Mike Williams Jr. of Akiak crossed the finish line in first place at the Holiday Classic Dog Sled Race on January 8, 2016 in Bethel. CREDIT KATIE BASILE / KYUK - Bethel, Alaska 
Another Late Winter Means Another K300 Season Opener Postponed
Bethel’s first local sled dog race of the season has been postponed. The Kuskokwim 300 Season Opener, originally scheduled for Dec. 7, has been pushed back a week to next Saturday, Dec. 14. The reason for the delay is the same reason the race has been postponed for the past three years: winter’s late start has resulted in poor trail conditions.
K300 Race Manager Paul Basile says that mushers have reported little time to train this season, and the K300 Board wants to avoid the danger of mushers snowmachining into Bethel on rough trails, pulling heavy sleds of dog teams. Also, the weather forecast does not look favorable for mushing, though that did not factor into the decision to postpone. This weekend is expected to bring rain and temperatures above freezing.
The 30-mile Season Opener on Saturday, Dec. 14, is planned to start at 11 a.m. There's big money to be made. Two race cancellations last season means more money for purses this season, with purses totaling $27,500 per local race.
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