In the waning afternoon sun on the frozen Kuskokwim River, 24-year-old Michael Larson was the first musher to cross the finish line in the 34th running of the Akiak Dash on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The Kwethluk musher maintained a steady buffer of distance ahead of the pack for most of the race. Larson was the first to complete the loop outside of Akiak and follow the trail back toward Bethel on the roughly 65-mile course.
Last year, Larson earned his spot among the Dash’s legacy of high-performing rookie racers — he came in second place. This year, in only his second season racing dogs, he did one better, earning a $7,000 cut of the $50,000 total race purse.
Schouviller Wassillie Jr. of Akiachak, who won the 2024 Akiak Dash, came in second this year, nabbing $5,000. And Napaskiak musher Spyridon Chaney took third, earning $4,300.
