Wearing bib number 10, Keith Aili brings his team into the Grand Portage checkpoint, which was the halfway point of the 2018 John Beargrease sled dog marathon. Aili, a previous winner, had to scratch in this year’s race and didn’t finish.
Ryan Redington, 35, of Wasilla, Alaska led a team of past champions to take first place in the 2018 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.
Redington crossed the finish line at Billy’s Bar in Rice Lake, which is located a short distance north of Duluth at around 5 a.m. Wednesday, January 31. He completed the 400-mile race in 32:20:44, taking his mandatory 30:18 minutes of rest breaks over the four-day competition.
In Redington’s wake was 2017 winner and three-time champion Ryan Anderson, who was second this year in 34:57:28. Denis Tremblay placed third, Colleen Wallin, Two Harbors was fourth, four-time champion Nathan Schroeder placed fifth, and 2004 Beargrease winner Blake Freking was sixth. Mushers who failed to finish were Matt Schmidt, Blair Braverman, Kevin Matisn and 2006 champion Keith Aili of Ray, Minnesota.
Last year Redington led for almost the entire race, but in 2017 he left Grand Portage with seven dogs and was down to the minimum six dogs at Finland and, lacking significant “dog power” was passed by Anderson near the finish.
At the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon awards ceremony first-place winner Ryan Redington was given this beautiful “trophy” signifying his win.
Again this year Redington took the early lead, but with one big difference. He left the midway checkpoint at Grand Portage with 11 healthy dogs and left the Sawbill checkpoint with nine very fast, strong dogs.
Once through Sawbill, the dog teams travel hill and dale through the boreal forest for 30 miles to Finland and then push on for 38 miles to Highway 2 north of Two Harbors. From there, following a mandatory four-hour break, it’s a 35-mile dash to the finish line at Billy’s Bar.
On the way back, with almost two-thirds of the race over, Keith Aili was in second place, leaving Skyport Lodge at 7:14 a.m. Ray was followed by Ryan Anderson at 7:46 a.m., Matt Schmidt of Grand Marais at 8 a.m., Colleen Wallin of Two Harbors at 8:17 a.m., four-time Beargrease champion Nathan Schroeder of Warba at 8:19 a.m., Denis Tremblay of Quebec at 8:48 a.m. and Blake Freking of Finland at 9 a.m.
But no one was going to catch the grandson of legendary musher Joe Redington Sr., “The Father of the Iditarod” sled dog race, not this year.
Martha Schouweiler makes it four straight wins— Mid-Distance Race results
Martha Schouweiler of Irma, Wisconsin won the mid-distance Beargrease race for the fourth time time in a row. She finished eight minutes ahead of Hovland musher Frank Moe.
“I was very happy with our team and handling crew,” said Moe.. Sherri ran the show with help from our handlers Lisa Boulay and John Vitek. Our team has been running well and we thought we had a chance to win. There was a small timing mistake but still we were 8 minutes back from Martha. Two years ago, we were also second to Martha but were an hour back, so we’re getting close.”
Mike Bestgen placed third, Rita Weheseler of Tofte was fourth, Brian Bergen fifth, Joanna Oberg sixth, Jim Ward seventh, Lenne Bergen eighth, Alex LaPlante ninth, and Lynne Witte was tenth.
Finishing 11-26 in the following order were Dusty Klaven, Jasper Johnston, Jennifer Freking, Erin Becker, Christine Richardson, Mary Manning, Peter McClelland, Ryan Beaber, Andrea DeBoer, Elizabeth Nelson, Dave Gordon, Ingrid Pond, Mike Hoff, Adam Treful, Nicole Grangroth, and Alice White.
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