Another battle between Roxy Wright and Buddy Streeper will be decided Sunday during the third and final heat of the Open North American sled dog championships in Fairbanks.
Streeper won the second-day heat but Wright maintained the overall lead on Saturday. After two days of racing, less than 20 seconds separate the two, who finished 1-2 in last month's Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship, with the win going to Wright.
Streeper trailed Wright by about 35 seconds after Friday's 20.8-mile run. The British Columbia driver won Saturday's heat by 16.4 seconds with a time of 65 minutes, 4.6 seconds. Wright clocked 65:21.
On Friday, Wright, of Fairbanks, prevailed with a run of 64:15.8, with Streeper about 35 seconds behind in 64:50.9. Wright's two-day total is 129:36.8; Streeper's is 129:55.5.
In third place, about two minutes behind Streeper, is Sacha's Amy Wright (131:53.9).