Husky News

A musher from Montana is the winner of this year’s John Beargrease Sled Dog race in northeastern Minnesota.Jason Barron of Lincoln, Mont., and his team of 11 dogs crossed the finish line at Billy’s Bar in Duluth around 8:37 a.m. Wednesday. His total trail time was 34 hours, 43 minutes.

Barron will win $8,000 for finishing first.

According to race officials, John Stetson of Duluth finished second, crossing the finish line around 9:15 a.m.

On Sunday, 27 teams set off on the 400-mile race, which runs from Duluth through the wilderness along the North Shore of Lake Superior and back. As Barron crossed the finish line, 13 teams were still in the race.

John Stetson of Duluth finished second at 9:16am with his 10 dogs. He took 35 hours and 18 minutes to complete the race at an average speed of 10.8 miles per hour.

As of last reports, Matt Carstens of Whitefield, New Hampshire was in third place. He and his 10 dogs were on the trail en route from Two Harbors. Reports from the scene indicate that Ryan Anderson of Ray had dropped to fourth after being passed by Carstens. Anderson has eight dogs remaining on his team.

Cook County’s Rita Wehseler of Tofte and her six dogs were on the trail into Duluth at last report. She is running ninth and is the last of the Cook County mushers in the race. Blake Freking of Finland also was on the trail with nine dogs and in seventh place heading for the finish line.

Only 12 teams were still in the race as it turned to the home stretch. Twenty-seven teams left Ordean Middle School in Duluth last Sunday afternoon for the race.

Two favorites, Mark Black of Hovland and Jennifer Freking of Finland had to leave the race. Black, the 2005 Beargrease champion, pulled out at Trail Center after his team was down to six dogs. Freking, the 2005 runner up and rookie of that year, went down before the first check-point when her sled crashed on an icy curve. She required emergency surgery on her broken hand.

The weather was in the balmy 30s on Monday during the day. However, the warm weather crashed Monday night as freezing rain and a biting wind chill came in on an Arctic cold front. The heat caused problems for some of the dogs who perform best at temperatures around zero.

Race Coordinator Pat Olson said, “If the dogs are struggling and you push them, you could break their spirit, so smart mushers withdraw.” Olson said that at one point the freezing rain and dangerously low temperatures made officials consider shortening the race. However, she said the decision was made to mush ahead.

So, the 25th Anniversary Beargrease is drawing to a close as the final teams move towards the finish line at Billy’s. Stay tuned to WTIP for a wrap up of the race during the PM Calendar Show starting at 5 o’clock.  The latest results also are available at www.beargrease.com.