Akiak musher Mike Williams Jr. was the first to reach the halfway checkpoint in this year’s Bogus Creek 150 Sled Dog Race.
Williams Jr. and his 10 dogs made the run up to the race’s sole checkpoint in 6 hours and 29 minutes and arrived at the Bogus Creek checkpoint at 9:29 p.m. on Feb. 22, 7 minutes ahead of defending Bogus Creek 150 champion Raymond Alexie of Kwethluk, who arrived at the Bogus Creek checkpoint at 9:36 p.m. Last year, it was Alexie who came first into the Bogus Creek checkpoint.
A surge to the front has been a hallmark of Williams Jr.’s recent strategy. In this year’s Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race (K300), he was the first musher into Aniak, ultimately finishing fourth in that race.
Multiple K300 winner Pete Kaiser of Bethel was third into the Bogus Creek checkpoint at 9:43 p.m. Kaiser has come in second to Raymond Alexie in the Bogus Creek 150 in both 2023 and 2024.
Rounding out the top four mushers was Akiachak’s Robert Charles Jr., 9 minutes later at 9:52 p.m.
All teams will take a required 4 hours of rest at the Bogus Creek checkpoint. They’ll then race back downriver to Bethel through the early hours, with an expected finish early on Sunday, Feb. 23.
