 photo by Ian Foulds |
With 10 dogs out of 14 still on line John Baker won the race he has been trying to take for 15 years by placing first in the 2010 addition of the Kuskokwim 300. Baker, who placed 3rd in last years Iditarod has 10 top finishes in his 14 Iditarods but has never placed higher then 4th in the K300. Considering he has a small 35 dog kennel in Kotzebue, this demonstrates unequaled consistency for long distance dog sled racers. Baker began closing the deal 100 miles from the finish when he started putting some distance between himself and Iditarod winners Lance Mackey and Martin Buser. His lead dogs Velvet and Snickers helped him gain a 41 minute edge over the toughest portion of the trail between Kalskag and Tuluksak a 50 mile stretch where there was little snow and plenty of ultra smooth river ice to contend with. Even though he was still looking over his shoulder for his well qualified contenders by the time he got to Bethel, he had extended that lead to an hour and 36 minutes.
Following Baker, Martin Buser came in second, Lance Mackey was third, Dallas Seavey was fourth and Paul Gebhardt rounded out the top 5. Once again, weather was the big story for the Kusko with wind chill temperatures of minus-60 and howling winds during portions of the race. 3 time K300 winner Mitch Seavey scratched on Saturday with frozen eyeballs, according to a race official, and 8 time K300 winner Jeff King who has endured the full spectrum of weather in this race scratched before the race began.
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