The Holiday Classic Sled Dog Race has a two-time champion, 19 year old Raymond Alexie. Alexie races for his family’s kennel – the Alexie Racing Kennel of Kwethluk. He won the race in 3 hours 28 minutes. He also won the race in 2021.
Alexie is also the winner of the Season Opener which took place on December 17th, 2022.
Nineteen teams from the region competed in the 50-mile Holiday Classic event on January 7th, 2023, which is sponsored by the Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee. Coming in second place was Mike Williams Jr. of Akiak, he finished in 3 hours, 46 minutes. In third place Bethel’s Pete Kaiser, his time was 3 hours, 50 minutes.
The race began with a mass start on the Kuskokwim River, near the mouth of the small boat harbor at 11am. Racers traveled up the Kuskokwim, via Steamboat Slough, then continued up the Gweek River. At about the 25-mile mark teams turned around then returned back to Bethel on the same trail.
Winner of the Red Lantern Award went to Steven Alexie of Napaskiak driving his team from his kennel, No Chance Racing Kennels.
The Holiday Classic is part of the season-long Delta Championship Series where racing kennels will be awarded points based on their finishing position in each K300 Race Committee sponsored event (excluding the K300 and Akiak Dash). Points will be tallied throughout the winter and the kennel with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned champion.
The champion will receive a $5,000 food order from new sponsor Underdog Feeds (a Wasilla based feed store) as well as a $1,000 freight credit from Northern Air Cargo. Runners up will also receive freight credits from NAC. The Race Committee expects to announce additional prizes later as more sponsors come on board.
Six races are included in the Delta Championship Series; “The Season Opener”, “The Holiday Classic”, “The Bogus Creek 150”, “The February 50 Doubles Race”, “The 100 Mile Challenge” and “The Campout Race”. Of course, each individual race has its own purse ($60,000 for the Bogus Creek 150 and $20,000 each for the other 5 races).
A full outline of the Delta Championship Series rules, protocols and prize details can be found at www.k300.org/delta-championship-series.
2023 Holiday Classic Sled Dog Race Results
Place/Musher Hometown Elapsed Time Prize
1 Raymond Alexie Kwethluk 3:28:00 $2,700
2 Mike Williams Jr. Akiak 3:46:00 $2,450
3 Pete Kaiser Bethel 3:50:00 $2,250
4 Jackie Larson Napaskiak 3:52:00 $2,050
5 Ron Kaiser Bethel 3:55:10 $1,850
6 Herman Phillip Kwethluk 3:55:14 $1,700
7 Lewis Pavila Kwethluk 3:57:00 $1,450
8 Tory Fitzpatrick Akiachak 4:00:00 $1,250
9 Twyla Elhard Bethe 4:08:00 $1,050
10 Maurice Andrews Bethel 4:10:00 $900
11 Kenneth Snyder Akiachak 4:12:00 $750
12 Robert Charles Akiachak 4:13:00 $600
13 John Snyder Akiachak 4:16:00 $450
14 Darren George Akiachak 4:21:00 $300
15 Albert Michael Kwethluk 4:25:00 $250
16 Leondre Demientieff Kasigluk 4:27:16
17 Aaron Alexie Akiachak 4:40:00
17 Henry Napoka Tuluksak 4:27:35
18 Charlie Chingliak Akiachak 4:47:00
19 Steven M Alexie Napaskiak 4:56:00
– Terrell Andrews Bethel withdrew
