Willow musher wins Junior Iditarod

WASILLA — Bailey Schaeffer took the long way home over the weekend. But she earned a Junior Iditarod title along the way.

Schaeffer, who grew up in Ivig and now lives in Willow, hit the finish line at the Willow Community Center at 1:47 p.m. Sunday afternoon to earn her first Junior Iditarod title. The 17-year-old Mat-Su Central student was the first of three to finish within a nine-minute span. Schaeffer finished just two minutes ahead of Chandler Wappett of Fairbanks, and nine minutes faster than Wasilla’s Colby Spears.

Schaeffer’s win marked her third straight finish in the top 4. She was fourth last year and third in 2016 as a rookie. Wappett’s runner-up finish came after placing fifth for consecutive years. Spears was second last year.

Grace Nolan of Wasilla was the top rookie in the race, finishing fourth. Nolan was one of six rookies in the race.

All 11 mushers in the field finished. The race included mushers from Montana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Washington and Alaska.

Teams started the 150-mile race Saturday on Knik Lake. The Yentna Station Roadhouse is the midway point of the race.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

2018 Junior Iditarod

Final standings

Into Willow Feb. 25

1. Bailey Schaeffer, 1:47 p.m.; 2. Chandler Wappett, 1:49 p.m.; 3. Colby Spears, 1:56 p.m.; 4. Grace Nolan, 2:08 p.m.; 5. Emma Shawcroft, 2:12 p.m.; 6. Anna Stephan, 2:53 p.m.; 7. Chamayne Morrison, 3:10 p.m.; 8. Mika Whitehead, 3:37 p.m.; 9. Talia Martens, 3:53 p.m.; 10. Lara Anne Renner, 4:39 p.m.; 11. Christina Gibson, 4:52 p.m.