYUK radio.

“I really enjoyed spending time with (my fellow racers), as I always do,” he said. “Just because I finished ahead of some of them, or all of them, doesn’t mean that I worked any harder or did anything special. They’re out there working just as hard.”

Earlier, Lewis Pavilla of Kwethluk wrapped up his second straight Bogus 150 victory in style, topping rookie and runner-up Mike Parker of Bethel by more than two hours, a large margin in a shorter race. Fellow Kwethluk resident Herman Phillip finished third, giving the town of 713 at the confluence of the Kuskokwim and Kwethluk rivers much to cheer about at Monday night’s awards banquet.

“Back-to-back champion,” Pavilla exulted to KYUK radio at the finish after earning a record $6,500 for the 150-miler. “I think this is my last one. Maybe I’ll try for the 300 next year.”

Winners and losers battled the same nasty conditions — brutal wind chills, slippery ice and debris blown on the trail.

“Bad trail everywhere,” said Pavilla, who kept warm in a bulky red insulated suit.

A musher like Martin Buser of Big Lake, more accustomed to the snow of Southcentral, could only shake his head.

“Well, the land is surreal, you know,” the runner-up told KYUK. “This is Bethel. This is pretty unreal. I’ve done it a few times, but it’s clearly never the same. You guys definitely have a unique place here.”

Casual race fans might look at three-time defending Iditarod champion Lance Mackey’s third-place finish and wonder if his aura of invincibility was slipping away. After all, Mackey has not lost since the early-season Gin-Gin 200 last year.

Mackey, however, was thrilled. If only that darned dog driver hadn’t hurt the team.

“I’ve got a few young ones in here, and they really stood up and did great,” he told KYUK. “I’m really pleased with them. I’m a little disappointed with myself. I got off the trail. I had like a 45 minute lead on these guys at one point. (But) that’s the way it goes; it’s part of racing.”

Iditarod mushers praying for any sign the Mackey mushing dynasty was starting to fade shouldn’t read much into third place.

“I have a real nice young group, and I feel that this is going to be a damn tough team to beat in the Iditarod again,” Mackey said. “This is a warm-up. I wanted to see what they were made of, and they far exceeded my expectation.”

Kuskokwim 300

Finishers, Times, Earnings

1. John Baker, Kotzebue, 47:56:22, $20,000;

2. Martin Buser, Big Lake, 49:23:16, $15,000;

3. Lance Mackey, Fairbanks, 49:57:06, $10,000;

4. Dallas Seavey, Willow, 52:18:17, $7,000;

5. Paul Gebhardt, Kasilof, 56:30:11, $6,000;

6. Mike Williams Jr., Akiak, 56:43:06, $5,000;

7. Ramey Smyth, Willow, 57:39:16, $4,000;

8. Jackie Larson, 60:59:33, $3,500;

9. Mike Williams Sr., Akiak, 63:17:45, $3,300;

10. Peter Kaiser, Bethel, 65:22:49, $3,000;

11. Quinn Iten, Kotzebue, 67:16:54, $2,900;

12. William “Middy” Johnson, Unalakleet, 71:54:13, $2,800.

Bogus Creek 150

Finishers, Times, Earnings

1. Lewis Pavilla, Kwethluk, 19:15:56, $6,500;

2. Mike Parker, Bethel, 21:25:48, $5,000;

3. Herman Phillip, Kwethluk, 21:55:00, $4,000;

4. Richie Diehl, Aniak, 22:00:11, $3,000;

5. Jessica Klejka, Bethel, 22:01:06, $2,500;

Scratches — Alex Chaney, Nathan Underwood, Sam Jackson, Myron Angstman, Aaron Alexie, John Simon, Isaac Underwood, Anthony Olick

Source: The Anchorage Daily News