Husky News

Ludington native Ed Stielstra led 15 finishers in the U.P. 200 sled dog race, crossing the line 11 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of the second place finisher Sunday. The race is a qualifier for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Stielstra races in the UP 200 to give his dogs a final tune-up before the 1,100-mile Alaskan race. His status as an Iditarod finisher means he doesn’t have to qualify each year.

The musher, now of McMillan, and his 10 dogs finished at 11:12 and 47 seconds a.m. Eric Morris of Port Wing, Wis., and his 11 dogs crossed next at 11:24:07 a.m. They were followed by Ryan Anderson of Ray, Minn., at 12:03:20 p.m.; Bill Johnson of Cheboygan at 12:42:35 p.m.; and Normand Casavant of Val Des Lacs, Quebec, at 12:54:30 p.m.

Johnston was running a team of Ludington musher Al Hardman’s dogs. Hardman was entered in this year’s Iditarod but withdrew to focus on getting National Guardsman Rod Whaley trained to race in the Iditarod this year.

Twelve of the 27 starters were scratches, mainly because the dogs got too tired to continue.

The race started Friday night in downtown Marquette. It took mushers and dogs along the Lake Superior shoreline to Grand Marais before they turned around and headed back to Marquette.

The top 10 finishers Sunday in the 2008 U.P. 200 Sled Dog Championship, with hometowns and finishing times (EST):

1. Ed Stielstra, McMillan, Mich., 11:12:42 a.m.

2. Eric Morris, Port Wing, Wis., 11:24:07 a.m.

3. Ryan Anderson, Ray, Minn., 12:03:20 p.m.

4. Bill Johnston, Cheboygan, Mich., running Ludington musher Al Hardman’s dogs, 12:42:35 p.m.

5. Normand Casavant, Val Des Lacs, Quebec, 12:54:30 p.m.

6. Matt Carstens, Whitefield, N.H., 12:59:02 p.m.

7. Nathan Schroeder, Nashwauk, Minn., 1:04:09 p.m.

8. Matt Rossi, Herbster, Wis., 1:06:24 p.m.

9. Michael Bestgen, St. Cloud, Minn., 1:23:48 p.m.

10. Dawn Breedlove, Elton, Wis., 1:37:44 p.m.