Three days of sprint races hosted by the Bethel Sprint Mushers Club ended on Saturday, March 14 with a win for Kwethluk musher Michael Larson. He clocked the fastest total elapsed time for three consecutive 32-miles runs from Bethel to Atmuatluak and back at a little under 6 hours and 48 minutes. Larson took home $12,000 of a $75,000 total race purse.
Bethel’s Maurice Andrews – who took third in this year’s Bogus Creek 150 just behind Larson – came in roughly 15 minutes behind Larson to clock the second-fastest elapsed time. This year’s Bogus Creek 150 champion, Mike Williams Jr. of Akiak, took third.
Akiachak’s Schouviller Wassillie Jr. and Kwethluk’s Jim George rounded out the top five mushers. Fourteen teams ran the race.
It’s only Larson’s second year racing dogs – and it’s been a successful sophomore season. He’s coming off a first-place finish in the Akiak Dash, and a second-place finish in the Bogus Creek 150.
Next up in local mushing, the Kuskokwim 300-sponsored February 50 Doubles race is scheduled for Saturday, March 21. It’ll be followed close behind by the two-day Campout Race on Saturday, March 28.
