Musher Nathan Schroeder has won his fourth John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon title, crossing the finish line near Duluth amid snow and gusty winds during the predawn hours Wednesday.
Schroeder, of Warba, and his dog team reached the finish line at Billy's Bar in Rice Lake, just north of Duluth, at 5:52 a.m. Jason Campeau of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, finished second, reaching Billy's at 6:24 a.m. Defending champion Ryan Anderson of Ray was poised to take third place.
The 2016 win follows Schroeder's Beargrease titles in 2010, 2013 and 2014. He joins Jamie Nelson of Togo as the only four-time winners in race history. This year's race was the 32nd running of the Beargrease.
Schroeder is preparing to head to Alaska later this month to compete in his third Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
After Anderson, five mushers remain on the trail. Teams had to contend with several inches of new snow that fell overnight, as well as gusty winds.
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