Credit Katie Basile / KYUK
Updated: 11:19 a.m.
The first mushers have arrived at the halfway checkpoint for the 2021 Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race. The top three mushers arrived within one hour of each other.
2021 Bogus Creek 150 Champion Richie Diehl from Aniak is riding the momentum from his win two weeks ago. He arrived first to the halfway checkpoint at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Fitness Center in Bethel at 9:35 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13 with 12 dogs. He was trailed by Nicholas Petit from Girdwood who arrived 28 minutes after Diehl at 10:03 a.m., with 12 dogs. Petit had broken into an early lead at the beginning of the race, but Diehl caught up and passed him shortly before midnight.
Credit Katie Basile / KYUK
Updated: 9:37 p.m.
All of the mushers racing in the 2021 Bogus Creek 150 have arrived at the halfway checkpoint at Hangar Lake near Bethel. The first half of the race proved to be electrifying, with less than a half-mile separating the five leading mushers for much of the first half of the race.
Fr. Alexander Larson from Napaskiak narrowly edged out Aniak musher Richie Diehl by two minutes to become the first musher into Hangar Lake at 6:26 p.m; Diehl arrived at 6:28 p.m. Following them were the two mushers racing for Bethel s Kaiser Racing Kennel. Ron Kaiser arrived first at 6:32 p.m., followed by his son, 2019 Iditarod Champion and five time K300 Champion, Pete Kaiser at 6:33 p.m. Rounding out the first five mushers was Jason Pavila, the 2019 Bogus Creek Champion, who arrived at the checkpoint at 6:38 p.m.