Finland musher Jennifer Freking was pulled by her happy team of blue-booted Siberian Huskies in the 2016 John Beargrease sled dog half marathon. This year both Jennifer and her husband Blake will race in the full distance Beargrease race.
Last month John Beargrease Race board of directors announced it would start the race at the Lake County Fairgrounds, within the Two Harbors city limits.
This month the board announced it was moving the start back to the Alger Grade gravel pit on Lake county Highway 2 about 8 miles north of the city, its previous location the last two years.
Jason Rice, the Beargrease race director, said the organization decided to switch the start because the new location caused as many problems as it was supposed to solve. Rice said he was working with the Lake County Highway Department on making the switch back to the original location.
The John Beargrease Marathon is the longest sled dog race in the lower 48 states. The race will begin Sunday, January 29, and mushers and their dogs will cover almost 400 miles along the Lake Superior Ridgeline and through back country forests, traveling to Grand Portage and back to Two Harbors. The mid-distance race will run in conjunction with the marathon.
Combined, the purse for the two races is $35,000, with $24,500 going to the marathon finishers. First place in the long race will win $6,125 with first place earning $2,625 in the shorter race. Top 10 finishers in each race win prize money.
Grand Portage Lodge and Casino is a major sponsor of the 2017 race with a $10,000 contribution to the event. Nearly 500 people volunteer to help with the four-day event, with mushers coming from Canada, Alaska, the lower 48 and even, at times, from overseas.
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