4:36 PM UPDATE: Ryan Redington crosses the finish line at 4:36:15 pm to win his second John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. He previously won in 2018.
Keith Aili arrived second, crossing the finish line at 4:50:11 pm. Ryan Anderson is expected to cross within the hour, followed by Martin Massicotte.
(previous) 2:00 PM UPDATE: Ryan Redington is in the lead with about 40 km to go in the final leg of the 2020 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. At 2 pm, he is ahead of the current 2nd place musher, Keith Aili, by 10 kilometers. However: Ryan has only 7 dogs remaining on his team, whereas Keith has 10. John Stetson told Lisa Johnson this morning that mushers will often shed their slower dogs in the final leg to maintain a good pace toward the finish but, regardless, John opines that a having three more dogs will be a factor, so Keith Aili has a good chance of closing in on Ryan in this final leg, making for a very interesting finish!
Ryan Anderson and his team (currently 3rd) left the final checkpoint (Mineral Center) at 1:36 pm, and Martin Masicotte (currently 4th) departed at 1:58 pm. There is some space between them, but is too soon to tell how they will end up.
As of 2 pm, five other teams are resting at the Mineral Center Checkpoint: Collen Wallin, Blake Freking, Nathan Schroeder, Peter McClelland, and Jen Freking. The reaming teams, led by Jaye Foucher, Laura Neese, Kevin Mathis, and Liza Dietzen have departed the Skyport Checkpoint en route to Mineral Center.
John Stetson believes the finish could occur around 5:30 pm today. When it happens, KUMD will interrupt programming for a live report from the Beargrease finish in Grand Portage!
