Mackey takes early K300 lead

Wearing bib number 1, Lance Mackey checked into the Kalskag checkpoint at the 98 mile marker of the Kuskokwim 300 dog sled race. Mackey left the starting chute first in Bethel at 6:30 pm on Friday January 16th, and checked into Kalskag at 4:40 am Saturday morning setting a fast pace at 10 miles an hour. 19 minutes later, wearing bib 10, Martin Buser checked in holding on to second place. Buser's start time was 8 minutes later then Mackey's and that difference will be made up at the 6 hour mandatory layover that all mushers are required to take in either Kalskag or Aniak on the inbound or outbound routes. As of this writing, there are 10 teams checked into Kalskag including pre-race favorites Paul Gebhardt, and Dallas Seavey. Running a very strong race currently in 3rd position is perennial K300 racer Mike Williams Jr from Akiak. No teams have checked out of Kalskag yet with the leaders now having been parked there for better then 3 hours.

The trail from Kalskag to Crow Village is 26 miles with another 7 miles from Crow Village to Aniak.