Streeper mushes into Fur Rondy lead with swift run through Anchorage

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John Erhart drives his dog team through the Alaska Native Health Campus during the second day of the 2018 Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, AK on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. Erhart finished day 2 in second place behind Buddy Streeper. (Bob Hallinen / ADN)

Five-time champion Buddy Streeper surged into the lead of the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championships on Saturday.

After finishing one second off the lead Friday, Streeper and his team of 16 sled dogs were the fastest by more than a minute during Saturday's heat.

Streeper, who is from Fort Nelson, British Columbia, will take a lead of 2 minutes, 31 seconds into Sunday's final dash through Anchorage.

Streeper made Saturday's 25-mile round-trip run between downtown and Far North Bicentennial Park in 1 hour, 26 minutes. He clocked 1:24:30 on Friday, giving him a two-run total time of 2:50:30.

In second place is John Erhart at 2:53:01. He had the third-fastest runs in both heats (1:25:29 Friday, 1:27:32 Saturday).

First-day leader Kourosh Partow faded to fifth place overall after recording the 11th-best time Saturday.

Greg Taylor, meanwhile, finished Saturday's heat in 1:27:03 — second only to Streeper — to vault from seventh to third overall.

Sunday's 25-mile heat begins at noon at 4th Avenue and D Street.

Standings through two 25-mile heats

1) Buddy Streeper 2:50:30, 2) John Erhart 2:53.01, 3) Greg Taylor 2:53:47; 4) James Wheeler 2:55:29; 5) Kourosh Partow 2:55:39, 6) Marvin Kokrine 2:56:28; 7) Mark Hartum 2:57:01; 8) Emilie Entrikin 2:57:20; 9) Michael Tetzner 2:58:06; 10) Jeff Conn 2:58:31; 11) Lina Streeper 2:59:20; 12) Jason Dunlap 2:59:48; 13) Gary Markley 3:00:43; 14) Dave Turner 3:05:57; 15) Bill Kornmuller 3:06:40; 16) Don Cousins 3:08:36; 17) Nathan Sterling 3:11.51; 18) Evan Hahn 3:12:51; 19) Danny Beck 3:23:41; 20) Dennis Kananowicz 3:23:57; 21) Nikki Seo 3:28:55.