Leading wire to wire, Petit cruises to Willow 300 victory

Heartache tinged some of Girdwood musher Nicolas Petit's early races this year. In the Copper Basin 300, he gave up an early lead before scratching. And a few weeks in the Tustumena 200, he again forfeited the lead, succumbing to a late rush by Cim Smyth of Big Lake to lose by three minutes.

But on Sunday, Petit was having none of that, coasting to a nearly two-hour victory in the Willow 300 over fellow Iditarod racer Travis Beals.

Petit, the seventh-place finisher in last year's Iditarod, led wire to wire. Nenana's Brenda Mackey, the daughter of Iditarod champion Rick Mackey, took third, just 12 minutes behind Beals. Iditarod veterans Rick Casillo and Scott Smith were fourth and fifth, respectively.

The new race on the middle-distance circuit started at Knik Lake on Friday before heading to Yentna Station, and then Talvista Lodge in Skwentna, before heading back to the finish line, passing through Deshka Landing and Sheep Creek Lodge.

The race's $15,000 purse is divided among the top-five finishers.

Willow 300

Top 5 finishers

1) Nicolas Petit, 47 hours, 12 minutes; 2) Travis Beals, 49:01; 3) Brenda Mackey, 49:13; 4) Rick Casillo, 49:47; 5) Scott Smith, 50:02.