Anchorage Daily News

Mitch Seavey took control of the Kuskokwim 300 along the return path to Bethel early Sunday and on into the evening, winning the $20,000 first prize when he crossed the finish line at 8:09 p.m.

Seavey took over first place between Kalskag and Tuluksak, and held onto the lead into the final checkpoint at Akiachak. The Seward musher traversed the 308-mile course from Bethel to Pike Lake cabin and back in 49 hours, 37 minutes and 44 seconds, almost six hours slower than last year's winning time.

As of 10:30 p.m Sunday, only four teams had crossed the finish line. Ramey Smyth of Houston pulled into Bethel 56 minutes after Seavey. He never led at any of the checkpoints, but held onto second since arriving in Tuluksak Sunday morning.

Kotzebue's Ed Iten and John Baker were the next to reach Bethel. Iten arrived 48 minutes after Smyth, and Baker came in another 11 minutes after that. They both passed last year's rookie of the year, Rohn Buser, along the way.

The 18-year-old from Big Lake left Akiachak at 6:41 p.m. with 11 dogs. He held the lead at the race's halfway point at Pike Lake cabin and again coming into Kalskag inbound.

Seavey, the 2004 Iditarod Sled Dog Race champion and ninth-place finisher last year, was as far back as eighth during the outbound portion of the race, and seventh inbound.

But between Aniak and Kalskag, Seavey made up four places to stand in third, averaging a swift 9.33 mph. When he left Kalskag after a four-minute stop, he was in second. By the time he hit Tuluksak, the penultimate checkpoint on the way back to Bethel, Seavey was in first, though he had slowed his pace to 7.63 mph.

Between Tuluksak and Akiachak Seavey was cruising at 9-plus mph. He finished the final 15-mile leg at a leisurely 4.93 mph pace.

Martin Buser, last year's champion and father of Rohn, was in ninth place and on his way to Akiachak as of press time.

Jeff King, the winningest Kusko musher of all time and a four-time Iditarod champion, stood in sixth place, but had not yet reached the final checkpoint.

Nineteen of the 22 teams were still racing as of 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Iditarod fan favorite and two-time runner-up DeeDee Jonrowe of Willow scratched in Kalskag inbound; Jackie Larson and Jessica Klejka scratched in Aniak outbound.

Only five teams had made it as far as Akiachak. Four had reached and left Tuluksak, five were still in Tuluksak. Three mushers were in between Kalskag and Tuluksak and the final two still running were encamped in Kalskag.

Kuskokwim 300

Standings as of 10:30 p.m.

Finished -- 1) Mitch Seavey 8:09 p.m.; 2) Ramey Smyth 9:05 p.m.; 3) Ed Iten 9:53 p.m.; 4) John Baker 10:04 p.m.

Out of Akiachak -- 5) Rohn Buser 6:41 p.m.

Out of Tuluksak -- 6) Jeff King 2:39 p.m.; 7) Hugh Neff 4:47 p.m.; 8) Paul Geghardt 5:38 p.m.; 9) Martin Buser 5:59 p.m..

Into Tuluksak -- 10) Dave Decaro 2:42 p.m.; 11) Sebastian Schnuelle 4:24 p.m.; 12) Myron Angstman 4:37 p.m.; 13) Melissa Owens 5:40 p.m.; 14) Gerald Riley 7:08 p.m.

Out of Kalskag -- 15) Mike Williams Jr, 10:34 a.m.; 16) Jim Lanier 1:15 p.m.; 17) Mike Williams Sr. 1:26 p.m.

Into Kalskag -- 18) Kyle Belleque 3:07 p.m.; 19) David Tresino 5:44 p.m.

Scratched -- DeeDee Jonrowe (Kalskag, inbound), Jackie Larson (Aniak, outbound), Jessica Klejka (Aniak, outbound).

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