The Akiak Dash has a new champion! Raymond Alexie, age 19, of Kwethluk, Alaska is this year’s winner. He won the race on Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at 4:54pm, completing the course in 4 hours, 54 minutes. He races with his family’s Alexie Racing Kennel, this is his fourth win of this year’s racing season. His team lead dogs are Apollo and Levi.
Alexie was welcomed by his parents Harry and Sharon at the finish line and Grandma Annie K. Alexie and his siblings.
Coming in second was Mike Williams Jr. of Akiak. He crossed the finish line at 5:17pm, his total elapsed time was 5 hours, 17 minutes.
In third place was 14 year old rookie Charlie Chingliak of Akiachak running his Team Cha (YFFD) dogs. He finished at 5:34pm, his time was 5 hrs. 34 mins. This is his first run in the Akiak Dash.
The Red Lantern Award went to Solomon Olick of Kwethluk. He finished at 6:15pm with a time of 6 hours, 15 mins.
The 2023 Akiak Dash began Saturday at 12 noon with a mass start at the K300 Start/Finish Line in Bethel. 15 teams raced for a total purse of $30,000 in the 60 mile race to Akiak and back.
Mushers and their teams followed the K300 trail up the Kuskokwim to the Gweek River. Dash mushers split off the K300 trail at the Akiachak portage trail, approximately 12 miles from the start. From Akiachak they stayed on the river to Akiak, looped around the big island below the village and then returned back to Bethel on the same trail.
There was no layover in the Akiak Dash this year.
Akiak Dash fans were able to follow the race via GPS Tracking online. The mass start and finishes were also livestreamed at the K300 facebook page.
The weather was in the warm 20s, a drastic difference from last week’s freezing subzero temps. The Akiak Dash awards will take place at the Mushers Banquet on Monday, January 30, 2023.
2023 Akiak Dash Race Results
January 28, 2023
Place/Musher Time
1 Raymond Alexie 16:54:00 8
2 Mike Williams Jr. 17:17:00 8
3 Charlie Chingliak 17:34:00 7
4 Darren George 17:47:00 8
5 Herman Phillip 17:48:00 7
6 Leondre Demientieff 17:59:00 6
7 Fred Pavilla 18:02:00 8
8 Maurice Andrews 18:03:00 8
9 Tory Fitzpatrick 18:07:00 8
10 Robert Charles 18:12:00 8
11 Kenneth Snyder 18:15:00 7
12 Byron Jr Pasitnak 18:20:00 8
13 Aaron Alexie 18:21:00 7
14 Jacob Napoka 18:29:00 8
15 Solomon Olick 18:50:00 5
