Two Rivers musher wins Goose Bay 120

KNIK — Judy Currier captured the title of the Goose Bay 120 sled dog race Sunday in Knik.

The Two Rivers musher crossed the finish line at 9:30 a.m. to win the 120-mile race that leads mushers from the Tug Bar to Yentna and back.

Currier held a 43-minute cushion between herself and second-place Micah Degerlund, but Degerlund led a group of four mushers who finished within a 17-minute span.

Degerland finished a 10:13 a.m., third-place Ryan Redington followed at 10:26 a.m., Scott Smith placed fourth at 10:29 p.m. and Ray Redington arrived fifth at 10:30 a.m.

Thirty mushers competed in the 2008 race, and only two musher scratched.

Quest leaders battle

for top spot

CARMACKS, Yukon Territory — Ken Anderson took a slight lead in the 2008 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race, arriving in Carmacks, Yukon Territory, Canada, three minutes ahead of three-time Quest champion Lance Mackey.Mackey had controlled the lead for much of the 2008 race.

Anderson, who like Mackey resides in the Fairbanks area, hit Carmacks at 10:40 a.m. Monday, while Mackey arrived at 10:43 a.m. As of press time Monday, Anderson and Mackey were the only two mushers into Carmacks.

There are 177 miles of trail between Carmacks and the finish in Whitehorse.

Two mushers raced into Pelly Crossing Monday afternoon. David Dalton hit the checkpoint at 3 p.m., one-minute ahead of fourth-place Michelle Phillips.

Two others, Brent Sass at 4:35 p.m. and Wasilla’s Kelley Griffen at 6:20 p.m., arrived later in the day.

As of press time, Hugh Neff was the lone musher to have left Stepping Stone, departing at 5:28 p.m., and five teams were out of Scroggle Creek.

Eighth-place Jean-denis Britten left Scroggle Creek at 3:08 a.m. and was followed by Dan Kaduce (7:09 a.m.), William Pinkham (8:32 a.m.), Mike Ellis (10:10 a.m.) and Phil Joy (12:05 p.m.).

Veteran Bill Cotter led a group of three mushers out of Dawson City.

— Jeremiah Bartz