John Beargrease Dog Sled Race facts for kids
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The John Beargrease Sled Dog Race is an exciting dogsled race. It takes place every year in northeast Minnesota. The race follows the beautiful North Shore of Lake Superior. It is about 400 miles long. This makes it the longest sled dog race in the lower 48 states of America. Winning the "Beargrease" can help mushers qualify for the famous Iditarod in Alaska.
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Who Was John Beargrease?
The race is named after a brave man called John Beargrease. He was a mail carrier in the late 1800s. John Beargrease used a dog sled to deliver mail. He traveled between Two Harbors, Minnesota and Grand Portage, Minnesota in the winter. This was a very important job.
When and Where Does the Race Happen?
The John Beargrease Sled Dog Race has been held every January since 1980. It always starts from Billy's Bar in Duluth, Minnesota. The race brings together many skilled mushers and their dog teams.
Recent Race Highlights
The 2022 race was won by Ryan Anderson. He is from Cushing, Wisconsin. This was Ryan Anderson's fourth time winning the race. That year, the weather was warm. This caused the snow to be soft. Because of the soft snow, 13 mushers had to leave the race early. Ryan Anderson finished the race in just over two days and six and a half hours.
Changes to the Race Course
In 2019, the race course had to be changed. It was also made shorter by 70 miles. This happened because there was not enough snow. Changes like this can happen due to warmer winters.
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